Royal Oak Disaster

Northern Advocate, 10 November 1939, Page 4

Royal Oak Disaster

TTE statement made to the House of Commons by the First Lord of the Admiralty is susceptible of no other conclusion than that somebody ignored the accepted axiom that “eternal vigilance* is the price of safety.” It is quite clear that a long held belief in the immunity of Scapa Flow induced both the Admiralty and the Navy to accept undue risk. This was admitted by the First Lord, who said that so great was the faith of the fleet in the inviolability of Scapa that when the first German torpedo struck the ship . the crew believed it was an air attack. In the light of subsequent events, it is distressing to read of the attempts made by the ship’s personnel to seek shelter from further bombs what time the ship was about to receive a fatal blow. It may readily be accepted that both Admiralty and Navy have received a lesson of which due heed will be taken. 4j = While the nation’s sympathy will go out to the families bereaved by a disaster, the loss of the Royal Oak but to emphasise, by way of contrast, the success which has been achieved by the Navy since the outbreak of war. The record of achievement is indeed astounding, and justifies the statement of the First Lord of the Admiralty: “Without expressing over-indulgent opinion, I feel that after the ninth week, as far as the sea is concerned, and the sea has often proved decisive, we may cherish good hopes that all will be well.”