ACCIDENTALLY DROWNED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 30 April 1942, Page 3

ACCIDENTALLY DROWNED

INQUEST VERDICT AT AUCKLAND Auckland, April 39. Circumstances surrounding the iinding of tlie bodies of two naval men in :.he harbour near the dock on 13th April, were brought to light when inquests into the deaths of Able Seaman John William Bartlett, aged 45. and Stoker Alexander Hugh Graham, aged 26, were held before Mr F. K. Hunt, coroner. Able Seaman Bartlett was a married man living in Auckland, and Stoker Graham’s home was in Dunedin. Both men. it was stated, were last seen when they left the wet canteen, Able Seaman Bartlett on the night of Bth April, and Stoker Graham on the following night. Both were sober, and were reporting for duty. Neither was j seen again till the bodies were found. | The coroner found that death in each | case was due to accidental drowning, j and commented that there appeared to be insufficient lighting on the training whari. where a total blackout was observed till recently.—P.A. INQUEST INTO DEATHS Ol AIRMEN Auckland, April 29. : The deaths of two members of the i Royal New Zealand Air Force, whose j machine crashed into the sea off Muriwai Beach on 25ih February, were investigated at an inquest held before Mr F. K. Hunt, coroner. The victims were Sergeant Pilot Alfred William Todman, married, aged 22. whose wife is Airs LI. M. Todman. Taneatua. and Leading Aircraftman Edward James Manned, single, aged 20. son of Mrs K. Manned, Masterton. A third member of the crew. Leading Aircraftman Geoffrey Hewson Tate, who broke his right leg. said he had no idea of the cause of the crash. The machine was on a gunnery training flight, and crashed from 200 feet into shallow water while making a turn. Todman was an experienced airman. A verdict of death from injuries received when their machine accidentally crashed was returned.—P.A.