SUNK SUBMARINE RAISED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20028, 18 August 1928, Page 11

SUNK SUBMARINE RAISED.

BRITISH LOSS OF 1919* REMAINS OF CREW OF 42. SALVAGED NEAR KRONSTADT. VICTIMS OF SOVIET GUNS. Australian Press Association—United Service MOSCOW, Aug. 16. Salvage workers have raised the British submarine L 55, which was sunk in June, 1919. It is covered with a thick layer of rust, and there are skeletons inside it.

There are traces of a shell having hit the upper deck. Investigation is proceeding to determine whether the vessel was sunk by artillery fire, or whether it collided with a mine.

A Soviet Note states that on June 4, 1919, the Kronstadt fortress reported that British destroyers were in the region of Koporya Bay, south cf Kronstadt, and that Soviet destroyers had engaged them. Afterwards the conning tower of a submarine appeared, and the Russian ships bombarded it. An enormous cloud of black smoke arose, followed by a dull detonation, and the submarine disappeared. Muklevitch, the chief of the Soviet naval forces, and a member of the revolutionary military council, said the raising of the L 55 wa3 begun in the spring. It was impossible to begin earlier because Ivoporya Bay was not cleared of mines* The vessel was raised from a depth of 114 ft. in unfavourable weather. In spite of a hole in 'the hull, the engines and other mechanism were still in good condition.

Muklevitch added: "We will consider the desires of the British Government with regard to the burial of the dead and the disposal of their personal property. In any case, the remains will be buried with due military honours." PARTICULARS OF CREW. CAPTAIN AND 41 OTHERS. STATEMENT BY ADMIRALTY. Australian Press Association—United Service LONDON. Aug. 16. The official statement issued by the Admiralty says the submarine L 55, which has been raised in the Baltic, was under the command of Lieutenant-Com-mander C. M: S. Chapman, and had a complement of 41 men.