A 9,2 SHELL EXPLODES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7026, 14 January 1910, Page 5

A 9,2 SHELL EXPLODES

THIRTEEN MEN INJUKED DURING PRACTICE AT NEPEAN BATTERY. OFFICER AMONG THE WOUNDED. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received January 13, 9.20 p.m.) MELBOURNE, January 13. A sensational accident occurred today while shell practice was being carried out at the Point Ncpean Battery, on the eastern headland at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. ' A 9.2-inch gun was in use, and by some means a shell exploded premaiturcly, wounding thirteen men, including Major McKnight. The injuries .were only slight in the majority of tho cases. the; injured men, how the accident occurred. (Received January 13, 10.45 p.m.) MELBOURNE, January 13. Tho injured men include: . Major McKnight, fractured pelvis. Lieutenant Anderson, concussion and injuries to eyes. . . Sergeant Hardy, fractured arm. Sergeant Scott, injuries to eyes. Gunner Wilkinson, injuries to head. Gunner Mouchmore, injuries to eyes. Gunner Hatley, injuries in region of tho heart. Gunner Finch, injuries to hip. Warrant Officer Henderson, Corporals Brignell and Dike, and Gunners Cos, Davern, and Hartley aro suffer-, ing from contusions and shock. Finch has been sent to hospital, and Hatley has developed .serious symptoms. All tho men. . injured, were in the gun-pit. at the time of the oxplosion. The gun, which is placed on hydropneumatic mountings, was loaded in the pit and then elevated, but the charge went off before the lip of tho gun had cleared tho parapet, and the projectile ricochetted. and broke into pieces, filling the pit with smoke and flame. . . The projectile weighed 380 pounds, and the charge consisted of 6-1 pounds of powder. TERRIFIC HAVOC. ARTILLERYMEN HURLED '.IN ALL DIRECTIONS. (Received January 14, 1.10 a'.m.) MELBOURNE, January 13. The big gun practice at Point Ncpean was part of tho Kitchener Camp scheme. The fatal gun had fired two shots, and there had also been two misfires. In consequence of this it was decided to substitute a' percussion tube for the electric tube. . After this was done, the gun was loaded, - and was being raised : again when tho - charge erploded. prematurely. The shell caused terrific havoc. It struck and wrecked tho masonry of •the pit walls, and then ricochetted alWst vertically into the air. Artillery<men were hurled in all directions, stunned and bleeding, thirteen out of fourteen in the gun-pit being injured. DFinoh was: struck by a projectile he Jieid. in readiness for the next 1 shot, and. sent to 'hospital, it was jßnpposed, from a fractured pelvis; REVISED LIST OF WOUNDED. CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT NOT YET KNOWN. (Received January 14, 1.15 a.m.) ■ MELBOURNE, January 131 A corrected list of injured gives only eleven • names:—Hardy, Soot, Britwell, Dike, Davern, Wilkinson, iMouchmore, Hartney, Fink, Cook, and Slaittery. It is now stated that Major 3XcKnight was not injured, and that ihe attended to the wounded. The cause of the accident is' not iknown. Most of the men are still too Idazed to form an opinion, and '* tho lofficers are very reticent. One suggestion is that in locking the breach the charge was exploded by concussion. ■ But for .the fact that the gun, in Idescending, stopped, and was loaded Itwo feet above the usual base, it is probable the whole of the men in the detachment would have been killed.