A BIG GUN ACCIDENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13136, 21 November 1904, Page 3 (Supplement)

A BIG GUN ACCIDENT

ONE GUNNER KILLED AND FIVE INJURED.

WELLINGTON, November 2.

Big gun practice by the New Zealand Artillery to-day at Port Ballance was terminated by a terrible accident, by which Gunner Palmer lost his life and fivo others were seriously injured. Tho Sin disappearing gun had fired five rounds from the top of tho liill at the targets towed in the harbour entrance by the steamer Janie Seddon. Then two quickfirers lower down hill opened fire with the 54- rounds allotted to them. Tho shooting soon became rapid, report after roport resounding in quick succession. Then suddenly from No. 1 gun came a different report, and a flash from behind. Fragments shot perpendicularly into the air. The men working tho gun behind the shield were blown back in all directions. The scene on the concrete floor behind the gun was one of blood and suffering. Gunner J. Palmer, who must have been standing close behind the breech, was blown backward from tjie gun platform down two or threo steps immed.itely at tho back of it, across tho concrete floor, and against the earthen hank at the rear, a distance of sevoral yards. Ilis injuries were very sevoru, particularly in the region of tho chest. Ho died about ha|f an hour afterwards.

Bombardier 11. 0. Petersen, the gun captain, was struck, chiefly about the head. He did not lose consciousness, but seated himself on the ecccTm! flight of steps leading up the bank, and asked for water. His head was completely bathed in blood, which dripped all over his body. He did not lose consciousness till long afterwards. Gunner L. F. O'Neill, with fingers shot away, was on the other side of the gun. He wandered up the hill several yards, and dropped amid tho grass and scrub. Ho roso again, faltered, and finally was secured by a relief party when in danger of staggering over the parapet. The others in tho gunpit at the time wero Gunners R. Fordyoe, J. T. Slines, and 11. J. Sweeney, all of whom were injured. Among thoso witnessing the firing were Genoral Babington, Major Johnston, Dr Gilmor, and Dr Mason. Tho surgeons were soon busily at work, and the injured men wero placed on stretchers and carricd down to tho Ja'nie Seddon, which had been signalled to come into the bay. Palmer, howover, died before he coidd be moved. The other men are now in hospital. • Slink's caso is tho worst, his injijrics being in tho abdomen. All aro suffering from doafnoss, in addition to other injuries. Palmer was aged about 27 years, and had only been a few months married. He came originally from tho Taieri. He served in South Africa with tho Fifth Contingent. Petersen (who is a brother of the manager of tho Wellington olcctric tramways) and Fordyco are married men. The charge used with 12-pounders was lib 15o» of cordite. It is understood that tbero is on record only ono provious case of a 12-pounder gun of this pattern blowing out, and that case occurred at Home. Gunner John A. Palmer was the youngest son of Mr Edwin Palmer, a well-known resident of Taieri Mouth. The deceased, who would- ho about 28 years of age, joined the Permanent Artillery in Wellington shortly after his return from South Africa, where Bo saw service with the Fifth New Zealand Contingent. Ho was a strapping young fellow of fine physique, and a general favourite in the district whore his parents reside. Much sympathy will bo felt for tho relatives. November 10. The adjourned inquest concerning the death of Gunner Palmer, killed at Fort Balianee by a gun explosion, wa'i coniinued to-day. The principal witness was Alajo; - Johnston, artillery stall' olliecr, who gava long expert evidence. He stated thai shortly after rlio gun arrived in the colony it was noticed that the levels opened slightly after firing. This was reported to the Homo authorities, who replied that tliis war. due to the recoil, and 1 lint the gun was quite safe. The witness proceeded: In a eordito cartridge, ignition, having taken place on the surface of the cartridge, proceed* by successive layers, the development of «as taking place gradually during tho parage of the shell down the bore. In the case of this round complete combustion had not. taken place, as is proved by the fact thai partially consumed cordite was picked t.p in the ivsr of the gun. As combustion was taking place and the shell moving along the lore, it appears io mo that the pressure of the powder gas acting possibly in conjunction with the jar of the rccoil, in stme unexplained way released the natch and en used tho screw to turn till, the raised portions coming opposite tho smooth surface in the brooch, there was nothing to retain tho breech screw in the gun. and it shot out lo the rear shortly before the shell had left the Wo. 'j'he threads on the hreccli screw are practically not damaged at nil. Those in ihc gun are damaged to come extent, but J. think that some of tho latter damage was caused by the cartridge caso as it. was being ejected, although, of course, all tho damage lo tho bearing edges of tho thread must have been done hy the breech screw.

The vcrdict of t-lie jury was that deceased was acnidontally killed bv tho blowing out of the breech block while at gun practice. There was no contributory negligence on tho part of those concerned in the working oi tho gun, but the neoident was contributed to by tho opening of the breech by tho filtocl; of tho discharge on n defective cover catch. The following rider was added: — "That whereas the present inquiry has elicited that the accident, was caused by a defective breech block, we strongly urge upon tho Minister of Defence the importance of holding a further inquiry by independent expert officers with a view to preventing a repetition of such deplorably accidents."