ANTARCTIC LEADER'S DEATH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21992, 29 June 1933, Page 10

ANTARCTIC LEADER'S DEATH

TRAGEDY A DAY FROM HOME (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, May 12. Commander William M. Garey, R.N. (retired), fell overboard from the Antarctic scientific ship Discovery II,; when only a day from home. He had I)een absent in the southern seas for 19 months. t :'.';.: The-tragedy-occurred in the darkness of the early morning. It is also stated that the ship was in calm waters, but the commander disappeared before there was any chance of rescue. It Avas officially stated that no information had been received which shed any light on the circumstances of. Commander Carey's death. He had been ill for some time, in fact since the ship left the- South Seas, and during the voyage from the Cape he had not been; in personal charge. Commander Carey : had a long and honourable naval career before taking over the command of Discovery 11. He served with the battleship Barhain at Jutland. He was born in 1887, and entered the Britannia in 1902. During the war he served as lieutenant and lieutenant-commander, for the most part in H.M.S. Mistley for mine sweeping, and H.M.S. Colne for fishery protection service. From 192 Gto 1928 he commanded H.M.S. Marguerite, and • was engaged in training Australian civilian' reserves in Australian waters. Commander Carey was one. of those who this iyear stood over the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton, in the lonely British South Atlantic island of South Georgia, when a burial service was held 10 years after the explorer's death there. The commander is. yet another explorer who did not come back. ■ v ;,\ ■• /. Ho leaves, beside his widow, a son" and a daughter. His son, Michael, aged 17, is a naval cadet, and is shortly to join the Frobisher. Mrs Carey learned the news of her husband's death at her home at Portsmouth, where she was eagerly waiting for his expected arrival. ■{ .■[ BOARD OF TRADE FINDING. The official finding of the Board of Trade inquiry into the death; of Commander Carey was given in tjie House of Commons :i answer ,to a' question asked by Mr F. S. Cocks. Colonel Colville, Secretary of the Department of Overseas Trade, said: It was surmised that Captain Carey, who was suffering from a nervous .breakdown, left his cabin in the early morning of May 2, and in a dazed condition fell overboard. I Colonel Colville said the inquiry was held under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, which required the mercantile marine office superintendent at the port of discharge to verify the statements in the log as to the cause of death. The superintendent confirmed the log entry, "Lost overboard, presumed drowned." Mr Cocks: Is Colonel Colville in a position to deny rumours that are being spread about as to the cause, of death? Colonel Colville: I am not called on to pay attention to rumours in answerto a parliamentary question. I have given the finding of the board. ..;.[:.''. The Discovery Committee have also issued a statement in which they express regret that certain unfounded rumours were in circulation about the circumstances of Commander Carey's death. The statement continues: Commander Carey suffered an acute nervous breakdown '.on .April 12, and he was confined to bed for several days. He received the best possible attention from the ship's surgeon, and, though his condition varied, hopes were entertained that he would have completely recovered by the time the ship reach England. On the early morning of May 2 his cabin was found unoccupied, and on search being made it became apparent that he had been lost at sea. This happened off Ushant. As stated in the House of Commons on May 10, it is surmised that Commander Carey left his cabin in a dazed condition and fell overboard. The chief officer at once turned back on his "course, and for two and a-half hours made careful ' search, in which another vessel near at hand .participated. Commander Carey was a most experienced and able officer. He was beloved by the entire ship's company. His loss is keenly felt both by them and by the Discovery Committee. At the detailed inquiry into the circumstances attending this tragic; occurrence which was held by the Board of Trade, Commander Carey's relatives were represented by a member of the family.