BATTLE-CRUISERS IN COLLISION.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15046, 14 April 1919, Page 2

BATTLE-CRUISERS IN COLLISION.

THE AUSTRALIA-NEW' ZEALAND

INCIDENT.

Details of the collision which occurred early in 1916 between the battle-cruisers Australia arid New Zealand were given this Sveek (writes the Sydney correspondent of the "Post" on April 4th) by Chief-Stoker Reg.. Stephens, who was a member of the crew, and who has just come out to Australia to take up work as V.M.C.A. representative among the Australian naval men.

A big section of the fleet was out in the North Sea, travelling at high speed. Suddenly a very thick fog came down, and Borne sort of qonfusion seems to have arisen. How the battle-cruisers Australia and New Zealand came to be going in nearly opposite directions, or who^ was to blame for the mishap,, are thirfgs never made clear, but the fac v t remains that at about 4 p.m. a terrific collision occured between the two Dominion cruisers, the two huge vessels, travelling at great speed, meeting almost bow. on. The Australia .seems tc have suffered most. Her bow was stove in, and the whole armour plate to abaft the bridge was shifted. The hole in her side was. 40ft long. Of course, all on the Australia, at any rate, was confusion for a moment, and this was added to by a further accident. As the New Zealand turned away, trying to get clear her propeller struck the side of the Australia and ripped a great hole in her bottom. The water rushed in,/sut the bulkheads held, and this did not develop into a-, disaster.

In accordance t with the strictest Admiralty instruction's, all the other warships immediately, left the wounded Australia. (It had been found that ships congregated round a crippled unit presented an admirable target for submarines.) Investigations were made. Chief-Stoker Stephens himself examined the hole made in the warship's bottom, and picked out bits of the New Zealand's splintered propeller, which were later in great demand as souvenirs. »Then the Australia set off at reduced speed for Newcastle. If the weather had been rough, or if she had encountered a submarine, that, assuredly, v/ould have been the end of her. As it was, during all that night/ she slipped quietly through calm seas, and soon after daybreak reached Newcastle. She was repaired with marvellous speed, and thiKfe weeks later was out again in the North Sea—but a few hours late for the Jutland Battle. - ■ !

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