NAVAL COURT-MARTIAL

Taranaki Daily News, 21 February 1935, Page 5

NAVAL COURT-MARTIAL

WARSHIPS IN COLLISION HOOD-RENOWN INCIDENT OFFICERS OF BOTH SHIPS REAR-ADMIRAL INCLUDED By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec. 10 p.m. London, Feb. 20. As a result of the collision between H.M.S. Hood and H.M.S. Renown durjng exercises off the coast of Spain on January 23 Rear-Admiral Bailey and Captain Tower, of the Hood, and Captain Saubridge, of the Renown, will be publicly court-martialled shortly. Rear-Admiral Bailey will be the first admiral to be court-martialled since the war. The News-Chronicle points out that only four admirals have been courtmartialled since 1856, and all have been acquitted. The Hood and the Renown, two of the largest warships afloat, suffered slight structural damage as a result of the collision, but no one was injured. Naval ratings alleged that the collision was due to the Renown not receiving sufficiently early the Hood’s signal to form in line. As a result the Renown, when travelling at a speed of 18 knots, struck the Hood a glancing blow amidships. Although the engines were reversed a second impact occurred as the vessels swung clear of each other. It 1 was also stated that the Renown’s ram was 2ft. out of alignment.