FLASH OF FLAME.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 934, 2 December 1933, Page 19

FLASH OF FLAME.

Sudden Explosion on Submarine. MEN FLUNG ALL WAYS. ' (Special to the “ Star.”) LONDON, October 20. A faint, dull reverberation, which echoed across Campbelltown Bay shortly after noon—the hour when families were walking home through the streets from morning service—was the first warning to the townspeople of the naval port that disaster had overtaken the L 26, resulting in three deaths and a large number of injured. The submarine was at anchor this Sunday morning in the bay with another submarine, her depot ship, H.M.S. Lucia, and a destroyer, H.M.S. Mackay. All were on their way to take part in the autumn manoeuvres. The L 26 and another submarine, Ll 9, went aground, but both were refloated and made their way to Campbeltown Bay.

The crew of L 26 were at dinner when the explosion occurred. From the information which some of the less seriously injured have been able to give, it appears that water leaking through plates, possibly damaged when the ship went aground, penetrated to the batteries while they were on charge. Choking Gas.

Volumes of choking, highly-explosive gas were generated in the battery room and in a few seconds the adjacent mess room, where the men were at their meal, was filled with gas.

Then came an explosion which flung the men in all directions against the steel walls and fittings. Several were terribly injured. Others managed to get to their feet and to grope their way to gas masks and fire extinguishers. With the extinguishers they put out the flames, working in continual danger of a second and more serious explosion. Then the rescue of the injured began. An injured stoker said: “About thirty of us had just sat down at table and were joking, when a terrific explosion occurred. We were thrown in all directions. I was jammed up against the table, and part of the floor gave way and I was completely imprisoned. “ The explosion took the form of a flash of orange-coloured flame. I tried desperately to extricate myself, but my left foot was jammed beneath the table and the floor, while two of my mates, who were unconscious, were lying on top of me. I 4 passed out,’ and when I woke up I was lying on the quay. “ The rescuers wore gas-masks and also carried fire extinguishers, and it was not long before the fire was got under.”

Eye-witnesses, who were standing on the quay and could see the submarine clearly, stated that one sailor rushed on deck and threw himself into the water with a scream. Otherwise there was no sign of panic on board. As the gathering crowd on the shore watched, a naval pinnace was seen to race from the escorting destroyer. Lorries as Ambulance.

A motor-launch had picked up the sailor in the water, and ashore lorries were commandeered to wait at the quay for the first of the vessels which were bringing the injured men ashore.

From this moment the whole town was mobilised to help the injured to hospital. Motorists joined the lorries on the quayside, and doctors summoned from their houses hurried to the scene. With them came members of the local Voluntary Aid Detachment and nurses from the hospital. Two whalers from the fishing fleet were now standing by the submarine, in the side of which onlookers from the shore could see a gaping hole. Aboard the L 26 Commander Lewes, who was in charge of the submarine, and Sub-Lieutenant Melvin were coolly organising and taking part in the rescue of the injured men. As they were brought on deck they were placed on improvised stretchers and propped up with pillows and blankets and bunches of cotton waste, and were carried to the boats alongside. Those of the injured who were conscious behaved with wonderful grit and cheerfulness. They asked for cigarettes and smoked them even while they were being brought ashore to be taken to hospital. “ Heave Ho, My Hearties.” In some cases, how’ever, injuries were so severe that doctors had to operate on the quay. One man. seeing that the doctors were about to operate on him, exclaimed just before an anaesthetic was administered: “Pull away, my lads. Do anything you like. Ileave ho, my hearties.”