LOSS OF R101.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18165, 1 November 1930, Page 7

LOSS OF RlOl.

INQUIRY RESUMED. EXPERT EVIDENCE. SEQUENCE OF THE EXPLOSION AN IMPORTANT EXHIBIT. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. £opyriglit. LONDON, October 30. It was elicited in the inquiry as to the loss-of RlOl that the experts who examined the wreck reached the conclusion that the explosion followed, and did not precede, the crash. From a microscopic - examination of the cable elevator control, all indications were that it became severed after, and not before, the Are which followed the crash. It was also made clear, on .the authority of the Director of the Meteorological Office, Dr. G. C. Simpson, that the suggestions that a failure of the altimeter might have produced the disaster was not borne out by the evidence. . This was proved, according to the Attorney-General, by the fact that the instrument was reading correctly at the moment of the crash. A charred piece of paper, picked up close to the spot where the RlOl was wrecked, was produced at the inquiry. It was stated by the Attorney-General to be a page from the log of- the airship. Sir William said the exhibit was of the utmost importance, because it showed the revolutions of the engine and the cruising speed down to the time of the accident.

Sir William added: “The last entry was at 2 a.m. At that time the revolutions were perfectly normal, but the oil fuel pressure, instead of being from 30 to 31, as it had been all along, appeared to be only 3., The numeral 3, at least, is the only entry against that time. Whether this was at the moment of the crash, and there was no time to finish the entry, cannot be said. “I am told that it would be a matter of engineering practice that if you found your engine pressure at 3, you would sj,op your engineat once, before making any entry." Sir John Simon, who presided, sairl the man apparently did not complete tlig entry It was stated that Mr Cook, one of the survivors, is the engineer in question. ' ’ GALLANTRY RECOGNISED. AWARDS BY HIS MAJESTY. (Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 30. The Ministry of Air announces that King George lias awarded the Albert Mfedal to Henry Leech, foreman engineer, in recognition of his gallantry when the airship RlOl was wrecked. Mr Leech re-entered the burning wreckage and rescued a companion. He received burns while doing so. The medal of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire has been awarded to Arthur Disley, wireless operator of . the RlOl. Mr Disley, after escaping with severe burns insisted on telephoning to the Air Ministry a first account of the wreck before he received treatment. The Albert Medal dates frofn 18GG, ami is a recognition of gallantry performed by any person whatsoever — “for gallantry in saving life at sea or on land.”