BERTHING MISHAP

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20886, 18 August 1939, Page 8

BERTHING MISHAP

ACHILLES AND LEANDER COLLISION AT JETTY (By Telegraph.^—press Association) AUCKLAND, Friday When drawing alongside the jetty at the Devonport Naval Base at 9 a.m. today after a six weeks’ cruise among the Pacific islands, with Lord and Lady Galway on board, H.M.S. Achilles swung broadside against the side of H.M.S. Leander, carrying away her stanchions and guard-rails along the quarter deck. A strong wind and choppy sea made manoeuvring difficult, but immediately after the impact hawsers were secured to the jetty and the cruiser was slowly drawn away from the Leander. Little damage was done to the Leander, the main force of the impact being taken by the port anchor, which protruded from the bow. Owing to the strong wind it took 20 minutes to get the Achilles alongside the jelly. Her guard-rails and stanchions were torn away along Hie starboard for the length of the quarterdeck but the wreckage was soon cleared away and the rails repaired. Although the impact was fairly severe, many aboard the Achilles were not aware that an accident had happened. Spectators on the jetty, hearing the grinding crash, expected serious damage, but the strength of the steel armour plating withstood the strain and the ships’ hulls were undamaged. Within hali'-an-hour few traces of the accident remained.