MISSING

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1932, Page 6

MISSING

SUBMARINE M 2. DIVES AND IS LOST. United Prese Association—By Electric Telegraph -Copyright.' (Received this day at 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, January 26. The Admiralty state s news has been received this evening that Submarine M 2 dived at 10.30 a.m. off Portland ai d since then there has been no further communication from her. ’ Destroyers and submarines from Portland are searching the area where she was last known to be. Every endeavour is being made to establish communication. The whole mine sweeping flot-illa has been ordered to assist in the search. Men were hastily recalled from shore leave, theatres and cinemas at Weymouth and Portland to rejoin -their vessels. Other warships from Portland have sailed to aid in the search. STILL HOPE FOR SAFETY.. HISTORY OF THE VESSEL. ‘Received this day at 1.5 p.rn.' LONDON, January 2b. The M.2 was exercising alone, five miles west of Portland, when it dive-cf in about eighteen fathoms. A Portstnonth headquarters official stated that tiiie last messaigD received was -at .1) a.m saying that she was about to commence exercises. “We were anxiously awaiting twwb if the M.2 could remain submerged, in an emergency, for forty-eight \Jiours. She was equipped with tins Latest life-saving devices. When fully manned, she carries six officers, and a crew of forty-eight, out she may not have had a full complement. “There is no need to abandon hope,” said Air R. H. Davis, the inventor of the escape apparatus. “Tlie M.2 might remain below even longer than forty-eight hours, and then r i se to the surface. The officers won’t abandon the ship until all hope of raising her is -past. Then, means of escape would he available to every man aboard, also enabling them to float for a considerable period.” The M.2 belongs to the fifth submarine flotilla. The chief officers are Lieutenant-Commander J. D. M. Leatlies, Lieutenants C. R. Townsend, H. C. Topipn, S. MacDonald, H. C. W. Head Warrant. Engineer—E. B. Birkett.

Her sister ship, the M 1, was lost off Start Point on November 11, 1925, when sixty-eight lives were lost. Submarines of this -class are stated to be very handy, both in .diving, and 'general control. The M..2 was extensively refitted at Portsmouth late in 1931, anti latterly was used for trials in the carriage of .small aeroplanes.