Mute Homage

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 452, 6 September 1928, Page 9

Mute Homage

Bodies of L 55 Crew ENGLAND REACHED ALL FLAGS HANG LOW British Official 'Wireless. Reed. noon. RUGBY, Wed. Silent homage was paid to-day at Portsmouth to the officers and men of the Submarine L 55, which was sunk in Russian waters nine years ago.

As is known, the Russian authorities this spring located the submarine lying in deep water near Kronstadt, and the bodies were conveyed in the British merchant ship Truro to Reval, and there transferred to the British cruiser Champion, which brought them to Portsmouth. Four submarines of the H class went out from Fort Blockhouse, the headquarters of the submarine flotilla, to meet the Champion. Two of them took up positions on each side, and with their colours at half-mast escorted the Champion to the harbour entrance, where they fell in behind her. Colours were also flown at halfmast by all naval vessels and shore establishments at the port and on merchant craft, and the flags were lowered on most of the principal buildings in Portsmouth and Gosport. The Champion made her way slowly to dock, and drew alongside the south railway -jetty, where she was berthed. The work of transferring the coffins across the harbour to Fort Blockhouse began at sunset. The bodies will lie in state at Fort Blockhouse until Friday, then they will be taken for burial to the Haslar Cemetery on a gnn carriage' draped with the Union Jack. Bluejackets and a firing party will accord full naval honours at the funeral.