HEROES OF WARSPITE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 468, 25 September 1928, Page 15

HEROES OF WARSPITE

KING AWARDS ALBERT MEDALS A GALLANT RESCUE Heroism of a lieutenant and a seaman in H.M.S. Warspite, the battleship of the Queen Elizabeth class which was damaged at the Battle of Jutland, is revealed in the “London Gazette.” The announcement is made that the King has approved of the award of the Albert Medal to Lieutenant Reginald William Armytage, R.N., and Leading Seaman Dick Oliver. On May. 23 last, states the “Gazette,” when Warspite was alongside Parlatorio Wharf, Malta, the manhole door of the lower huge compartment was removed and the compartment tested. The air was foul and poisonous. A chief stoker attempted to entei; the compartment, although aware that, it was in a dangerous condition, and was immediately overcome and fell unconscious to the bottom—about 20 feet. Through Manhole Lieutenant Armytage immediately fetched his gas mask, and, with a life-line round him, entered the compartment and reached the bottom, wlven he was rendered unconscious. With great difficulty, owing to the small size of the manhole, he was hauled to the exit by means of the life-line. He was removed to hospitay in a precarious condition. Lieutenant Armytage was aware that his gas mask would afford no degree of protection. He realised that the delay incurred in passing a diver through the manholes would probably prove fatal to the chief stoker and appreciated to the fullest extent the rave risk he ran in entering the compartment. Rescued by Line

As soon as Lieutenant Armytage had been withdrawn, Leading Seaman Oliver, who was in attendance with a shallow diving helmet, volunteered to attempt the rescue of the chief stoker, despite the fact that he had witnessed the painful and distressing sights attendant on asphyxiation. He was passed with considerable difficulty through the manholes and succeeded in reaching the chief stoker and passing a line round his body by means of which the latter was drawn up through the manhole to the pontoon abreast the ship. On emerging from the bulges Oliver was a very bad colour and suffering to some extent from the, poisonous gases in the bulge compartments.