THETIS LOCATED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1939, Page 8

THETIS LOCATED

WITH STERN OUT OF WATER TWO OF THOSE ON BOARD ESCAPE. OTHERS KNOWN TO BE ALIVE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, June 2. Tn the early hours of this ’■‘morning rescue vessels found marker buoys which had been released from the new submarine Thetis, which sank . during trials off Birkenhead yesterday. However, it was announced at 6 a.m. that the Thetis was not yet definitely located. Tt was known where the submarine was likely to be, but the area was a large one.

At 10 a.m. the Admiralty announced that the'Thetis has been located with her stern 18ft out of the water, 328 degrees 1-1 miles from Great Orrnes Head. The Admiralty confirms a report that two of the complement, Captain Oram and Lieutenant Woods, escaped from the Thetis, and are now aboard the destroyer Brazen, which first located the submarine. All others aboard the Thetis are alive, but there is no official news yet as to whether or not they are trapped. The Press Association’s naval correspondent declared early this morning that the total in the submarine was believed to be 100, in which' case the Thetis had sufficient air to remain submerged only 34 hours. It is known that there are several wrecks 'in the vicinity of the spot where the Thetis dived. The Admiralty at 3 a.m. issued a list of ten naval officers and 48 ratings aboard the Thetis. In addition there are five officers above the complement, these being submarine experts. There are 20 members of the staff of Camrnel Laird’s and a pilot aboard, making a total of 79. Officers aboard in addition to Lieu-tenant-Commander Bolus are: Lieutenants FI. Chapman, W. A. Poland and F. G. Woods, and Commissioner-En-gineer R. D. Glen. Captain H. B. Oram, commander of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla, is also aboard. The submarines Cachalot and Porpoise are proceeding to the scene, carrying powerful air-compressing plants to assist in the salvage. At least 25 warships are proceeding at full speed to the area. Those already there have been playing searchlights over the area all night in case men should escape by the Davis apparatus.

SURVIVORS PICKED UP ALL MEMBERS OF CREW THEN SAFE. CAPTAIN ORAM TO DIRECT SALVAGE. LONDON, June 2. Captain Oram and Lieutenant Woods who escaped from the submarine at 8.15 a.m.‘by means of the Davis apparatus, were picked up by the destroyer Brazen, which discovered the Thetis, and reported that all the crew were safe. The relatives, most of whom waited at Camrnel Laird’s dockyard all night, were , profoundly relieved by the latest, news. A later message states that. Leading Stoker Arnold and a Cammell Laird expert, Mr. F. Shaw, came to the surface at 10 a.m. and were picked up by the Brazen. They reported all well. Captain Oram escaped in order to direct the salvage work apd fully re-

port the condition of the submarine. He was commander of the LI2, which collided with the H 47 oft’ the Pembrokeshire coast in 1929, resulting in the loss of 21 of the crew. RESCUE EFFORTS PROPOSAL TO CUT HOLE IN STERN. (Independent Cable Scl’Vlcc.) LONDON, June 2. The Admiralty states that oxyacetylene apparatus probably will be used later to cut a hole ih the stern of the Thetis in order to release the men still aboard. The Liverpool Underwriters’ Association stated that four tugs are going to the assistance of the Thetis with tpwing apparatus to raise the submarine. An association official said he understood six men had now beeh rescued. The Admiralty announce that the Thetis bow is in 130 feet of water and the stern is projecting 18 feet.