LAUNCH TRAGEDY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1939, Page 6

LAUNCH TRAGEDY

ALLEGATION BY SURVIVOR AT LYTTELTON NO EFFORT AT RESCUE BY ARTILLERYMEN COLONEL BELL QUESTIONED. NATURE AND SCOPE OF INQUIRY. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright CHRISTCHURCH. This Day. Mr William Willman, the survivor of the Dolphin tragedy. was left struggling in the water, dazed and battered. when the vessel sank underneath him in Lyttelton Harbour yesterday afternoon, after being sunk by gunfire.

“No effort was made by the men at the shore battery to rescue me,” he said this morning. ‘Boats were available at the fort and had one been launched immediately it could have reached the Dolphin before she sank. Mr Brassell was unconscious from shock and loss of blood, but I believe his life might have been saved had a rescue boat put out.” Two eye-witnesses of the tragedy who watched the Dolphin sink said she went down in an incredibly short time. The shell, they said, struck the Dolphin just forward of her engine room. They heard the explosion and almost at once the big launch began to settle. According to their estimate she sank within three or four minutes. The Court of Inquiry commenced its sittings at 10 o’clock this morning. The members of the court are Major Blake and Lieutenant McLean, both of the Artillery, and Captain Burrows, Rifle Battalion. The length of time the Court will sit is indefinite, depending on the amount of evidence to be heard and taken down. In fact the officer commanding the Southern Military District (Colonel Bell) this morning answered questions relating to the Dolphin incident as follows: — “Is the investigating body a court of inquiry- or a board of inquiry?”— “A court of inquiry.” “Are its sittings public or private and open to newspapers?” —“Private.” To whom will the Court report?— ‘To me.” “Who ordered the shot to be fired?” —“lt is not advisable to say at present.” ‘Has the officer commanding the fort or the officer who ordered the shot to be fired been relieved of his duties, pending inquiry?” —“No.” “What efforts were made to save the crew when it was seen that the Dolphin was sinking?”—“Every effort.” ‘Have alterations been made in the orders at the fort since the accident?” —“Yes.” ‘ls any record kept of fishing boats going out. so that they can be checked in?” —‘This is a question for the Court.” “Where was the examination vessel at the time?” —“That also is a question for the Court.” “What is the procedure to be followed by a craft when an examination vessel is away?”—“That is another question for the. Court.” “What will be the position of pleasure craft during the summer?”—“The same as that of any other craft.”