SINKING OF TRAWLER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 November 1939, Page 6

SINKING OF TRAWLER

INCIDENT AT LYTTELTON HEADS INQUEST CONCERNING OWNER’S DEATH. SHIP FIRED AT BY PORT BATTERY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Aii inquest, concerning the death of F. .J. Brasell, owner and master of the trawler Dolphin, was resumed at Lyttelton before the coroner, Mr F. F. Heid. Brasell met his death on October 12 when the Dolphin was shot, at from the Port battery and sunk. Brasell received injuries which prevented him from saving himself and he went down in the trawler. His companion, W. H. 'Willman, ■was rescued. Captain James Plowman, harbourmaster at Lyttelton, giving evidence, said he was chief examination officer. Two advertisements had been inserted in Christchurch newspapers giving instructions to fishing craft. If the examination vessel was not at its station, the man in charge of a small boat should wait its arrival. Instructions had been received that the vessel was to come into port each day. No provision had been made for relief when she was off the station. Brasell had called at his office and he had been told what was required and was fully aware of the procedure. Mr C. S. Thomas, lot Mrs Brasell: “Knowing your allegation that some fishermen approached you before the accident for instructions, Mr Martin, | of the Seamen’s Union called a meeting of all fishermen in port. The men present said they had not asked you for such instructions before the accident.”

Captain Plowman replied that he ' remembered some fishermen approaching him. In evidence, William Henry Willman said the Dolphin was returning to Lyttelton at about 1.45 p.m. "As we proceeded down the harbour," added Willman, “we were on the look-out for the patrol boat. We could not see anything of the vessel. We decided to steam towards Battery Point for the purpose of calling out to those in charge at the battery and to give our identity, as well as to inquire if it would be all right for us to proceed into Lyttelton. We were not flying any signals, as the examination vessel was not present and wo did not know what signals we were required to fly. At that lime I could clearly see the men at the guns at Battery Point. I could also see that some of the men were waving flags and I took it to mean they may have been calling on us to stop. We had been steaming at an angle towards Battery Point for a distance of about two miles before there was an explosion on board. When the explosion occurred we would then be approximately se-venty-five yards off the point. Following immediately on the explosion, Brasell spun round and said: ‘They have shot me.' He then drew my attention to the fact that the port side had been shot away afnidship." Witness saw Brasell's left leg bleeding profusely. Brasell dre\v witness’s attention to the fact that the launch was sinking fast. "He asked me to take my sea boots off." Brasell added: “We are done. She’s sinking by the bow.' Brasell then fainted. The launch sank and I had to grab the mast. The last 1 saw of Bramell was as he was being washed into the engine room. I came up amongst the wreckage and then saw a buoy to which I clung until rescued by members of the examination vessel about half an hour later.” During the last war. if the examination boat were not present, they approached the fortf; Willman told Mr Thomas that By was very nerymis of Wing sb -t < had not sqi<’~ '■ ~