1961-06-17 — Page 10

Pago 6

AGEE

OF WO

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 1981.

ETURN

CONCLUSION

For six years rumour and slander thrived, on the fact that the submarine Seal had 'surrendered to the enemy. Only her crew know what had really happened. But now, at last, the truth was to be th

and judgment delivered.

Seal's captain wins

Anine o'clock on the morning of April 10, 1946,

the court-martial gun was fired at the Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth. An hour later, in a green and cream room, a court of five naval cap- tafns assembled to investigate the circumstances in which, six years earlier, his Majesty's submarine Seal surrendered to the enemy and her crew be- came prisoners. of war.

On the scarlet baize of the table lay, horizon- tally the sword of the man who had commanded Seal on that fateful day when, for nearly 24 hours, she had lain trapped in the mud of the Kattegat, escaping from that pre- dienmont only to become

ly surfaced she was a useless, court of the victim of enemy uncontrollable wreck. She was planes and surface craft. without mative pawer or the ability to laer. She was partly The accused officer

won filed with water, and taking In Lieut.-Commander Rupert inore all the time. Lonsdale, geist and un-pee-

Then tacular sort of man,

she was attacked by chemy planes, Her guns red back will they janmed,

and Lonsdale recalled Trom the prospect of sacrificing

continuing struggle In uy which he could not possibly do any damage on the enemy.

before the The issue

court Did he do right? WOS:

Wax there anything else he could, with honour, have done?

AT STAKE...

For the court-marti he wore algh-collared frock coat. full dress sword belt, and cocked het- strange contrast

from the dingy uniform he had worn In the blur-grey world of Seal as she struggled to free herself six long from the int these

his last battle

MES BENSON

Juto

it

INTERRUPTED those with whom he had shared captivity.

THE MAN ON TRIAL-AND HIS DEFENDER LEFT: Llcut-Commander Rupert Lonsdalo; ABOVE: Captain G. C. Phillips, the "occused's "friend" on the right) with man from the submarine branch, at the trial.

"

"Seal was unmanageable and Fort Blockhouse, the subanarise drinks arrived and a very : partly

flooded. Iler enptain headquarters, and in the sub privale occasion began. decided that his duly wès to his marine flotiling scaltered across For Lansdale the court crew; na far as taking an the world would now know the martial marked the beginning effective part in the war was what and the bow and, the why of a new period in his life, He concerned. Seal's position was of it all, considered hopeless by the "ccused and also by the start of

Admiral Submarinės.

or

RESIGNED

In

small

|_ London Express Servicez

wan mentioned in despatches on June 4, 2040, for his part in the Norwegian campalin; but this law. No matter how for the court; Seal's dangerous or feeling of sickness," Lons clear his conscience may be, the penetration

was almost his last offcial con- the Kattegat dalo replied. "I suppose I must

"Under his feet the accused

nection with the Royal Navy, Imponderables and uncertainties to lay her mines; the bombing have been fired, but I cannot had fifty-nine men whom he or judicial procedure are likely attack which enused slight remember being very much to

It was a Ume for celebration, for very shortly afterwards he was determined to Spvc. He

From the barracks they made her decided to enter the Church.

resigned his commisalon. to send irrational gusts, of fear damage; her continuation of now.

had got the idea in his mind

their way to the boat-jetty at blowing round his heart,

the mission despite this; the

and that he was going to save 11MS. Vernon. A bare two or tuning at Ridley Hall theolo

Later that year he began, “his clealthy. withdrawal, with "Throughout this time

he did three minutes everything There is the gnawing anxiety enciny surface craft always after, right up to the end, I crew and that he has only one chance; near; the

harbour pickel-boat saw them cal college, Cambridge. He was decision to lie in belleve, I was completely calm revolved around that,"

"No half-truths

evasive crossed that he might spend years hiding on

over from Portsmouth ordained as priest in 1949. He the

thus calm as I am in this box scabed; regretting he had not put some shattering explosion when

now--but as events took place i statements have been made by to Gosport and landed at Fort is now, rector of the Hampshire

village of Bentworth. 00 Ilves vitul phrase in a different form. mine blew a hole in her stern: certainly did not look ahead, the accused or his witnesses... Blockhouse.

Lonsdale was particularly ex and the day-long struggle to or wa

able to and any He behaved with great gallantry

COPYRIGHT: posed to stresses of this kind, surface her."

With difficulty they all crowd- answer to things when they did in a situation of almost intoler-

ed into Rupert Lonsdale's cabin, 1961 G. E. T. Warren and He self-examination during the

not occur as I expected them to. uble danger.

"This is not a story of 'Sill wearing his formal court-

'James Benson long years of walling had been

me that negligence, but of courage in martial uniforma, Lonsdało wei- apparent to

"It was evident to

thu I ask Providence had helped us, and, adversity.

court cumait them all. A supply of to

the acquit as my mind was then working, honourably It is possible that his own

that Providence secured on both charges." this sombre prologue, I belleved judgment of himself had been

the court turned to the main would continue to help us and The court-room was cleared built upon stricter standards drama; the events when Sesl enable the crew to reach as the five naval captains began than his present judges would anally struggled to the surface. Sweden in safely, and that I to consider their verdict. Forty- be likely to require.

kumao five minutes later the doors i conceivable, too, that he'

been giving should not have to take

were reopened, and Lonsdale, marine branch at large: for the falling to take immediate action had already undergone so many evidence for nearly half an hour,

the prosecuting and defending surrender of a British warship to engage the enemy aircraft verdicts In his own mind that speaking atmost without inter- Towards the end of the first officers. the witnesses, and ali on the high Beas unique which attacked Seal (Lonsdale, one mare-albelt a public and ruption,

day's hearing the detence pro- the members of Seal's former occurrence in the lost War--had knowing his hopeless position, not a private one could not

thes interrupted by duced a letter which Lonsdale ship's company who had Gal been the subject of speculation had tried the ruse of sending really til great deal of Captain G. C. Phillips, the had received from one of his quietly through the whole pro- and rumour both in the Navy signals intended to give his anguish.

"accused's friend," who osked former captors Immediately cardings, caro back to their and outside it.

attackers the impressión ▼ that But the re-creation of the him about his reactions on the after the end of the war in places. All eyps were on

which bridge when he learned Now the crew's conduct in Scat was a neutral submarinty; perilous hours through

that Germany. It read:- those moments of dire ciner and failing to take steps to Seul hnd ilved and not quite Sent had lost the use of her

His faco was grey, and he "AS

forner submarine gency, when their vitality had ensure the slaking of Seal when died could not be expected to rudder, and could not be steered

that she prove anything other

than A towards the been capped almost to vanishing it appeared kely

1910 neutral Swedish officer

to 1918 I fully still wore the tired and drawn point by carbon dioxide poison- would fall into enemy hands. servere strain.

coast.

realise what the loss of the Seal look that had been part of him ing, was to be probed and For an accused mão, there is One by one the fragments of

"I cannot

claim that I was me 13 to you, but it may con- for the two days' ordeal.

He looked at the five captain?! probed pzah. When Seal Anul- something frightening about catastrophe were put in place capacitated by any headache sole you to know that we found and at the table in front

nothing in her that we were them.

years ago.

At stake was not only Lons-

dale's honcur but the honour

of his crew and

of the sub-

FRIGHTENING

Lonsdale faced two charges:

0/0

00

After

Lonsdale

He was

had

life."

Lonsdale.

British Crossword Puzzle

2

8

19 10

11.

of

eagerly searching for. Your

On the esrlet baizo lay his gallant crew hud destroyed everything of a sorret nature, sword; and the hilt was point

The tradi-17 and even the Asdic installation ng towards lit

told him all that lef: no clue to us as we found lonal sign

he wanted to know, He

was only untelling fragments of it.

henourably acquitted. pleasure I

Lonsdale stepped briskly for- delivered your pistol set to the ward, addressed himscit to the Military Government in Ham- president of the court, Captalli burg, and hope it will soon be C. F. Norris. and saluted. forwarded to you."

Quietly Captain Norris spoke to

"With

great

The case concluded the fol- him: "I have much pleasure in lowing day. Eventually it was handing you back your sword" Captain Phillips turn to make it was all over. This statement for the defence, As he left the court-room. he Ho spoke eloquently and nt was surrounded by the mass of length.

officers, chiefs, and petty officers and ratings who had served under him in Seal, and who had managed by one means or another to be present at turned He

finni Portsmouth,

Irrespective of moments, when Seal, completely whether or not they were being defenceless and unable to hit called to give evidence. back, was being bombed and machine-gunned by seaplanes and other aircraft.

FLOODED

A

to the

There was a elninour to shake his hand, pat him on the back, and congratulate him.

"It 19 inferred," ho said, "That

Some of the men were near naval captain is expected to indulge in moc tours. Rupert Lonsdale, their heroles with absolute disregard captain their captain had for the safety of his men.

never needed Justifying to them. But now he stood Justified before the whole world.

This series bas been adapted from the book Will Not We So did they themselves. Their' Fear, lo be published by Harrap, mess-mates, the crews around

121

23

3 Caught, 7 Beached? 8 Horns.

ACROSS

Slip of a thingl

11 Peel,

12 Chestnut?..

15 Ledge,

10 Turn away,

17 It's cold for faces!

18 Opening.

ID Layor,

21 Early show, 22 Prizes, 23 They endure.

14

IN

13 14

16

18.

DOWN

1 No forward!

Z Laugh,

3 Transport for the bride,

4 Tear,

6 Garment,

0 Cleaner,

10 Merriment,

11 Tile.

13 Performs.

14 Place the radio?

16 Rascals,

18 Opinions,

19 Naked animal?

20 Final clute!

YESTERDAY'S CROSSWORD. - Across: 1 Half-erown," Ridge, 10 Trace, 12 Era, 13 Tor, 14 Myra, 15 Closer, 10 Sloez, 18 Teapot, 20 Thor, 22 Dew, 23 Lee, 24 Spode, 25 Orate, 20 Pers suaded. Down: Alder, 3 Flen, 4 Rattle, 5 Wears, 6 Dramatid, 7 Pour-iress, 9 Grasped, 11 Rooster, 15 Col, 17 Lowers, 18 Adorn, 21 Heave, 28 Lols,

FRANKFURT

GATEWAY TO ALL EUROPE

TO EUROPE Wednesdays and Fridays

LUFTHANSA

TO TOKYO

Tuordays and Thursdays

Popayananevationist your TERMOC Axeril iss

JESEN A GO THE ASBAN

MISTER K

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