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By Mike Kemble (c) From information provided by Ray Holden, Clem Bray, Christine Chaplin, Lionel Irish, Mary Davies, Paul Masterson & Others |
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Created 24 November 2001 |
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Report
of the Board of Enquiry into Part 1: Boards of
Enquiry - Instructions
Nothing has been changed in the following letters, signals or transcripts except the format, it was far too large for a web document - no words have been changed. Any comments or queries added by myself are in red. I am indebted to Christine Chaplin who dispatched these documents to Ray Holden who forwarded them on to me for inclusion in the unfolding saga of HMS Kite. What unfolds on these documents does not make a pretty picture and gives the appearance of a bit of a "whitewash" of Naval Officers, form your own opinions!! Following on from the Board of Enquiry transcript I will give the official report and my own opinions on this, although admittedly, I am no sailor! Mike Kemble.
Part 1 OFFICE OF COMMANDER IN CHIEF WESTERN APPROACHES BOARDS OF ENQUIRY In amplification of the instructions given in paragraph 1 of Form S 1360, I wish to bring to the attention of officers concerned my views on the conduct of Boards of Enquiry. 2. The task of a Board of Enquiry is usually to investigate some occurrence which has been brought about by a failure of personnel, material or organization. The main object of the investigation is to obtain such information as will enable us to guard against a repetition of the same, or similar occurrence. This means that we must find out who, if anyone, was responsible for the failure and whether the fault lies inside or outside the ship itself; it may be with some authority or department, or civilian firm, or some individual in the ship. 3. Unless specifically so ordered it is not the duty of a Board of Enquiry to propose disciplinary action but, for the reasons given above, it is essential that their Finding should specify in detail what persons in the ship (under the general responsibility of the Commanding Officer) were responsible for what happened and the precise degree in which each acted incorrectly or failed to act. This is a matter which is frequently glossed over or not clearly pressed to a definite conclusion; it is, however, important that he who has failed should be left in no doubt how and where he went wrong, so that he may profit by the experience and act correctly on a future occasion. If on the other hand the Board reach the conclusion that no person in the ship was in any way responsible for the occurrence they must clearly state this opinion in their Findings. 4. The Admiralty have directed that members of Boards of Enquiry investigating accidents, losses of stores etc, before coming to any conclusion which imputes blame to any person, should consider carefully: (i) whether his apparent fault was due to negligence or inexperience or both (ii) whether, having regard to his previous experience in similar operations, it was reasonable to entrust him with that particular duty. The Board's opinion on these points should be included in their Findings. 5. It is also an important part of the duty of every Board of Enquiry to make recommendations for the future prevention of similar occurrences. 6. Every officer who convenes a Board of Enquiry in the Western Approaches Command is to furnish the President with a copy of this memorandum, which is to be attached to Form S.136Q and included in the minutes. 7. The special attention of Administrative Authorities, who have the subsequent handling of the reports of Boards of Enquiry, is called to my memorandum No W.A.190P of 15th June 1943, which was addressed to Flag Officers in Charge and Captains (D).
MAX HORTON Distribution: Flag and Naval Officers in Charge
Part 2 The Convening Order for the Board of Enquiry into the sinking of HMS Kite: SECRET Office of Flag Officer in Charge 8th September 1944 S.1360 MEMORANDUM You are to assemble on board at Navy House, Clarence St, Greenock, at 1000 on Sunday 9th September, as a board of whereof Commander A H Thorold, OBE,DSO,RN of HMS Cygnet is to be the president and hold a full and careful investigation into the circumstances attending: THE LOSS OF HMS KITE 2. The enquiry is to be conducted in accordance with the directions contained in Kings Regulations and Admiralty Instructions Chapter XI. and Commander in Chief, Western Approaches Memorandum No WA4190P of 25th August 1944 (copy for the President only). 3. The report of the Board is to be accompanied by the minutes of evidence taken, and is to contain an expression of opinion on the merits of the case as disclosed by the evidence, including a statement of the causes of the occurrence. 4. The questions in the minutes are to be numbered consecutively, and the name and rank or rating of each witness are to appear at the head of each page on his evidence. 5. The reports and minutes are each to be signed by the members of the Board and are to be in triplicate. 6. The original report is to be sent herewith for the purpose of the enquiry, and is to be returned with the report of the Board, together with this memorandum. 7. The Commanding Officer, HMS ORLANDO has been informed and directed to afford the Board all the necessary facilities. 8. Unless the president has something to communicate he is to send the reports when completed, not to bring them. 9. A shorthand writer has been detailed from the Office of the Flag Officer in Charge, Greenock.
To: COMMANDER A H THOROLD, OBE, DSO, RN HMS CYGNET Signature LIEUTENANT COMMANDER F L COX, RNVR HMS ORLANDO Rank: REAR ADMIRAL LIEUTENANT T W LANCASTER, DSC, RN HMS CYGNET (Copies to: Commanding Officer, HMS Orlando, Captain (D), Greenock SECRET
Part 3 Copies of Relevant Signals originating from HMS Keppel/Kite (Note: SO Escorts was the title being used by CS10). (TOR - Time of Report) 1. To KEPPEL and KITE From: SO ESCORTS Take starboard quarter action in diagram number 2 20.2230B ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. To: SO ESCORTS From: KEPPEL Am investigating contact on starboard side TOR: 2340 Am attacking with depth charges TOR: 2341 My estimated position 135 ZZ 7 ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. To: SO ESCORTS From: KITE Am about to attack with depth charges TOR: 2353 ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. To: SO ESCORTS From: KEPPEL I am resuming my station. KITE in company 188 ZZ 15 TOR: 0121B ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. To: SO ESCORTS From: KEPPEL KITE torpedoed TOR: 0642 ________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. To: SO ESCORTS From: KEPPEL My estimated position is 194 ZZ 12 miles TOR: 0644 ______________________________________________________________________________________ 7. To: SO ESCORTS From: KEPPEL KITE has been sunk TOR: 0655 ______________________________________________________________________________________
Part 4 The Board of
Enquiry Transcript List of Witnesses
Questions
1
to
35
Petty Officer JRL Payne D/JX 154993
Witness called and cautioned
Q1 Are you Petty Officer John
Richard Lewis Payne Off No: D/JX 154993? A1 Yes Sir
Q2 Were you serving in HMS KITE on
the 21st August 1944? A2 Yes Sir Q3 Would you tell the Board what you know of what occurred in HMS Kite at the time of the explosion, or the first you know about it? A3 I had the morning watch Sir, when it happened. We were getting the PNM's in. The speed was too fast to get the PNM's in and the Petty Officer who was on deck with me went on to the bridge and asked the Officer of the Watch if he could reduce speed. He said he would reduce speed to 6 knots. I went up on the port side of the boat deck and he stopped heaving in on the floats and we were trying to get the turns out of the wire. Then the explosion happened.
Q4 What was the actual state of the
foxers at the time?
A4 The port PNM wire was wrapped
round the displacer towing wire and the starboard PNM was in the rattling
position.
Q5 What type of floats were you
using? A5 The old displacers Sir
Q6 What was your actual duty as
regards getting in the foxers, were you for'd or aft? A6 Well I had no actual duties at all Sir, because I was in action on the pom pom deck and the other Petty Officer asked me to give him a hand. I went down on the other side of the boat deck. The other Petty Officer was on the quarter deck and was Petty Officer of the Watch.
Q7 Where were you at the actual time
of the explosion? A7 I was on the pom pom deck at the actual time of the explosion Sir.
Q8 What was the original speed
before the bridge was asked to reduce? A8 I am sorry Sir, I don't know what actual speed we were doing. The other Petty Officer came down and told me that they were going to reduce to 6 knots.
Q9 As far as you know, had speed
already been reduced when the explosion occurred? A9 Yes we had already dropped speed.
Q10 Now I think you had better go on with what
happened from the explosion onwards.
A10 There was an explosion on the starboard side
aft and I was knocked over, and while I was getting up there was a second
Q11 How far off do you think the explosion was? A11 One was aft of the companion ladder Sir, on the quarter deck. That is were all the dirt and so forth came from Sir anyway, when I looked.
Q12 At that time had there been only one
explosion?
A12 Yes Sir and about three or four seconds later
another one. They seemed to blend into one, but there were definitely two
Q13 Where do you estimate the second explosion
occurred?
A13 On the starboard quarter Sir.
Q14 Was there any difference between the violence
of either explosion?
A14 No Sir, they were both the same and very
quick together. That is only my estimation though Sir, I am not sure.
Q15 As far as you can see, did one appear to be
further for'd or further aft than the other? A15 The first was further for'd and the second further aft Sir.
Q16 What happened after you got into the water? A16 When I jumped into the water I was gasping for breath. The water was very cold and I got hold of a life buoy in the water. I could see the stern disappearing. I was on the life buoy Sir, I don't know for how long. There were 4 of us on it, and then I saw a Carley float and swam to that Sir.
Q17 Had you got a life belt on? A17 Yes but it was not blown up.
Q18 Were you wearing a piece of rope tied round
you?
A18 No Sir
Q19 Were there, to your knowledge, any particular
orders in the ship about the wearing of lifebelts and lengths of rope A19 We always had to wear a lifebelt Sir, but there were no particular orders about wearing a rope.
Q20 Do you know if many of the ships company did
wear pieces of rope? A21 I was Captain of the Quarter Deck Sir in one or two in my division did, but not very many.
Q22 Did you at any time sight anything resembling
a U Boat? A22 No Sir
Q23 Did many people float clear of the ship?
A23
I jumped over the port side Sir and there were only about a dozen in my
estimation who followed me over the port side.
Q24 Were any orders given as regards abandoning
ship? A24 No I didn't hear any orders given Sir.
Q25 Can you say at all how long you think the
ship floated for? A25 She seemed to go very quickly to me Sir, in less than a minute after we got hit I should think. She heeled right over and went down in less than a minute it seemed to me
Q26 Do you know anything of the state of the
watertight doors at the time? A26 Well they were very strict about them Sir. They should have all been closed below decks Sir.
Q27 After you got onto the raft, how many were
there with you on the raft? A27 There was only one on when I got on, and then after a while 3 more came on Sir.
Q28 Did they all remain on the raft until you
were picked up? A28 Yes Sir.
Q29 How were you actually picked up by HMS Keppel? A29 She steamed right up to us Sir. They were going to lower the whaler but the sea fetched us right up to the ships side Sir.
Q30 Did they hoist you out? A30 Yes but I don't remember much about that Sir.
Q31 Did you hear any explosion at all after you
were in the water? A31 Yes Sir, I heard I think it was two, and I asked the chap who was on the Carley Float with me what he thought it was and he said he thought it would be the depth charges going off.
Q32 Were any of the depth charges set to any
depth to your knowledge? A32 To my knowledge, No Sir, they were all set to "safe".
Q33 Was primer placing gear fitted? A33 Yes Sir. A34 No Sir, the bows were just disappearing. When I heard these explosions I could see the stern sticking up, about 200 yards Sir and she was going down at the bows.
Q35 From that you mean the ship had split into
two bits? A35 Yes Sir
Examination of witness
terminated Witness withdrew
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Copyright © Mike Kemble
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Copyright © mike kemble Home | Walker RN | U boats | Merseyside | U534 | U344 | |
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