Published in: The Evening News and Southern Daily Mail, no. 27442, Portsmouth & Southsea, Wednesday, April 10, 1946

HONOURABLE ACQUITTAL OF SUBMARINE OFFICER

HONOURABLY acquitted by a Portsmouth court martial, yesterday, of charges of negligently failing to ensure the sinking of the submarine Seal to prevent its capture by the enemy, a 27-year-old naval lieutenant exchanged smiles and salutes with the President of the Court, as he received his sword:

Thus cleared in the most emphatic manner possible was Lieutenant Trevor Agar Beet, R.N., who had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges which accused him of the offences while he was acting both as second-in-command and as in command.

Said Lordīs Prayer

Witnesses told of the great exhaustion of the crew after being attacked from the air and mined. The submarine, badly crippled, was brought to the surface with difficulty after being submerged for 22 hours.

In the witness box, Lieut. Beet recalled the “never-to-be-forgotten” scene when they all stood up and repeated the Lordīs Prayer, at a time when it was feared that the Seal would never reach the surface.

Called as an expert witness, Dr. George A. L. Brown said that after returning to the fresh air, the crew would be affected by symptoms similar to a “severe alcoholic hangover”.

“Best Of Luck!”

Capt. George B. H. Fawkes, who

was staff officer of operations under Admiral Submarines (Admiral Sir Max K. Horton), said that after receipt of a signal from the Seal, signals were sent to her, with the approval of Sir Max, stating “Best of luck. Well done.” and “Safety of personnel should be your first consideration after destruction of Asdics.”

President of the Court was Capt. R. J. O. Otway-Ruthven, of H.M.S. Leander. Prosecutor was Capt. R. F. Elkins, and Comdr. J. Cowell was the friend of the accused.

H.M.S. Seal Captainīs Report Tells Of Miracle At Sea

STRICKEN “SUB” ROSE AFTER CREW PRAYED

Ocean-Bed Drama

A MIRACLE at sea, in which the British minelaying submarine Seal, lying crippled on the ocean bed off Jutland, suddenly righted herself and shot to the surface after the crew had offered prayers, was a dramatic feature of evidence given at a court martial held in the R.N. Barracks, Portsmouth, to-day.

The captain, Lieut.-Comdr. Rupert Philip Lonsdale, R.N., who is facing two charges, believes (according to his report on the loss of the vessel, which was ultimately captured by the Germans), that when the stricken Seal rose it was a direct answer to their prayers.

Lieut.-Cdr. Lonsdale, who was a prisoner-of-war for five years, pleaded “not guilty” to a charge of negligently performing his duty on May 5, 1940, in failing to take immediate action to engage an enemy aircraft which attacked the Seal.

He also pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to take steps to ensure the sinking of the submarine to prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy.

“Unpleasant” Order

To-day Lieut. Trevor Agar Beet, R.N., 27-year-old ex-Seal officer, who yesterday was honourably acquitted on two charges of failing to take steps to sink the submarine while temporarily acting as second-in-command and then in command, in the absence of the captain, gave evidence

for the prosecution.

He said that when the occupants of a German seaplane had given orders that someone should go over from the submarine he believed that Lieut.Comdr. Lonsdale went because it was “something more than unpleasant” and he considered it was his duty to do so.

Captainīs Courage

Witnesses also testified to the courage displayed by Lieut.-Comdr. Lonsdale.

The friend of the accused was Captain G. C. Phillips, Commanding Officer of the submarine depot, H.M.S. Dolphin, Gosport. President of the Court was Captain C. F.W. Norris, D.S.O., of H.M.S. Dryad. The prosecutor was Captain R. F. Elkins, O.B.E.

The circumstantial letter, read by Captain (S) A. T. Wheeler, barrister-at-law (Deputy Judge Advocate of the Fleet), repeated the story of Sealīs last patrol, and the damage caused by air attacks and a mine. After 22 hours under water she was brought to the surface with difficulty.

Lieut.-Commander Terence Brinsley John Danvers Butler, the submarineīs First Lieutenant at the time of its capture, produced the accusedīs report of the loss of the Seal, in which Lieut.-Comdr. Lonsdale gave his address as Crossways, Crowthorne, Berkshire. The report was read by the Deputy Judge Advocate of the Fleet.

“Prayer Answered”

It included the fact that before a last effort to raise the submarine to the surface he called the crew to prayer in the control room, after which Seal went to an even keel and rose rapidly to the surface.

“I believe this was a direct answer to prayers we had offered,” the statement continued.

When the position appeared to the accused to be hopeless an S.O.S. was flashed to the German aircraft. Accused went on firing the machine-guns until one after the other they seized up.

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GREATEST CONFIDENCE IN VERY ABLE CAPTAIN

The report described his action in leaving the submarine as “one I have ever afterwards deeply regretted, but at the same time seemed the only thing to do.”

After her capture the Seal remained “just afloat” until she had been taken to Denmark. All the secret gear had been destroyed.

Complete Control

Lieut.-Commander Butler went on to describe the exhaustion of himself and the crew upon surfacing.

“The Captain looked worried and exhausted, but in complete control of the situation.”

Sealīs anti-aircraft armament was two Lewis guns, which were in the conning tower. When the aircraft opened fire witness got hit in the leg. No special orders were given to witness by the Captain.

In answer to Captain Phillips, witness said that the accused was an extremely able captain in whom witness had great confidence.

Demolition Fuse

Charles Futer, formerly C.P.O. Telegraphist in the Seal said that the Captain appeared to him to have “stuck the orders better than most.” Witness heard no orders given about scuttling, but he knew that the fuse for the demolition charge had been taken from the W/T office.

In answer to Capt. Phillips he said the accused was one of the best officers he had ever had the privilege to serve with..

Lieut. T. A. Beet was then called into the witness box.

He said that after surfacing, the captain

was steering by the engines and witness saw ratings smashing up the Asdic gear.

Firing Lewis Gun

During the first air attack the enemy fire was not returned, but the reason never entered witnessīs head. Later, he saw ratings filling the machine gun “pans”, and he knew that the Captain was himself firing a Lewis gun.

Witness was worried about the Captain exposing himself on the bridge, so he went up to try and persuade him to get under cover.

The Captain seemed a very angry man indeed, and refused to leave the bridge. It was the natural reaction of a man who was being fired at by some-one else.

Witness added: “Not having the Captainīs courage, I retired below to the control room again.”

Witness and the Engineer Officer both decided that further resistance was pointless, as sooner or later Seal was bound to be hit, and was incapable of achieving anything more.

Heaven-Sent Target

“We were a heaven-sent target to the enemy aircraft,” he said.

Witness went on to describe the “landing on” of a small enemy seaplane, which fired a burst as it did so. Witness jumped behind the periscope standard, but the Captain stood where he was.

The seaplane stopped 50 to 60 yards away, and the Captain climbed into the water.

Looking Very Ill

“I can remember seeing him looking very ill and very worried, and I

shouted down to him, `Donīt worry, sir, everything will be all right.ī ”

Later, a second plane “landed on,” and “took one of the ratings off.”

Lieut.-Comdr. (E) Ronald H. S. Clark, Sealīs engineer officer, told of the dramatic escape of two ratings, who were trapped in a flooded compartment. They managed to force their way through, soaking wet, and the water-tight door was shut again.

“When I could scarcely stand up, the Captain was still propped up in the control room between the periscope and the bulkhead, but I presume he was in as bad a state as I was,” added witness.

Got Tablecloth

Witness suggested to the Captain that they should surrender, but Lieut.-Comdr. Lonsdale took no notice at first and went on firing at the enemy aircraft.

Later, the Captain agreed, and witness got a white tablecloth from the Ward Room, passing it up to the Captain.

Witness said that he did not know at the time how the Germans would act, but he expected them to be treacherous. Cross-examined by Capt. Phillips, witness said he had the greatest admiration for the accused.

C.P.O. Warwick Higgins, coxswain of the Seal, said that both Lieut. Beet and witness assured the Captain, before he swam to the seaplane, that the ship would sink.

“He was the best and finest captain you could have had,” witness added.

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