Poseidon: China’s Secret Salvage of Britain’s Lost Submarine

8. The Court of Enquiry and Court-Martial

Less than a week after the loss of Poseidon, a court of enquiry was convened aboard the flotilla’s depot ship, HMS Medway. The threeman panel comprised Captain Geoffrey Layton of HMS Suffolk, the court’s president and a submariner of renown from World War I; Commander R. A. McIntyre, of HMS Osiris, an Odin-class submarine ; and Commander Gerald P. Bowen, also of HMS Suffolk. The court sought to find answers to the following questions: What was the cause of the collision? Were all possible steps taken to keep the vessel afloat after the collision? Were all possible steps taken to save life? Was the conduct of all concerned in the usual standards of the Royal Navy? The court convened on June 15. As expected, Galpin appeared as the first witness. Poseidon’s commanding officer confirmed that he had been conducting torpedo trials ordered by the rear admiral. He was then asked about details relating to his encounter with Yuta. Q: Which is the correct time of first sighting the SS Yuta—1135, vide your report to the Captain IV, or 1137 in the paper now produced? [Galpin had provided the court with an amended version of his account of events at the beginning of his questioning.] Bernard W. Galpin (BWG): 1137, as she was sighted on surfacing. Q: Had she been sighted at all with a periscope or otherwise before this time? BWG: No. Charles Greening, the first lieutenant, was to take Poseidon through simulated torpedo attacks upon HMS Marazion, a support ship. This was his first time practicing an attack. Q: When you gave the order to the First Lieutenant to start the attack, did it occur to you that the course you were then on would take HMS Poseidon across the SS Yuta’s bows? Chapter 8 The Court of Enquiry and Court-Martial 70 Poseidon BWG: No, as the bearing was growing ahead. Q: You mean the bearing was growing ahead whilst you were stopped? BWG: Yes. Q: How did the bearing change after you commenced to go ahead? BWG: It continued to grow ahead, but more slowly. Q: Are you of the opinion that had both ships kept a steady course there would have been no collision? BWG: Yes. This was a damning admission, especially because Poseidon had spotted Yuta so far in advance of the collision, in visibility of four to six miles (6.3–9.6 kilometers). It was the submarine’s maneuvering into position for its attack that put it in harm’s way. Q: You go on to say, “After a short time I saw that if [Lt. Greening] did not at once turn to a closing course he would never get to firing range, and that he would have a better chance to get in a good attack if he turned away from Marazion.” I do not understand that statement: surely if he wanted to close Marazion he should have done it to starboard? BWG: No, because the turning circle, if you turn to starboard, takes you toward Marazion whereas if you turn to port it gives you twice the measure of turning circle along the course, and you thereby gain bearing. Galpin’s evidence then incriminates him further by indicating how close Yuta was when it began the attack: Q: How far away was the SS Yuta when you advised the First Lieutenant to alter course to port? BWG: As far as I can judge from information I now have, something more than one mile. Q: At that moment, so far as you could see, was she on a steady course? BWG: Yes, undoubtedly. Q: Was HMS Poseidon still on a steady course? BWG: Yes. As far as I could judge without looking at the compass, the bearing of the SS Yuta was still growing ahead. Galpin then had to answer for not canceling the attack, or taking action earlier to avoid collision with the cargo ship: Q: If both ships had maintained their original courses, how far ahead of you do you think the SS Yuta would have passed? The Court of Enquiry and Court-Martial 71 BWG: A short distance. Q: By that do you mean about two cables? BWG: About 300 yards [270 meters]. According to the rules of the road, the onus would be on Yuta to avoid the exercising submarine, and Galpin tells the court this. Here, both Galpin and the...