§ 3. Captain Viscount CURZONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether any further report has been received as to the disaster to H42; and, if so, whether the facts can be published?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Amery)The disaster occurred off Europa Point on 23rd March, when His Majesty's Submarine "H. 42" and other submarines of the Third Flotilla were delivering a dummy attack on destroyers. The destroyers were proceeding at a speed of 20 knots, when, at 9.41 a.m., His Majesty's Submarine "H. 42" rose to the surface some 30 yards right ahead of His Majesty's Ship "Versatile." The destroyer's helm was put hard-a-port and the engines to full speed astern, but the ship had not started to turn when she struck "H. 42" just abaft the conning tower. The submarine sank immediately. The immediate cause of the accident was that, contrary to instructions, His Majesty's Submarine "H. 42" rose to the surface when she did. The reason for her surfacing is not known.