§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the defending officers at the courts martial of the commanding officers of H.M.S. "Diamond" and H.M.S. "Salisbury" were provided with information relating to the collision between H.M.S. "Hawke" and S.S. "Olympic" on 20th September, 1911, in the same waters.
339W
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuThe factors relevant to the collision between H.M.S. "Hawke" and S.S. "Olympic" are explained in the instructions on navigation in shallow waters contained in the current navigation handbooks (although there is no express reference to that collision). Relevant information derived from more recent experience is also contained in the handbooks, which were of course available to the officers concerned.
§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for Defence if, before the collision on the 25th June, 1964, between H.M.S. "Diamond" and H.M.S. "Salisbury" in the Solent, the commanding officers of these vessels had been specifically warned by the exercise directing officer of the hazards of high speed close proximity manoeuvring in these waters.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuThe commanding officers had not been specifically warned of the exaggerated effects of interaction between ships in shallow waters; nor was such warning necessary. General instructions on this matter are contained in the current navigational handbooks; and it was the duty of the officers concerned to be alert to those instructions and to give as wide a berth as was required by the speed of advance and the depth of water.