Hartlepool History Then & Now

The Explosion on a Trawler - 1923

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail - November 2nd, 1923:

THE EXPLOSION ON A TRAWLER. Inquest To-day. SEQUEL TO DISCOVERY OF MINE.
The deplorable double fatality resulting from the explosion that occurred on the trawler Gertrude Cappleman on Wednesday afternoon was to-day the subject of a coroner's inquest at Hartlepool. The inquiry was conducted by the Deputy Coroner (Mr. Robson). The deceased were the skipper of the trawler, Capt. Richard H. Whittleton (43), 7 Brougham Street, and Mr. James Roberts (44), Hart Road. Mr. J.T. Graham and Major Graham were present.

Mr. W. R. Harrison, who stated that he appeared on behalf of the owners of the trawler, Messrs. Graham and Son, said Capt. Whittleton had been in the employ the firm since he was a boy and had gone right through the fishing industry, and he was a man in whom they had the greatest confidence and for whom they held the greatest regard.
Mr. Harrison said he also appeared for the widow of Mr. Roberts; and Mr. R. Storey, of Sunderland, appeared for Messrs. Dalkins. Ltd., the employers of Roberts. George H. Whittleton, the ship’s cook, and son of the deceased captain, gave evidence of identification.
Engineer's Story.

David M. Brown, of 8 Beaconsfield Street, chief engineer of the trawler Gertrude Cappleman, stated that on Monday, while fishing in the North Sea, they picked up a mine. He saw it on Tuesday on the deck, and was told on Wednesday morning that it had been dropped overboard. It stood about 3ft. high. Asked if knew whether it was a British or a German mine, witness stated that he did not know. He was told that the definition plate was off it.
The Deputy Coroner: Do you know whether they threw the whole mine overboard not?
Witness: There was a piece kept.
Did you see it?— Yes.
Witness added that it was the primer that was kept. This was 2½ feet long and 3 inches in diameter, the case being of brass. The skipper took it down to the cabin. Proceeding, witness said they arrived in port at 10 past one o’clock on Wednesday and went ashore at 1-30. The skipper and Mr. Roberts were left on board, the second engineer leaving with him and the rest the crew having previously. He and the second engineer were just a ship's length away when the explosion occurred, and they immediately returned. They couldn't get into the cabin for smoke, and when the fire in the cabin was extinguished they found the place wrecked. Meanwhile the bodies had been got out and taken away.

In reply to questions by Mr. Storey, witness said he heard the captain say the primer was a curio and he intended to take it home. Further questioned by the Deputy- Coroner witness said he saw Mr. Roberts sitting in the cabin with the Captain, and that, when he left the ship, they were unrolling the primer, which was wrapped in paper.
Witness stated in the course of his evidence that he was employed on a minesweeper during the war. John Imray, 151 Durham Street, second engineer on the Gertrude Cappleman, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. He also, he said, was on minesweeper during the war. He had a good look at the mine, and noticed that the identification plate was gone - it had apparently been scraped off in some way. There was ragged hole in the bottom of the mine, and formed the opinion that it had already been exploded. Asked if he knew who took out the primer, witness said he supposed the Captain did himself.

A Prisoner of War. Had the skipper been on a minesweeper?” asked the Deputy Coroner.
Witness: No, he was a prisoner of war.
Had he any experience of mines?—l don't think so.
Proceeding, witness said he saw the primer. It was a brass tube about 3ft. long and 3in. in diameter, and it looked empty; he could put his fingers into it. There was strike rat the bottom, something similar to that of revolver. He did not think it dangerous. He thought it had been exploded. In reply to further questions, witness said he did not know of any Board of Trade regulations regarding the picking up of mines. Were there any appliances board for dealing with these mines?” asked the Coroner. Witness: No. Have you any instructions from your owners with regard to them —No. Witness said that just before he left the trawler with the previous witness the skipper was unwrapping the primer to show it to Mr Roberts.
Mutilated Bodies. P.C. Rowley said was passing the Fish Quay entrance on Wednesday when learnt of the explosion. He went board and made repeated efforts to get below into the cabin, but could not do so for the smoke and fumes. A gas mask was procured, but proved ineffective. On ultimately getting into the cabin after a quarter of an hour’s efforts, he found the remains of a man at the bottom of the steps, and, with the aid of a torch, found a second body inside the cabin. Both were very much mutilated, especially that at the foot of the steps.
The Verdict. The Deputy Coroner returned a verdict of “Accidental death." and added in the case of Roberts that he was on board during and in the course of his employment.