Unit/ Formation: SBS
Location: Loch Long
Period/ Conflict:
Year: 1977
Date/s: 15th January 1977
Lieutenant James Turner and Corporal Christopher Dunworth drowned at Loch Long, Argyllshire, during a training exercise whilst conducting submarine exit and re-entry (E&RE) the submarine HMS Orpheus.
As a apart of a 4 man team they were preparing to exit from the chamber onto the casing the Submarine entered a patch of fresh water causing it to drop suddenly (a Depth Excursion) from periscope depth.
Although frantic efforts were made by a member of the team to warn them both men transferred from the chambers air supply, now on only on a small bottle (RABA) were probably swept from the casing as the submarine made an emergency surface, now unable to escape negative buoyancy and were dragged down by their equipment, both bodies were later found in over 200ft of water below where the incident had occured.
2 men made it to the surface.
James William Turner
Rank: Lieutenant
Unit/Base: RM Poole
Regiment/Corps: Royal Marines
Service number: N017165F
Born: Wednesday, March 3, 1948
Died : Saturday, January 15, 1977 Died in service
Age: 28
Cemetery/Memorial: Armed Forces Memorial
Christopher John Dunworth
Rank: Corporal
Unit/Base: RM Poole
Regiment/Corps: Royal Marines
Service number: P024937R
Born: Wednesday, April 21, 1948
Died : Saturday, January 15, 1977
Died in service
Age: 28
Cemetery/Memorial: Dorset, Branksome Cemetery Poole Read More/ Web Link: First Into Action by Duncan Falconer