It was a serene day , flat calm, and wall to wall sunshine, when the Cliona left Haulbowline on 29th May 1962,with full crew, 20 trainees, with Staffs, and a large media group, including RTE News team and cameras. There were more than 100 personnel on board as the big interest item was a demonstration of all the Anti-Submarine measures including Hedgehog and patterns of 10 LIVE Depth Charges.
During an exercise involving a release of 10 Depth Charges, there was an unexpected shockwave, which resulted in a fuel supply pipe to a boiler burner breaking, causing fuel to be sprayed over the boiler fronts , followed by a spectacular boiler room fire.
The L/Stoker on duty, and his assistant were forced to retire, suffering some burns, but not before L/Stoker W. Mynes closed the valve supplying the fuel thereby limiting the potential supply of fuel to the fire.
The on scene fire team was lead by Lieut. P. O'Mahony, the ship's XO, his persistence and unwavering courage, despite fire re-ignitions, eventually extinguished the fire, after more than 90 minutes.
In the wash up many weeks later the bravery of O'Mahony, and Mynes, went unrewarded and remain so to this day. This was despite an attempt by an officer involved in the Inquiry into a fire on L.E.Aisling, looking back at the Cliona fire. In that "look back" he highlighted the bravery of O'Mahony and Mynes and recommended that they be duly rewarded.
The now elderly retired servicemen deserve to receive DSM's. O'Mahony's bravery was spectacular standing on full fuel tanks and the engineroom casing buckling from heat. He was a sight to behold!
Surely somebody in authority can now see merit in an appropriate award.
During an exercise involving a release of 10 Depth Charges, there was an unexpected shockwave, which resulted in a fuel supply pipe to a boiler burner breaking, causing fuel to be sprayed over the boiler fronts , followed by a spectacular boiler room fire.
The L/Stoker on duty, and his assistant were forced to retire, suffering some burns, but not before L/Stoker W. Mynes closed the valve supplying the fuel thereby limiting the potential supply of fuel to the fire.
The on scene fire team was lead by Lieut. P. O'Mahony, the ship's XO, his persistence and unwavering courage, despite fire re-ignitions, eventually extinguished the fire, after more than 90 minutes.
In the wash up many weeks later the bravery of O'Mahony, and Mynes, went unrewarded and remain so to this day. This was despite an attempt by an officer involved in the Inquiry into a fire on L.E.Aisling, looking back at the Cliona fire. In that "look back" he highlighted the bravery of O'Mahony and Mynes and recommended that they be duly rewarded.
The now elderly retired servicemen deserve to receive DSM's. O'Mahony's bravery was spectacular standing on full fuel tanks and the engineroom casing buckling from heat. He was a sight to behold!
Surely somebody in authority can now see merit in an appropriate award.
Comment