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Murder On A Submarine

How A Hero Prevented A Massacre

By Niall James BradleyPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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Murder On A Submarine
Photo by Darren Halstead on Unsplash

On the 8th April 2011, Able Seaman Ryan Donovan went berserk with a rifle on a nuclear-powered submarine, shooting six shots and killing Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneaux. The question on everyone's lips: why did he do it?

Lieutenant Ian Molyneaux (BBC Archive)

Ian was my childhood friend. Though we went to different schools, we had many friends in common. We were both in the same scout group and the same junior cricket team. After leaving school, Ian joined the Royal Navy and we slowly, over the years, went our separate ways. Along his path, in his new Navy career, he was remarkably successful: rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was the weapon's engineering officer of a nuclear-powered attack submarine, HMS Astute, and a proud family man, setting up home with his wife and having four children.

HMS Astute was a brand new submarine and the pride of the Navy. It had been launched in 2007 but was only fully commissioned in August 2010. It had, unfortunately, already had one early disaster: running aground, in October, on a sandbank off the Isle of Skye. The submarine had needed only minor repairs and by April 2011, HMS Astute was on a 5 day visit to the naval dockyards at Southampton. While berthed in the Eastern Dock, the submarine was playing host to tours of local groups and dignitaries.

Able Seaman Ryan Donavan had been growing increasingly resentful of the Navy for some time, especially the submarines officers. Just a year before the shooting, he had told a crewmate, "I'm going to create a massacre in the control room." When the submarine had docked at Southampton, many of the crew had been granted shore-leave. In the 48 hours leading up to April the 8th, Donavan had been drinking in town with colleagues, reportedly downing '20 pints of lager or cider, cocktails and double vodkas'. According to a crewmate, on returning to the submarine, Donavan said, "I'm going to kill somebody."

At 3am on the 8th April, Donavan was woken to begin his guard duty. Knowing he had been drinking, an officer conducted a sobriety test, which involved the officer smelling Donavan's breath. He passed the test, although he was far above the legal drink-drive limit, and was issued with his rifle.

Able Seaman Ryan Donavan (BBC Archive)

The 8th April was a busy day on HMS Astute. In the morning, there was a visit by a local school party and in the afternoon there was to be a visit by a group of local dignitaries. There was the leader of Southampton council, Royston Smith, who was himself a former Royal Air Force flight engineer. Along with him was his chief executive, Alistair Neill, and the city's Mayor.

When the group reached the submarine's control room, they were enjoying a demonstration of the submarine's capabilities, when Donavan entered the room. He had a whispered conversation with a petty officer and the two men left the room together. Almost immediately, 4 shots rang out in the confined space of the submarine. Donavan had shot at two petty officers, amazingly missing both. Molyneaux reacted to the gun-fired by trying to tackle the gunman, but with his fifth shot, Donavan didn't miss. Ian was shot in the head at close range and killed instantly.

Donavan stepped over Ian's lifeless body and re-entered the control room. With his next bullet, he shot and wounded Lieutenant Commander Christopher Hodge, though not fatally. Royston Smith, the council leader and ex-RAF engineer, told the BBC in an interview:

"He had a magazine with 30 rounds in it, so I took the view that someone had to stop him. I pushed him against the wall and we wrestled, then I pushed him into another wall which resulted in him going to the ground and I managed to get the weapon from him and threw it aside, under a table. I shouted for someone to help as I held him down and my chief executive [Alistair Neill] was the first to come, and he did a remarkable job of restraining him."

Donavan went on trial, in September 2011, for the murder of Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneaux and the attempted murders of Lieutenant Commander Hodge, Petty Officer Brown and Chief Petty Officer McCoy at Winchester Courts. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 25 years to be served.

Speaking to the BBC after the trial, Gillian, Ian's widow said:

"There is no pleasure or relief for me today - only the ongoing, heart-breaking sadness for the loss of Ian. I find huge comfort in the abundance of love and support I have received from my family, many friends and Ian's colleagues in the Royal Navy. I will now try to rebuild my life with my gorgeous children and the eternal memory of Ian - my hero and true love."

On 23 March 2012, Ian, Royston Smith, and Alistair Neill were awarded the George Medal, one of the highest civilian medals, for their gallantry in disarming the gunman. Also, in April 2013, Gillian received the Elizabeth Cross, which is awarded to the next-of-kin of soldiers killed in action or during acts of terrorism.

In lasting memory of Ian, a memorial tree was planted next to the pavilion at Eccleston Cricket Club, the team where he played for the juniors as a boy.

The memorial tree is planted just to the right of the pavilion at Eccleston CC (Photo by BatandBall)

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About the Creator

Niall James Bradley

I am a teacher who lives in the north west of England. I write about many subjects, but mainly I write non-fiction about things that interest me, fiction about what comes into my head and poetry about how I feel.

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