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Forgotten Wrecks of WWI: The Sinking of HMT Warilda
- 1. FORGOTTEN WRECKS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
- 4. SS Warilda Built: 1912 Built by W Beardmore & Co. Ltd Glasgow. Vessel type: Passenger Cargo Vessel Owned by Adelaide Steamship Co. Ltd Australia. 1 9 1 2 – P re Wa r c a re er
- 5. 1 9 1 4 - Wa r S e r vic e H i s M a j e s t y ’s A u s t r a l i a n Tr a n s p o r t Tr o o p S h i p
- 6. 1916 – A m b u l a n c e Tr a n s p o r t
- 7. 1917 • 1916-1918 >180 trips Le-Harve to Southampton • 80,000 patients
- 8. F i n al J o u rne y 3 r d A u g u s t 1 9 1 8 • Le-Harve to Southampton • 801 on board • 117 crew • 614 wounded • 70 Royal Army Medical Corps • Sunk by UC-49 • 123 people died • 7 crew • 116 passengers/wounded
- 9. “We were all shocked by our boat being lifted out of the water, and then seeming to roll over on her side, with all the men tossed out of their bunks. This was accompanied by the roar of a torpedo… It was not necessary to ask what was the matter, as the smell of the explosive soon permeated through the ship” Australian Private George James Tevelein (2403, 38th Battalion)
- 10. UC-49 was a mine-laying U-boat similar to this Nurse Daisy Dobbs “the men in Ward number 1 were mostly eye cases, and although able to move easily they could not see and with the water rushing in and despite the best efforts of the engineers unable to access the ward due to the staircases and gangways being blown away, they were all believed drowned.” Nurse Daisy Dobbs
- 11. New York Times 123 people perished (116 wounded passengers & 7 crew)
- 12. H i s t o r y i n A c t i o n : s o u rc e s • Online • Contemporary newspaper reports • Letters • Memoirs • Photographs • Memorials (British and Australian)
- 13. Accounts by the wounded: • Australian Private George James Tevelein • Private Alfred Edward Taylor • Jack Watts – Letters and Memoirs Jack Watts Sources: w i t n e s s a c c o u n t s
- 14. • Sister Daisy Dobbs MM – letters • Miss Charlotte Trowell – letters S o u rces: W i t n e s s A c c o u n t s Accounts by Nurses Violet Alice Lambton Long, Chief controller of the Queen Mary’s Army Auxilliary Corps
- 15. Memorials • COURTNEY ALFRED HENRY (29) Steward, Western Shore • HARRIS, VICTOR (30) Steward, Clifford Street Southampton. • JORDAN, EDWARD (37) Fireman, Rochester Street, Northam. • MAIDMENT, FREDERICK, GEORGE (31) Greaser, Marchwood • MILNE JOHN (24) 3rd Engineer, Anderson’s Road • NEWNHAM BERNARD GEORGE (41) Steward, Northbrook Road • PHILLIPS, DOUGLAS WILLIAM (21) 3rd Cook, Sandown, IOW . CWGC –Mercantile Marine Memorial, Tower Hill
- 16. Hollybrook Memorial Private Thomas Faulks (Australia) (3231, 29th Battalion) HMT Warilda 10 panels engraved with 107 names of land forces
- 17. Imperial War Museum “lives of the First World War” website
- 18. The Wreck Photos: Ronnan, David, dive125.co.uk Copyrights Sylvia Prier
- 19. Under water graves Fisgard II, Portland Bill, Dorset. Protected Place. A former warship that sank in a storm while being towed from Portsmouth to Scapa Flow for use as accommodation. 21 lives were lost including a number of Portsmouth dockyard workers. HMS Ghurka, Dungeness, Kent. Protected Place. A Dover Patrol vessel that was mined with the loss of 74 lives. HMS Formidable, Torbay, Devon. Controlled Site. A Royal Navy battleship, torpedoed on 1st January 1915 with loss of more than 540 men. UB-81, Isle of Wight. Controlled Site. A brand new German U-boat that struck a mine and was hit by a patrol boat and sank with the loss of 29 lives.
- 20. Fur ther Information Please visit our website www.forgottenwrecks.maritimearchaeologytrust.org Here you will find other wreck case studies & WW1 PowerPoints, Audio articles, 3D models, Artefacts , features about the war at sea and much more! Please contact us if you would like more information, to volunteer, or to book a talk or schools session.
Editor's Notes
- These powerpoints have been prepared as part of the Heritage Lottery funded Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War project for the use of groups and teachers. More information about the project can be found at: http://forgottenwrecks.maritimearchaeologytrust.org/ Please note, there is a separate, complementary [Insert number]-slide powerpoint presentation which introduces the project and provides context for the wreck case studies. This can be found at: [insert URL]
- This PowerPoint was created by the Maritime Archaeology Trust as part of the Forgotten wrecks of the First World War Project. Fully funded by the Heritage Lottery, this project coincides with the centenary of the First World War, exploring and raising the profile of the wrecks and related coastal sites along the south coast of England, dating to the First World War.
- This PowerPoint focuses on one of the Forgotten Wrecks project’s wreck case studies. Each slide provides summary information about the wreck and its story, with more detailed information for teachers here in the Notes section. Please note the separate Introduction PowerPoint, providing background and context, which can be found at: [insert URL]. The subject of this PowerPoint is HMT Warilda, built in 1912 as a passenger/cargo vessel, used as a troop transporter in 1914 and a hospital ship in 1916 and torpedoed in the middle of the English Channel, between Le Harve and Southampton, with tragic loss of life in August 1918.
- Please see the slide for information about Warilda’s pre-war career
- Warilda was requisitioned by the British Admiralty at the start of the war. The Australian Merchant Captain, Captain Sim & some of the crew remained with the ship. Warilda was converted into a troopship and initially transported troops from Australia to Egypt and then Australia to England. Slide images are of souvenir postcards sent by troops aboard the ship back to their friends and families.
- In 1916 Warilda was converted to an Ambulance Transport (HMAT), sailing between Southampton and Le-Havre bringing back the wounded. The photo above shows Warilda with hospital markings. Notes for Hospital Ships Throughout the war, both Southampton and Le Havre were the Number 1 Ports and so received the most people passing though. By 1917 Le Havre operated 5 hospitals and 4 convalescent depots. Once the wounded were returned through Southampton, they would be put on trains to hospitals all over the country. The Hague convention of 1907 which sought to protect the wounded at sea, required that hospital ships should be officially declared, certified and readily identifiable by a distinct livery. The ships were painted white with red crosses (sometimes illuminated) with a broad green band. They were well illuminated with a chain of green lights in addition to their deck and navigation lights. Hospital ships flew the Red Cross flag and were identified by their own national flag. Under the rules of the convention, they were required to attend to casualties on both sides of the conflict. Germany accused England of misusing hospital ships for the transportation of troops and ammunition and declared a policy of unrestricted warfare (29 January 1917). This meant all ships, including marked hospital ships, would be attacked. On the 31st March 1917 the Hospital Ship Gloucester Castle was torpedoed off the Isle of Wight. Following this, the British Admiralty announced that hospital ships would no longer be marked or illuminated and would sail at night, with escorts. Hospital markings were removed and some ships were dazzle painted [there’s a very nice resource on the BBC website about the dazzle painting of ships at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zty8tfr] and had guns mounted. The fighting on the western front was resulting in a large number of Germans Prisoners Of War, often wounded, falling into British hands. The British Admiralty issued a statement to Germany to remind them that practically all British ships returning to England carried Germans on board, however, this did not lessen the attacks. In total, 24 Hospital ships were torpedoed or mined during the First World War, 8 of these between Southampton and Le Harvre (Asturias, Huntley, Donegal, Galeka, Gloucester Castle, Lanfranc, Salta, and Warilda).
- The German policy of unrestricted submarine warfare was applied to all shipping in British waters, including hospital ships. Many hospital ships were being sunk, so in 1917, Warilda was repainted with dazzle camouflage and a gun was mounted on her deck for protection. Hospital ships now sailed at night, unlit and with naval escorts. Between 1916 and 1918, Warilda made over 180 trips and brought more than 80,000 wounded personnel back from the battlefields.
- Account of the sinking. Warilda left Le Harve in daylight and proceeded slowly. Under the cover of darkness and escorted by two patrol ships (P39 and P45) Warilda began steaming towards Southampton at 14 knots. Shortly after 01:00am, the Second Officer spotted a U-boat on the surface, 100 yards ahead and gave orders for Warilda to turn and try to ram it. But before she could turn, the look-out saw the track of the torpedo approaching. See slide for statistics relating to the loss of Warilda. The torpedo was fired by submarine UC-49 commanded by Oberleutnant Hans Kukenthal.
- Australian Private George James Tevelein (2403, 38th Battalion) was on board Warilda that night and describes the moment the torpedo struck: We were all shocked by our boat being lifted out of the water, and then seeming to roll over on her side, with all the men tossed out of their bunks. This was accompanied by the roar of a torpedo… It was not necessary to ask what was the matter, as the smell of the explosive soon permeated through the ship” (AWM, MSS1457 – NB from archives accessible via the Australian War Memorial: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/MSS1457/)
- The torpedo, fired by UC-49, blasted through the engine room, taking out the starboard propeller and the steering gear. The explosion killed the engine room crew and water quickly flooded in and then into the next compartment (hold 4) which was being used as Ward No 1. Nurse Daisy Dobbs, who was on board, stated in a letter, that “the men in Ward number 1 were mostly eye cases, and although able to move easily they could not see and with the water rushing in and despite the best efforts of the engineers unable to access the ward due to the staircases and gangways being blown away, they were all believed drowned.”
- With the engineers unable to enter the flooded engine room, the engines could not be shut down and the ship continued to move in a circle at 15 knots. This made lowering the lifeboats impossible until the engine ran out of steam. Three or four lifeboats that were lowered smashed into the side and threw their occupants into the water. 19 people lost their lives when their lifeboats crashed or capsized, some of the lowering ropes having to be cut as the ship listed and sank. The ship remained afloat for more than two hours. Some of those in the lifeboats reported seeing the wake of a second torpedo. Depth charges were dropped in an attempt to destroy the German submarine. The captain remained on the bridge to the last, when all moveable cases had been evacuated, the captain asked for volunteers to remain and listen out for cries of help. Ten men gallantly stepped forward and searched the boat from end to end. Two Destroyers arrived on scene within half an hour of the distress call and picked up the survivors and continued the journey to Southampton. At Southampton docks a Seaman’s outfitter who had heard of their fate, waited with a pile of clothes (http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=CHP19180808.2.45). The survivors were taken to Netley Hospital [more on Netley Hospital here: http://forgottenwrecks.maritimearchaeologytrust.org/forgottenwrecks/casestudywrecks/netley-pier] for examination before continuing their journeys. 123 people died (7 crew, 116 passengers) UC-49 was sunk by depth charges on 08/08/1918 by HMS Opossum, off Berry Head in Devon. After the war, Captain Sim was awarded an OBE.
- This story of the Warilda has been pieced together using these sources.
- Jack Watts, 18, from Worthing, had a terrible time. Having suffered a leg wound on the Battlefield in France he was told he would be returning to England. Whilst in hospital there was an air-raid, then the Ambulance train taking him to Le-Harve derailed and then he endured the attack on the Warilda. Fortunately he survived and recorded these events in his memoirs (accessible at https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/learning/learning_resources/great_war_west_sussex_1914-18/people_at_war/people_studies_a-z.aspx choose pdf 67) James Tevelein’s memoirs are accessible via the Australian War Memorial: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/MSS1457/ Private Alfred Edward Taylor (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/PR01110/) Alfred relays the incident to his Mother in a letter written whilst recovering at Alexandra Hospital at Cosham. Reading different witness accounts (primary evidence) helps us to piece together the events.
- Sources Letters, diaries, memoirs of survivors Violet Alice Lambton Long, Chief controller of the Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps perished on this vessel while trying to save others. She ensured that the eleven WAACs in her care were safely in the lifeboats but she herself became entangled in the ropes and was crushed against the side of the ship. She died aged 35. Violet Long was posthumously awarded the O.B.E. for her work with the Women’s Legion and is commemorated on the Hollybrook memorial (panel 29). The events surrounding her death are graphically described by Nurse Daisy Dobbs and Miss Charlotte Trowell in their letters. Miss Trowell’s version of events were reported in the Dominion newspaper and are copied below. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=DOM19181019.2.62 LOST ON THE TORPEDOED WARILDA HOW MRS. LONG DIED. A thrilling narrative of the torpedoing of the ambulance- transport Warilda is told by Miss Charlotte Trowell, W.A.A.0., who was acting as orderly , to Mrs Violet Long, the Chief Controller of Queen's Mary's Auxiliary Army Corps, who lost her life. Miss Trowell, who had come home on special leave to be married, said that soon after she had gone to her cabin Mrs Long came to inquire if she was comfortable and gave her some chocolates. (She did not see her again until she was in the water) "I was thrown out of my bunk by the shock of the explosion. A wounded American officer came and assisted me on deck. I did not see many men there, but I could see many who had been thrown into the water through the capsizing of the boats. It was a sad and unnerving sight. I was helped into a boat which was filled with wounded soldiers, and it was lowered down but as the Warilda sank the boat became so lopsided that the ropes of the davits had to be cut quickly.' The boat capsized as soon as it reached the water and I was pitched into the sea. I clung to a rope and was pulled into another boat by an American and an Australian. I shall ever remember the sacrifice and unselfishness of the poor wounded in wrapping me in their saturated blankets. Every survivor of those soldiers deserves the Victoria Cross. "Drowning men clung to one another in the water and their cries could be frequently heard. While I sat in the boat with my feet in the water someone said, 'That is a woman,' and I saw Mrs Long clinging to our boat and heard her murmur 'Oh, save me.' She had become entangled in some rope. Efforts to free her were successful and I caught hold of her hair to hold her up, and she said, 'You are hurting me.' Her grip suddenly loosened and she collapsed and fell back into the sea. I felt like collapsing also at the sight, for she had been very kind to me, but I took courage from the fortitude of the suffering and dying men round me. Strange though it may seem the thought uppermost, in my mind was that I should have liked workers who strike in war time to be there to witness the scene. While I was in the boat we saw the wake of another torpedo. After about two hours we were picked, up by a patrol boat. An officer of the latter called out, 'The badly 'wounded cases first,' but the wounded replied, 'There is a girl in the boat. Go, on, miss, , and that despite the sufferings these had endured. Daisy Dobbs account of the sinking can be read here (copied below) http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/155.html - caution - very graphic account. "WARILDA” Torpedoed August 3rd. about 1.25.a.m. We had come from Salonica on leave, after two years, over land through Greece, then crossing from Itea to Italy and through France, the scenery was very interesting and so refreshing after the sun scorched land of Salonica. At Le Havre we boarded the “Warilda" an Australian boat, which was to take us to Southampton. When we arrived on board we found out that two V.A.Ds were making their way home from France, and Mrs Long, Commander of the W.A.A.Cs and her orderly. We consisted of two sisters of the T.F.N.S. and myself, making a number of seven altogether. After dinner we went to see the wounded officers and men to help them talk, oh… What an interesting time we had, the thrilling adventures which made us glow with admiration and filled us with a longing to do more for these men who willingly gave their lives for us. How time flies, we helped fix life belts until the signal for “lights out” made us seek our cabin, Up till now we had moved very slowly, because of it being light, now we were going at a good speed, although cautiously, and we retired with glorious thoughts of tomorrow when we should see England again. We were awakened by two terrible crashes and we felt the ship vibrating violently, the sound of running feet, and someone opened our cabin door and said, “To your boat at once sisters, we have been torpedoed”. We were so sure that nothing would happen that we had put on our night attire, now there was no time for dressing, only our life belts fixed on, and we made our way to our boat which had been pointed out to us the previous evening. It was so dark that we could not see, only felt some hands passing us along, while the wounded men who could help them-selves lined ready to get into their boats, the stretcher cases were in the hands of the Medical Officers and the orderlies under their supervision did splendid work, everyone gave us a cheery word as we passed, even in this critical moment they never forgot, there was no panic, everyone remained cool and helped by being alert. There only being seven women we did not delay the rescue work which went on around us as we got into our boat, but I soon lost sight of my friends as the boat became full of wounded men. I had slipped down into the bottom of the boat to make more room, but, unfortunately it being dark I was not seen and several men walked over me, not anyone's fault, but we were overcrowded. The boat was then lowered and should have been struck away, but no hatchet was available, and to our dismay the plugs had been forgotten and we were taking water quickly. Being at the bottom of the boat and not being able to move I had a very unpleasant experience, but I must have lost consciousness, for a time, for the next thing I remember was feeling myself choking with the salt water and struggling I knew there was no chance of being saved for all the boats would be filled with wounded and other survivors, so I resigned myself hoping it would not be long. I felt myself coming to the top yet being drawn towards something which I found out to be the small boat upside down, the waves were very strong and dashed me against the sides unmercifully, this, with the terrible cries of the men and women in the water was horrifying, then I sank once more, not to a great depth but far enough to become exhausted with the choking of salt water and the continuous struggle. A ghastly scene was ever before me of persons floating about, and if you came too near they would clutch at you for help, this as well helped to rob you of your strength. Once more I came to the top and received the same treatment as before, how I longed to die and escape those terrible cries, as I went down again I was sure that it would be the last time as my strength was nearly gone and everything was so hazy. Yet again I came to the top and soon I realised that I was a long way off from the boat which I could faintly see as I floated towards her, but to my horror I saw another small boat making its way towards me, and remembering my previous treatment I was terrified, and put out my hand to ward it off, I did not realise that the boat was the right way up and there might be a chance of being saved. There was somebody in the boat that saw me, they caught hold of my hand and tried to pull me in for I could not do much, and to make matters worse somebody caught hold of my foot, it seemed impossible to me, but my rescuer spoke cheerfully to me and after a short time my foot was released and I was lifted into the boat. They looked but could find no trace of any other victim. When they discovered that I was a woman by my attire they hunted among the other survivors for some extra clothing, but everyone was so scantily clothed so we made the best of it. Beside myself there was a V.A.D. and a W.A.A.C. about ten wounded men and two sailors in charge of the boat, the other women we thought were drowned , but we heard later that they were picked up in another smaller boat. As we put off, several cries followed us and our sailors did much rescue work, they never ignored a cry for help, and if the waves took them away again the rescuers always gave them a cheery word. It took much time and hard work to get the boat away from the suction. Many of the wounded offered to help them but they always refused with a smile and said they were doing fine. We had been in the boat some time when the oarsmen recognised a cry for help. They made towards the sound and after many difficulties rescued one of their officers, and you could tell he was a favourite. After a short recovery he took another oar and we began to feel less doubtful. Several depth charges were sent off which made us feel very uncomfortable. We had a lantern and some matches but we dare not show it because of the submarine, this meant, although we had sighted several destroyers we had lost them owing to not being able to show a light. We had been in the boat about two hours, the waves, were so strong that times it seemed that we should be capsized, and we were all feeling very depressed and there was no sign of being rescued, when one boy in the boat tried to cheer us by singing, he did not fail entirely, soon we were all joining in, we stopped as suddenly as we had started for someone had sighted a destroyer, our only chance was to show a light and hope that we should be seen. The light was shone and we discovered that she was making straight for us and if something wonderful did not happen we should be cut into for we could not escape her. We knew what our fate would be so we waited, and to our great joy she just turned in time and the oarsmen heard a voice calling to us to catch the rope, unfortunately we missed it owing to the dashing of the waves, then we made off for the starboard side and very soon our boat was tied. The destroyer was informed that there were women on board and we were given the first chance although we would have liked to have taken our turn. The waves were so strong that they lifted our small boat up level with the destroyer and we were helped over, and each one had to wait till the waves gave him his chance of boarding. Here we were served with cocoa and brandy to revive us, then we were taken to the Captain’s cabin were we found a Tommy with a fractured femur, already reposing on the bed with a number of orderlies who told us the news. Every article of clothing that could be collected was given us although some of the Tommies had very little some only possessed the blanket that was given them when they board the destroyer. We were pleased to hear that the destroyers came almost immediately the signal for help was given and within half an hour six hundred cases were saved. A sad fate awaited the boys on the lower deck the torpedoes, (for we were struck twice) had blown away the gangways so that no help could reach them, ladders could not reach down and every effort failed, a number of engineers volunteered to stay behind although they knew that it meant death. About one hundred were lost. These men who were trapped were convalescent, and although eye cases and were able to help themselves the water rushed in and they were drowned. We were warned that a number of depth charges were to be sounded, the shock was severe, but we consoled ourselves thinking that we had sunk the Hun. We stopped again to take on board some more survivors, and to our delight we found our friends and listened to their terrible experiences. We were sorry to hear that our friend Mrs Long had been drowned trying to jump from the "Warilda” into the small boat and falling between, became entangled in the ropes, every effort was made to release her but when the ropes she must have collapsed and was drawn under by the suction. The "Warilda” remained afloat for two hours, and two destroyers did try and tow her along but eventually she exploded and took the destroyers with her. We did not hear of the Captains rescue till several days afterwards, but as far as we know all the engineers went down. The cabin became very hot as there was so many of us in it, and the sailors were exceedingly attentive to all our wants, every wish of the Tommy was gratified as far as possible. We were glad when the port holes could be opened and the first glimpse of land was such a joy. Southampton was reached about 8.30 a.m. and we received a warm welcome from some soldiers who were waiting to embark and partly understood what had occurred by our attire. To Netley Hospital we were taken and received every attention. After a medical examination we were given permission to travel. Here arose a difficulty which had to be faced, we had lost everything we possessed, the sisters understood and we were soon dressed for travelling. Although much bruised and stiff we enjoyed our short leave, and now the past is being forgotten and we start again. Yours obediently, D.E.Dobbs
- The Commonwealth Graves Commission Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill in London commemorates men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known grave. It stands on the south side of the garden of Trinity Square, London, close to The Tower of London. The names of the 7 merchant crewmen lost on the Warilda are engraved there. All were local to Southampton. They are also commemorated on the Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll, having served on this Australian ship.
- The Hollybrook Memorial in Southampton commemorates by name almost 1,900 servicemen and women of the Commonwealth land and air forces whose graves are not known, many of whom were lost in transports or other vessels torpedoed or mined in home waters. The memorial also bears the names of those who were lost or buried at sea, or who died at home but whose bodies could not be recovered for burial. The 107 of the landforces who were lost on Warilda are named on 10 panels (19-29). Violet Long is commemorated on panel 29. 15 Australians are named, including Private Thomas Faulks (3231, 29th Battalion) from Victoria (panel 24). The Austalian War Memorial Commemorative Roll records the names of those Australians who died during or as a result of wars in which Australians served, but who were not serving in the Australian Armed Forces and therefore not eligible for inclusion on the Roll of Honour. It includes those Australians who died while members of Allied Forces, the Merchant Navy, philanthropic organisations attached to the forces, or as war correspondents or photographers. The Roll of Honour records and commemorates members of the Australian armed forces who have died during or as a result of war service,
- As well as highlighting the existence of the Forgotten Wrecks, the project is aiming to commemorate the myriad of ordinary people linked to the ships lost off the south coast during the Great War. This included people of all nationalities, merchant seamen, fishermen, service personnel, civilian passengers, patients and nurses. Each day of the conflict, people like all of us worked, served and sometimes died along the south coast. The Forgotten Wrecks project will help us recognise and appreciate how their ordinary lives were impacted by the extraordinary circumstance of the First World War. By discovering and telling their stories, we will remember them. The Forgotten Wrecks project is contributing to the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War (LoFWW) initiative to embed the results of some of the project’s relevant research into the permanent digital memorial so it will be accessible to all in the future, beyond the life of the Forgotten Wrecks project. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/community/3216
- The wreck lies mid channel between Le Harve and Southampton at a depth of 50m. The wreck stands around 8 metres high. It is a popular wreck dive. The propellers and deck gun remain on the wreck, though the bell and possibly a port hole have been removed. Very few of those who died at sea have burial places on land and the remains of the vessels on the seabed are effectively their graves. Time and tide have taken their toll on the ships since they sank and they are falling apart. Unfortunately, some have suffered further disturbance through the inadvertent impact of marine and leisure industries and the deliberate actions of salvers and divers. In the early decades of SCUBA diving the retrieval of material from wreck sites was a popular pursuit. While this still takes pace to a limited extent, today’s diving community promotes sustainable diving and encourages a ‘look but don’t touch’ and non-intrusive recording approach to wreck diving. Four good dive videos are available on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKDTCWFs1qQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZitQ3Bdbi9s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzack5FR6hQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh_--O9mSyE
- Underwater War Graves Very few of those who died at sea have burial places on land and the remains of the vessels on the seabed are effectively their graves. Time and tide have taken their toll on the ships since they sank and they are falling apart. Unfortunately, some have suffered further disturbance through the inadvertent impact of marine and leisure industries and the deliberate actions of salvers and divers. In the early decades of SCUBA diving the retrieval of material from wreck sites was a popular pursuit. While this still takes pace to a limited extent, today’s diving community promotes sustainable diving and encourages a ‘look but don’t touch’ and non-intrusive recording approach to wreck diving. The Protection of Military Remains Act (PoMRA) administered by the Ministry of Defence protects a small number of vessels that were lost on military service. There are four such vessels within the south coast project area. Two of these are Protected Places, meaning they can be dived but must not be interfered with. Two are Controlled Sites and diving is totally prohibited.
- If you have used this PowerPoint, we would very much like to hear from you, please send us a quick email to let us know how you found it so that we can improve this and other resources. You can contact us at: forgottenwrecks@maritimearchaeologytrust.org or via the details below: Room 014/11 National Oceanography Centre Empress Dock Southampton SO14 3ZH. QT office phone: 02380 237300