BBC television films PADI wreck project group Meridian Divers

BBC interviews Tad

Tad (Rowland) Taberer, PADI Instructor Development Course Staff Instructor and a group of divers called Meridian Divers, all of whom are PADI trained, have been working on the Nautical Archaeology Society’s (N.A.S) Adopt a Wreck project for the past 4 years. The wreck that has been the focus of their attention is the T.R.Thompson sunk in 1918 about 10 miles off Brighton, with the loss of 33 of its 36 man crew, the youngest believed to be 15 years old.

Through their research and communication of the project, Tad and the group have been able to trace a family member of one of the crew. The lucky break came as a result of BBC coverage of the 90th anniversary of the sinking of the T.R. Thompson.

Tad explains, “We contacted the BBC and asked if they would be interested in running a piece on the anniversary of the sinking to raise the profile of the wreck, and other wrecks off the Sussex coast to help us tell their story. Very few people other than divers and perhaps fisherman know they are there. Also we hoped that by publicising the project we may be contacted by someone who had a relative who had been a crew member, or involved in the ship in some way.”

As a result, 5 divers from Meridian Divers were accompanied by a BBC team to dive and film the wreck which lies in 34m of water. Film footage and news of the wreck was aired on BBC South East Today and also in BBC Look North lunchtime and evening slots.

Following the news reports the BBC were contacted by a viewer who believed that his grandfather’s nephew had died on the Thompson. This information was passed to the group and Tad contacted the gentleman who confirmed that his relative had been a crew member and had died aged 17 when the ship went down.

Tad concluded, “The coverage from the BBC has been extremely helpful in putting the project on the map and telling the story of the wreck to a wider audience.”

To view the T R Thompson blog http://www.trthompson.blogspot.com/.

To learn more about the Respect our Wrecks awareness campaign visit http://www.projectaware.org/uk/english/row.asp.