Ministry Of Defence Protects Military Shipwrecks As Final Resting Places

PADI and Project AWARE, as consultees in the designation process, welcome the recent announcement from the Ministry of Defence in the UK that the final resting places of more than 750 people who lost their lives at sea will be protected by the Ministry of Defence. Diving will continue to be allowed but on a “Look, Don’t Touch” basis, in line with the Respect Our Wrecks philosophy.

The MOD has extended additional legal protection to ten shipwrecks under the Protection of Military Remains Act (PMRA). Military aircraft remains are automatically designated under the Act, as protected places; wrecked ships on the other hand need to be individually designated as either controlled sites or protected places.

The latest list of shipwrecks to be protected by the Act include the ATLANTIC CONVEYOR, lost during the Falklands campaign of 1982, HMS CURACAO, where 338 men perished in the Atlantic in 1942, and the merchant ship SS STORAA, where 21 crew members lost their lives after enemy action off the coast of Hastings.

Designation as a protected place allows the site to be visited by divers on a 'look but don't touch or enter' basis. Any physical disturbance of the wreck would require prior licensing by the MoD. The ten new designations will come into effect on 1 May 2008, adding to the existing 48 shipwrecks which are already designated.

Protected Places (English waters)

HMS DELIGHT
Location: Off Portland
World War II

The destroyer HMS DELIGHT was sunk by enemy air attack on 29 July 1940, with the loss of 19 lives. She is thought to be the first RN ship lost to aircraft in WWII.

HMS GHURKA
Location: Off Dungeness
World War I

On 8 February 1917 the destroyer HMS GHURKA struck a mine and sank. Only five men were rescued; 75 lost their lives.

HMS L24
Location: Off Portland
1924

The submarine L24 was reported missing on 10th January 1924, while participating in a training exercise. It is believed that, having carried out a mock attack on another ship, she was surfacing when she collided with the battleship HMS RESOLUTION. The submarine was lost together with her complement of 36 men.

HMS LOYALTY
Location: Off Nab Light
World War II

This Algerine-Class minesweeper was torpedoed and sunk by U-480 on 22 Aug 1944, with the loss of 20 of her crew. There were 30 survivors. She had previously participated in the Normandy landings.

HMS PENYLAN
Location: English Channel
World War II

On 3 Dec 1942 the destroyer HMS PENYLAN was torpedoed by the E-boat S115, while escorting the coastal convoy PW257. Although five officers and 112 ratings were rescued, 38 of her crew perished.

SS STORAA
Location: Off Hastings
World War II

The DEMS (defensively armed merchant ship) vessel SS STORAA was sunk by E-boat attack while in convoy under RN escort off Hastings on 3 Nov 1943. 21 of her crew lost their lives.

Protected Places (Scottish waters)

U-714
Location: near Firth of Forth
World War II

The German U-boat U-714 was sunk on 14 March 1945 by depth charges launched from the South African frigate HMSAS Natal. She had a complement of 50 men and was lost with all hands.

Protected Places (International waters)

HMS AMPHION
Location: North Sea
World War I

Sunk on 6 August 1914, HMS AMPHION was the first British warship lost in WWI. After sinking the German minelayer Koningin Luise, AMPHION struck one of the mines that the German ship had previously laid. Included in the death toll of 169 men were 18 German sailors rescued from the Koningin Luise.

HMS CURACAO
Location: Atlantic
World War II

HMS CURACAO was escorting the Cunard Liner QUEEN MARY, which was carrying 15000 US troops en route to the United Kingdom. On 2 Oct 1942 while performing an ASW manoeuvre the two ships collided and the much smaller CURACAO was sliced in half. 338 men perished.

ATLANTIC CONVEYOR
Location: South Atlantic
Falklands Conflict

The only merchant vessel lost during the Falklands War was the Cunard roll-on/roll-off container ship ATLANTIC CONVEYOR, which had been taken up from trade and converted to serve as an aircraft transport. On 25 May 1982 ATLANTIC CONVEYOR was with the task group east of the Falklands when the group was attacked by Argentine Super Etendard aircraft carrying Exocet missiles. An Exocet hit ATLANTIC CONVEYOR on her port quarter, starting huge fires. Twelve men were lost and the ship abandoned; she later sank while under tow.