was at Dunkirk. Mined, damaged in the North Sea 5144N 107E / 51.733N 1.117E / 51.733; 1.117 beached Brightlingsea. A Second World War Hurricane fighter plane could be rebuilt after being unearthed almost 80 years since crashing near the Thames Estuary. Naval trawler. MS policemen directing crowds of people along street. The boom defence vessel. 52, Nov 30 1940,HMTCHESTNUT,Tree-class trawler. 15 crew lost. 6 crew lost. 5 crew lost. 119, Dec 26 1940,MAC 5,Minesweeper Attendant Craft. 2 crew lost. This means there is a no-entry exclusion zone around the wreck clearly marked by buoys. Mined, sunk, North Sea. A halt took place for many minutes (in consequence of an accident) precisely on the summit of the hill at Bemerside, where a beautiful prospect opens, to contemplate which, Sir Walter was ever wont to rein up his horse. Bombed, damaged,North Foreland. This list may not reflect recent changes. 14, July 24 1940,HMTFLEMING. Mined and sank in the Thames Estuary. 4 of her crew lost. German)Type 1939/40 Schnellboot. Tory frontbencher Baroness Barran said most of the explosives still aboard the sunken vessel were TNT, which "is likely to be inert because of the fuses having degraded over time". SS Richard Montgomery was an American Liberty cargo ship built during World War II.She was named after Richard Montgomery, an Irish officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War.. The Thames Estuary is a challenging environment for divers and for the wreck itself, which is also under threat from natural forces: the sediment mobility in the area and the effects of climate change, in which warm-water organisms have migrated northward with the potential to impact on wooden wrecks such as the London, leading to a noticeable . The "Gresham Ship": an interim report on a 16th-century wreck from Princes Channel, Thames Estuary. Naval tug. Mined, sunk, Thames Estuary. 25, Sep 24 1940,HMTLOCH INVER,Minesweeper,Mined, sank off Harwich, Essex. Mined, sank off Isle of Sheppey. The controversial US oil plan explained, Isabel Oakeshott terminates interview over Hancock leak clash, Trio of Americans who tried to smuggle drugs through Heathrow jailed, Need to frighten the pants off public with new Covid strain, said Hancock, Sunak and Hancock complained of nightmare Dominic Cummings. Sunk by Kriegsmarine surface ships in the Dover Strait. Read about our approach to external linking. Like something out of a modern day disaster movie, things then took an even more . Minesweeper. The helmsman was killed. What science tells us about the afterlife. The wreck lies 1.2 miles off Thorpe Bay. More recently, surveys have been undertaken on behalf of the MCA by contractors working under MoD supervision. Red wreck symbols = Royal navy ships sunk. Torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Harwich by E-boats. Minesweeper. It probably had three masts and was carrying a large cargo . Numbers on the wreck symbols correspond to the numbers next to the vessels listed below. 107, Sep 25 1943,HMTDONNA NOOK,Naval trawler. 46, Nov 18 1940,HMTGO AHEAD,Naval Trawler. 38, Oct 22 1940,JOSEPH BUTTON (Harwich)Minesweeper. | Privacy 42, Nov 8 1940,HMSMURIA,Tug. Aerial view of Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf on the River Thames, Central London. This rare well preserved partially intact wooden sailing ship remains an unexplained mystery. FY1819)Minesweeper. Divers were again employed on site during the 2003 survey to undertake ultrasonic hull thickness analysis, and to provide an up-to-date assessment of the level of seabed support of the wreck and of the main crack at No 2 hold. 3 crew lost. 34 crew lost. Mined, damaged in the North Sea 5144N 107E / 51.733N 1.117E / 51.733; 1.117 beached Brightlingsea. The wreck provides archaeological evidence of the documented practice of 'furring' (rebuilding a ship to increase its . (This will almost certainly be higher as research continues) 129 of these were Royal Navy vessels,172were Merchant Navy ships,plus there were five enemyMotor Torpedo boats (Schnellboot) and Seehund midget submarines. Mined , sunk, Thames Estuary. Bombed and sunk in the North Sea off North Foreland, Kent. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? Shelled and sunk in the North Sea by Kriegsmarine Schnellboots. Torpedoed and sunk by midget submarineoff Ramsgate. Today, the wreck continues to rest on the sandbank, just 2.5km from shore in the mouth of the busy Thames estuary. 3 crew lost. Read our, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. At 5.30 pm Gotha bombers arrived off Southend from their base at Gontrode, Belgium, with the Thames an easy flight path to follow right to the heart of the capital, where they intended to discharge their bombs. Read about our approach to external linking. Plus what's on near where you live - and local homes for sale. Mined, sunk Thames Estuary east of Bradwell-on-Sea. News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. Sir J Lawson hath a great loss in this, of so many good chosen men, and many relations among them.". 70, March 14 1941,HMTJEANNIE LEASK,Naval trawler. 10 crew lost. Mine and sank in the North Sea off Aldeburgh, Suffolk. Torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex by S-86. Travelled back to Harwich stern first. 6 crew lost. FY3304,Naval trawler. Landing Ship Tank. Mined, sunk off Margate 5133N 110E / 51.550N 1.167E / 51.550; 1.167. 57,Dec 21 1940,HMSSUN IX,Naval tug. "I suppose the masts may be at risk of falling down onto the cargo and causing an explosion. The collided with Florizell in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex and was damaged. Bombed, sunk, East Oaze Buoy in the Thames Estuary. The wreck, which is on Historic England's At Risk Register, was covered by mud until the development of the Thames Gateway port which meant bigger ships sailing on the estuary. 81, July 30 1941,WHITESHED,Destroyer. Shoes were discovered on the wreck of The London - a 76-gun second-rate ship that was launched in June 1656. Then bombed. Navel Trawler. "Just a couple of weeks ago I spotted a complete leather shoe. Torpedoed sunk off the Tongue Lightship. Hampshire. Sheerness balloon barge-towing tug. Motor torpedo boat. Subscribe now for weekly updates of local news and sport from your town. Find the perfect helicopter pics stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Mined, sunk, Thames Estuary off Essex. Mined taken under tow sank off Harwich, Essex 5157N 127E / 51.950N 1.450E / 51.950; 1.450. 16, July 28 1940,HMTSTAUNTON,Minesweeper. Navel trawler. Tightly packed cargo of Cornish roofing slate in the hold of the mystery wreck. The wreck, which is on Historic England's At Risk Register, was covered by mud until the development of the Thames Gateway port which meant bigger ships sailing on the estuary. For decades the three masts of the SS Richard Montgomery have protruded above the water in the Thames Estuary - a constant reminder of the vessel and its potentially explosive payload. Mined and sank in North Sea. 11 crew lost. "My officials are working closely with their counterparts in the Ministry of Defence to address and mitigate as much of the risk as possible. Off Kentish Knock Lightship 514805N 14400E / 51.80139N 1.73333E / 51.80139; 1.73333. By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. It was probably constructed, and lost at sea, sometime between the mid-19th to early 20th century. Paddle steamer. Torpedoed and sunk, in the Thames Estuary. Torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex by S-86. There were no sailing charts as we would use today, and a great reliance on local pilots or the crew's own knowledge. 68, Feb 14 1941,MTB 41, Motor torpedo boat. Boom Defence Vessel. Landing Ship, Tank, Mk.2. The 'Doomsday wreck' packed with 1,400 tonnes of explosives that could create a tsunami in the Thames Estuary There have been a number of collision near misses with the sunken vessel despite the masts of the Liberty Ship displaying danger signs above water and an exclusion zone set up to prevent anyone going within a 500 metre radius. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. 2023 BBC. 113, May 20 1944,HMSMMS 227,Minesweeper. Bombed, sank, The Downs 511957N 13303E / 51.33250N 1.55083E / 51.33250; 1.55083. Mined, sank. Minesweeper. Do you know this baby? 129, April 7 1945,HMMTB5001,Fairmile D (modified) motor torpedo boat. All crew lost. Hunt-class minesweeper. Mined, sunk, off Deal, Kent 511545N 12500E / 51.26250N 1.41667E / 51.26250; 1.41667. All Rights Reserved. Mined, severely damagedNE of Sheerness. 104, Aug 5 1943,HMTRed Gauntlet. All crew saved. Sunk in a collision in the North Sea when in action with E-boats. 126, March 26 1945,HMSPuffinKingfisher-classsloop. This survey policy was followed until 2000, and provided images and information on the condition of the wreck and its environment. 2 crew lost. Was rammed and sunk in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex by HMTStella Rigelwhile engaging E-boats. Rammed and sunk in the North Sea by SchnellbootS 176. Minesweeper. Navel trawlerharbour defence. The mast removal will be led by the Ministry of Defence with their experts present during the works. Mined, sunk, N of Herne Bay. Minesweeper. Mined, damaged in the Orwell Estuary off Harwich, Essex 515606N 12102E / 51.93500N 1.35056E / 51.93500; 1.35056 sunk under tow. 3 crew lost. 8, Jan19 1940,HMSGRENVILLE,Destroyer, based at Harwich. The problem is that the wreck holds 1,400 tonnes of explosives - which could detonate. Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War is a Heritage Lottery Funded (HLF) four year (2014-2018) project devised and delivered by the Maritime Archaeology Trust to coincide with the centenary of the Great War. Surveys are carried out by the MCA on a regular basis to ensure that any changes to the wreck, or its immediate environment, are discovered quickly. Mined and sank in the North Sea off Orfordness, Suffolk. Algerine-class minesweeper. Rammed and sank a German Seehund midget submarine. Mined and sank in the Thames Estuary. Mined, sunk, Thames Estuary. Finds from the various ships included cups, plates, well preserved leather shoes, bricks, the rare steel sailing mast of the Dovenby and a deck beam from the Aisha. Named after an American independence fighter, the 14,000-tonne ship arrived in the Thames Estuary in August 1944 with a cargo of 6,225 tonnes of high-explosive bombs and was ordered to drop anchor . All 21 crew lost. off Margate, 512630N 12700E / 51.44167N 1.45000E / 51.44167; 1.45000. She was built in 1943 by the St Johns River Shipbuilding Company of Jacksonville. The wreck of a Second World War cargo ship that contains hundreds of tons of explosives will be broken up after decades at the bottom of the Thames. 61, Jan 8 1941,STRATHEARN,Lighthouse tender. Sunk in a storm off Lowestoft. Do Not Approach or Board This Wreck. 60, Jan 6 1941,HMT LION,Sheerness balloon barge-towing tug. The bombs - mainly for aircraft - include dozens of 'high explosive Blockbuster bombs' and around 2,000 cases of cluster bombs, along with hundreds of 'normal bombs' up to a weight of 1,000lbs each. BPB 72'-class motor torpedo boat. Naval Trawler. 110, Nov 9 1943,HMS MTB230,Vosper 72 foot-class Motor Torpedo Boat. The Royal Military College of Science warned in 1970 that if there was an explosion on the wreck, the force would create a 3,000 metre-high column of water and a five metre-high tidal wave would swamp Sheerness and its 11,000 residents before travelling up the Thames. 94, June 16 1942,TRANQUIL,Minesweeper. Mined, sunk east of the Nore Sand Lightship. 117, Nov 10 1944,HMSHYDRA,Algerine-class minesweeper. 77, June 12 1941,HMTSISAPON,Minesweeper. The SS Richard Montgomery's explosive cargo has lain on the bed of the Thames Estuary for 77 years. Mined, sunk Thames Estuary east of Bradwell-on-Sea. It comes after Government officials in the House of Lords debated new ways to ensure the Second World War munitions ship remains safe last year. On 7th March 1665 Samuel Pepys recorded the event in his diary. Made of steel with a concrete base it was decided by the Admiralty to bring the Mulberry Harbour in to the Thames Estuary to investigate the problem. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. The contract to cut the wreck's masts is intended to be awarded in September. CLICK THIS MAP to enlarge it and explore Adam Dant's Map of Shipwrecks in the Thames Estuary, which he calls THE MUSEUM OF THE DEEP. Mined and sank Thames Estuary 514745N 12530E / 51.79583N 1.42500E / 51.79583; 1.42500. AA convoy leader. Mined, sunk off Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex. 23, Aug 7 1940,HMTElizabeth Angela,Minesweeper. Mined and sank in the Thames Estuary. You can opt-out at any time by signing in to your account to manage your preferences. Travelled back to Harwich stern first. 66, Feb 5 1941,TOURMALINE,Harwich A/S trawler. Historic England's maritime archaeologist Hefin Meara said: "Information given to us by Steve Ellis is that the propellers of the big heavy shipping are having an adverse effect. German Schnellboot,sank in the North Seawhilst engaging Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boats. Boom Trawler. The signs state Danger Unexploded Ammunition. 13, June 14 1940,HMT MYRTLE. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. 99, Aug 18 1942,HMSMTB 218,Vosper 70'-class motor torpedo boat. The wreck is designated under section 2 of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, which means that there is a no-entry exclusion zone around the wreck. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Let's not forget HMS Bulwark 99 years ago tomorrow.. A powerful internal explosion ripped HMS Bulwark apart at 07:50 on 26 November 1914 while she was moored at Number 17 buoy in Kethole Reach, west of Sheerness in the estuary of the River Medway. 12 crew lost. 103, Oct 6 1942. Sector developments. A light blue Toyota ended up on the tracks at a level crossing 96, July 9 1942,TUNISIAN,Boom Trawler. Armed Naval trawler. 84, Aug 12 1941,HMTEXPRESS,Auxiliary patrol vessel. off Margate, 512630N 12700E / 51.44167N 1.45000E / 51.44167; 1.45000. 120, Jan 16 1945,HMSLST-415,Landing Ship, Tank, Mk.2. RM BRAK1R - Aerial image of Southend Pier, the longest pleasure pier in the world, and estuary of the River Thames, Southend-on-Sea, Essex. The wooden cargo vessel, known as WA08, in the Thames Estuary in Essex, . It is for this reason that the procurement is being undertaken. She was taken in to Sheerness, Kent. However, on the 20 August 1944, she dragged her anchor in the shallow water and grounded on a sandbank, running east from the Isle of Grain approximately 250 metres north of the Medway Approach Channel. . (Harwich)Minesweeper. The masts are set to be cut from a wartime shipwreck in the Thames Estuary that is packed with 1,400 tonnes of explosives. Fairmile C motor gunboat. The letter from aviation, maritime and security minister Kelly Tolhurst to James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, said: "This forms part of our ongoing strategy to ensure risks posed by the vessel are suitably managed. Ken Rowles, 75, spent five years making a documentary about the Liberty ship and the risk its bombs pose. 48, Nov 22 1940,22 ML 127,Fairmile B motor launch. "I do understand, though, that any work of this nature carries risk. 33, Oct 16 1940,R.N. Mined, sunk, off Deal, Kent 511545N 12500E / 51.26250N 1.41667E / 51.26250; 1.41667. Basins were made into the banks of the Thames at Tilbury, 2.4m deep. All 11 crew lost. was at Dunkirk. Naval trawler. Bombed, sankof Margate. London found near Southend. Was rammed and sunk in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex by HMTStella Rigelwhile engaging E-boats. The retired filmmaker and Swale Borough Councillor said: "There was always the potential danger that interfering could pose. The ship was wrecked on the Nore sandbank in the Thames Estuary, near Sheerness, Kent, England, in August 1944, while carrying a cargo of munitions.About 1,400 tonnes (1,500 short tons) of explosives remaining . 1 dead, 1 badly injured. 21, Aug 12 1940,HMT TAMARISK,Bombed, SunkNorth of Margate. "The lives at stake are not just the people working on it but those living in the area too.". "About 24 and a woman that were in the round house and coach saved; the rest, being 300, with her round house above water. 36, Oct 19 1940,HMTVELIA,Minesweeper. Detonated a mine and sank in the North Sea off the coast of Essex in vicinity of Stad Maastricht. Landing Craft Tank. A. historian says he is a "nervous wreck" about plans to cut off the masts of a sunken WW2 cargo ship laden with explosives jutting out of the River Thames.