Unfortunately, by the next day, a crack appeared in the hull and the forward end began to flood. 19, Aug 5 1940,HMTRiver Clyde. Then bombed. The 38 Leisure folios offer fantastic detail and are easy to use; being A2 size (594x420mm) you don't have to fold them. Samuel Pepys wrote about the ship in his diary. By clicking the sign-up button you agree to our Privacy Policy. Sunk by Kriegsmarine surface ships in the Dover Strait. Do you know this baby? Mined and sank off Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Warning signs are attacked to the masts of the ships, which can be seen above the water line. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 117, Nov 10 1944,HMSHYDRA,Algerine-class minesweeper. 48, Nov 22 1940,22 ML 127,Fairmile B motor launch. Naval trawler. In August 1944 she was loaded with 6,225 tonnes of high-explosive bombs and detonators and arrived in the Thames estuary. CLICK THIS MAP to enlarge it and explore Cartographer Extraordinaire Adam Dant's Map of Shipwrecks in the Thames Estuary, which he calls THE MUSEUM OF THE DEEP.This vast chart will be displayed in a decorated sea container on Southend seafront along with nautical curiosities and other items of interests selected by Adam from local museums and collections, opening this Saturday September 17th . 80, July 3 1941,HMTROSME,Navel trawler. Fairmile C motor gunboat. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Shipwrecks_of_the_River_Thames&oldid=765346623, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 February 2017, at 22:13. Sunk in a storm off Lowestoft. The salvage by Wessex Archaeology and the Port of London Authority, which regulates the river, was both historical and practical. BPB 60 foot class motor torpedo boat. On arrival in the Thames Estuary, the vessel was directed to anchor in the Great Nore anchorage off Sheerness. Mined, sunk north of Sheerness. Naval Trawler. 12 crew lost. The Department for Transport said in a letter to an Essex MP that the height of the masts, which are visible above the water line, might have to be reduced because they could be "placing undue strain on the rest of the vessel structure". 22nd MTB Flotilla Lowestoft,Motor Torpedo Boat. New powers to tackle small boats set to be announced next week, Elizabeth Hurley remembers cricketer Shane Warne on anniversary of his death, AI tools like ChatGPT could play role in government science minister, London buses: Annual journeys drop by 800 million since 2016, 300 new Ulez cameras rolled out but none in rebel boroughs, RAF jets scrambled after sonic boom over Leicestershire, What is the Willow Project? 24, Sep 7 1940,HMTABRONIA,Minesweeper,foundered in the Thames. Sunk in the North Sea in a collision with HMMTB222. She was taken in to Sheerness, Kent. Divers have to descend whilst always connected to the dive boat's anchor line, as the combined lack of visibility and strength of wash from vessels going past makes it very easy to lose the wreck completely. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. The masts are set to be cut from a wartime shipwreck in the Thames Estuary that is packed with 1,400 tonnes of explosives. In the Thames Estuary alonethree hundred andone ships were lost. Bombed and sank Harwich, Essex, at Trinity pier. Foundered in a gale Thames Estuary off Sheerness, Kent. 17, Aug 2 1940,HMTCAPE FINISTERRE,Naval trawler. Local news and What's On from Thurrock. 2, Nov 13 1939,HMS ADVENTURER, Mine laying cruiser, Mined and severely damaged. Known as a Bawley boat, it was also used for shrimping. All Rights Reserved. Construction was completed to full height while they were afloat. View our online Press Pack. Taken in tow by tug FABIA but capsized in position one mile north of Spit Buoy (51.29N 01.3) 1 crew dead 12 injured. Nearby is the wreck of a Tudor barge containing hundreds of yellow Kent bricks. Numbers on the wreck symbols correspond to the numbers next to the vessels listed below. Mined and sank in North Sea. 34, Oct 16 1940,HMSDUNDALK,Minesweeper which rescued troops from Dunkirk. Mined and sank off North Foreland, Kent. Hunt-class minesweeper. There were no sailing charts as we would use today, and a great reliance on local pilots or the crew's own knowledge. The work continued until 25th September by which time about half the cargo had been safely removed, however, the effort had to be stopped when the 'Monty' flooded completely and sank. The American Liberty Ship went aground in the Thames Estuary one mile . All crew lost. 79, July 3 1941,HMTRECEPTIVE,Navel trawler. Mined and sank Thames Estuary 514745N 12530E / 51.79583N 1.42500E / 51.79583; 1.42500. 27, Oct 4 1940,SIRDAR,Tug. motor launch. 44, Nov 14 1940,HMT RISTANGO,Boom Defence Vessel,Fouled boom? Whilet being towed it began to take on water. A Second World War Hurricane fighter plane could be rebuilt after being unearthed almost 80 years since crashing near the Thames Estuary. off Margate, 512630N 12700E / 51.44167N 1.45000E / 51.44167; 1.45000. (Ramsgate). 17 crew lost, 3 wounded. Royal Canadian Navy,Wickes-class destroyer. Mined, sunk , Thames Estuary, near Longsand Head. The Thames Estuary is home to around 767 recorded wrecks: the earliest known are documented from battles recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 893-894 and the figure also includes downed aircraft from the Second World War and wrecks of Thames barges. Fairmile D (modified) motor torpedo boat. Until 1984, surveys were carried out by Ministry of Defence (MoD) salvage divers. "The estimated value is a somewhat fluid figure from 100,000 to 4 million.". The American Liberty Ship SS Richard Montgomery sank in the Thames Estuary in August 1944 carrying 6,000 tonnes of ordnance intended to supply the Allied advance in France after D-Day. 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. Mined and sank in North Sea. Nub News. Mined and sank in the Thames Estuary, 9 crew lost. The contract to cut the wreck's masts is intended to be awarded in September. . All delivered straight to your in-box, every Friday. Was rammed and sunk in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex by HMTStella Rigelwhile engaging E-boats. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, The US munitions ship the SS Richard Montgomery sank in the Thames Estuary during World War II, The ship is still laden with 1,400 tonnes of explosive, The wreck is deteriorating as these sonar images taken in 2015 and 2017 show, When the SS Richard Montgomery sank in 1944 it was carrying 7,000 tonnes of munitions, Sonar photos show how the wreck is lying in the Thames Estuary off the coast of Sheerness, Maintenance was carried out on the wreck earlier this month, A yacht sails past of the masts of the shipwreck SS Richard Montgomery at low tide, Credit: Ricky Wooding/FERRARI PRESS AGENCY, Laser and sonar images survey the wreck. Rammed and sank a German Seehund midget submarine. Mined and sank in the North Sea off Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Intensive efforts began to unload her cargo. Navel trawler. Auxiliary patrol vessel. Mined , sunk, Thames Estuary. Mined, damaged in the North Sea 5144N 107E / 51.733N 1.117E / 51.733; 1.117 beached Brightlingsea. 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 . The collided with Florizell in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex and was damaged. 76, June 5 1941,HMTLAVINIA,Navel trawler. Total loss. 128, April 7 1945,HMMTB494,BPB 72'-class motor torpedo boat. Mined, sunk, N of Herne Bay. Oldest find: HMS London, which sank in 1665, at the bottom of the Thames Estuary, A computer simulation of how the warship HMS London would have looked, SS Letchworth was sunk by the Luftwaffe in 1940, Dive, dive, dive: marine archaeologist Frank Pope led the research during which divers also found the SS Letchworth. Click or tap on the menu item ( ) to bring up a list of towns and villages along the River Thames. 41, Nov 1 1940,HMT TILBURY NESS. Grounded, Thames Estuary. 70, March 14 1941,HMTJEANNIE LEASK,Naval trawler. Minesweeper. 7 of her 13 crew lost. 34 crew lost. The SS Richard Montgomery's explosive cargo has lain on the bed of the Thames Estuary for 77 years. 4, Nov 21 1939.HMSGIPSY, G-class destroyer, Mined and sank in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex. 2 crew lost. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? Mined, sunk, North Sea. The signs state Danger Unexploded Ammunition. Bombed, sank inthe Swale. Thames Estuary, Essex This well-preserved wreck of a mid- to late-19th century wooden cargo ship (38 metres long and 9 metres wide) was discovered in 2016 during a routine survey by the Port of London Authority. Minesweeper. RF 2EH6H0J - LONDON, UK - July 03, 2013. 91, Jan 9 1942,HMSVIMIERA,V & W-class destroyer. 107, Sep 25 1943,HMTDONNA NOOK,Naval trawler. Thames News' Colin Baker reports at the scene of the Shipreck SS Colin Montgomery. Bombed and sank Harwich, Essex, at Trinity pier. 67, Feb 10 1941,HMT BOY ALAN,Minesweeper. The Motor Attendant Craft. 104, Aug 5 1943,HMTRed Gauntlet. Collision during air raid sank in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex. The wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery has been subject to regular surveys since its grounding, with a variety of methods being used to monitor the site. 2007, Post-Medieval Archaeology. Read our, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. 75, June 5 1941,HMT ASH,Minesweeper. 14, July 24 1940,HMTFLEMING. Mined, sunk off Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex. The vessel grounded amidships on the crest of the sandbank. 3 crew lost. HALF OF THESE WERE SHIPS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. 512050N 05435E / 51.34722N 0.90972E / 51.34722; 0.90972. Naval trawler. 50, Nov 25 1940,HMT KENNYMORE,Navel Trawler. . This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations. 39, Oct 31 1940,MTB 16,BPB 60 foot class motor torpedo boat. The American Liberty Ship SS Richard Montgomery sank in the Thames Estuary in August 1944 carrying 6,000 tonnes of ordnance intended to supply the Allied advance in France after D-Day. Mined, sank. In a letter to Mr Henderson, aviation, maritime and security minister Kelly Tolhurst MP admitted the work "carries risk" and was only being carried out in hope of "minimising the potential effect if the bulkhead were to collapse". If you have any additional information about these ships, crew lists, stories, photographs please contact us. In the early part of WW2 more ships were being sunk in the North Sea than in the Atlantic Ocean . Because of the extremely poor visibility on site, after the 1993 survey it was decided that full advantage should be made of advances in sonar technology in preference to the use of divers. Mined and sunk 5.75 nautical miles bearing 275 of Aldeburgh, Suffolk. 6,Dec 10 1939,HMTRAY OF HOPE,Minesweeper,Mined and sank in the Thames Estuary,9 crew lost. 7, Dec 20 1939,HMSNAPIA,Tug. Mined and severely damaged. Mined, sunk off Whitstable, Kent. MERCHANT SHIPS LOST IN THE THAMES ESTUARY,GO HERE. Mined, sunk, Thames Estuary off Sheerness, Kent. The ship masts are clearly visible above the water during all levels of tide. 45, Nov 15 1940,HMSGUARDSMAN,Tug. Rammed and damaged in the North Sea off the Sunk Lightship by HMML145 and HMML150 and was abandoned. The wreck is protected under Section 2 Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. Navel trawler. 99, Aug 18 1942,HMSMTB 218,Vosper 70'-class motor torpedo boat. Minesweeper. The ship itself has not been identified as yet, but contemporary accounts of wrecks in the Thames Estuary reveal that is was a dangerous stretch of water. Mined, sunk, Thames Estuary. 98, Aug 7 1942,HMSMTB 44,White 73'-class motor torpedo boat,Sunk by Kriegsmarine surface vessels off Dover. 30 of her 146 crew were lost. The salvage effort had to be abandoned when the vessel finally flooded completely. Mine and sank in Dover Strait. 94, June 16 1942,TRANQUIL,Minesweeper. "The Department is seeking to manage the risk by reducing the height and weight of the masts, minimising the potential effect if the bulkhead were to collapse in the future. Bombed, sank Thames Estuary off Essex. Mined, sunk, River Medway. 6 crew lost. 4 crew lost. MS policemen directing crowds of people along street. 3 crew lost. 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. T. he largest-ever post-war salvage operation on the Thames has discovered seven shipwrecks up to 350 years old. Check benefits and financial support you can get, Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, The SS Richard Montgomery: Information and survey reports, nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3. But 1,400 tonnes of explosives still remain on the wreck and an exclusion zone in place around it after experts warned that if the wreck exploded it would cause a tsunami which would threaten people in the nearby port of Sheerness, Kent as well as Southend in Essex. They include a warship that was blown up in 1665, a yacht converted . 18, Aug 4 1940,HMTDRUMMER,Naval AP Trawler. Estuary Edges seeks to promote reedbeds and saltmarshes as natural flood defences to replace lost intertidal habitat . ", She added: "I hope this reassures you that we continue to take the safety of your constituents with the utmost seriousness and that the management of the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery remains of great importance to this Government.". Puffin was severely damaged taken in to Harwich, Essex. Putting names to archive photos, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, In photos: India's disappearing single-screen cinemas. Zoom to a particular location in the bottom right corner ( ) and scroll north, south, east or west as you would with any other Google map. Collision, sunk Thames Estuary. Motor torpedo boat. Medway Ports is also contracted to provide and maintain a circle of buoys around the wreck to ensure that shipping avoids the area. was Tilbury Docks using cement from West Thurrock. Do Not Approach or Board This Wreck. Mined and sank off Felixtowe. All 29 crew lost.