ALAUNIA

ALAUNIA (Depth 36m bottom 24m top - 16.4 NN/miles East from Newhaven)
This Cunard liner is the largest wreck in Sussex waters it is 13,405 tons. On a good day the visibility can be up to 18m on a good day! She sank after hitting a German mine and sits at a 45 degree angle on her port side sitting 12m from the sand and shingle sea bed. She is 390m long . It is home to shoals of fish and you can dive this one a few times and still not see the whole of this one.

Alaunia: 13.405 ton Cunard Liner.520ft long. Built 1913, Steel Hull.Position: 50 41. 03N 00 27. 17W.Depth:13M - 36 to the Seabed.Sunk: October 19th 1916, Hit a mine on the return trip from New York to London. Two died.

Diving: The biggest wreck on Sussex coast. Lying on port side, bow points to the east, Extensive break up mid sections but still a very impressive site. Highest point from the scours of 3m is charted at 13.1m.

13,405-ton Cunard liner, built 1913. 520ft x 64ft. 1324hp quadruple-expansion engines. Cargo: 8,000 tons general, New York to London. 180 passengers landed at Falmouth. Of 166 crew, two killed. Position: 50 41.05N; 00 27.28E. Depth: 36m.Sunk: 19 October, 1916 by hitting a German mine. Two crew lost.Diving: Lying at 45° on her port side but remarkably intact. First 30m from bow almost perfect, more broken amidships and at stern. Anchor still hanging from chain at bow. Superstructure has slid down decks, wheel house lies 10m to port. Bow is 12m proud.Launch: Eastbourne, Bexhill.

THE ASHFORD

The wind from the west was nearly force 5, and building. It brought the German barque Pirat romping up the Channel with most sails set, homeward bound for Hamburg, writes Kendall McDonald. Coming the other way from Seaham and cutting across the Channel to work along the French coast and then down to St Nazaire was the 1211 ton British steamer Ashford, a collier built in Sunderland in 1881.The collision,15 miles south-west of Beachy Head, was colossal. Only a minute made all the difference between a near miss and the Pirat ploughing into the Ashford's stern near her propeller, on 25 June, 1906. It wasn't a miss; the impact holed her stern, sending seawater flooding into her two aft coal-filled holds.The Pirat drifted clear with buckled bow plates, but was taking in little water and in the end made it safely to Hamburg, where 40 plates needed to be replaced and the bow almost completely rebuilt.The 275ft-long Ashford was less fortunate. Though she was taken in tow by the steam tug Dominion, she was filling rapidly and in two hours, before they reached water shallow enough to beach her, the tow had to be cast off. Captain Tom Smith and his crew were taken off just before she rolled right over and sank. One of the Ashford's crew of 18 was later found to be missing.

Ashford Beer

HMT BALFOUR

HMT Balfour sank following a collision in the English Channel off Sovereign Lightship on 13 May 1918. The Balfour was escorting the steamship Nidd to Dieppe. The Nidd allegedly ran over (collided with) a U-boat, which then surfaced behind the Nidd. The Nidd went full steam ahead and opened up with stern gun. Reportedly hitting the U-boat. The Balfour turned to attack the U-boat and cut across the bow of the Nidd, was accidentally rammed and sank.

T R THOMPSON SS

T.R. THOMPSON (Depth 28m bottom 14m top - 7.2 N/miles South from Newhaven)
The wreck is 3,538 ton Steamer, that was sunk by the 'U' Boat UB-57. She lays with her bow facing East, sitting upright, with her highest point being 14m from the sea bed. She is 109m long with a beam of 14m. Shell cases lie in an overturned box by the 4.7 inch gun mounted on the stern. She was carrying a cargo of 5,600 tons of Iron ore, from Algeria to Middlesbrough when she was torpedoed.

T R Thompson: 5.226 ton 360 ft Armed Merchantman.Position: 50 41 11N; 00 08 24W, Depth, 30mSunk:. Torpedoed by UB 57, master and 32 crew died.

Diving Pointing East, decks have collapsed but the stern still stands 14m, Look for shell cases.

T. R. Thompson Distance from Eastbourne: 12.5 miles
Sunk: 29/03/1918, on passage Benisaf to Middlesbrough, torpedoed by UB-57. Details: Steamship, Armed Merchantman, 110m by 14.4m, 3538 tons.
Depth: 30m

Diving: Pointing East, the sides of the ship have collapsed, weight of the cargo, but the stern still stands 14m. It should be noted that the cargo is Iron Ore, so if you're dive starts centrally on the TR in low viz you may think you're off the wreck, but you're not, you're on top of the cargo.

3538-ton cargo steamer, built 1897. 360ft x 47ft. Armed with 4.7in gun on stern. 301hp triple expansion engines. Cargo: 5600 tons iron ore, Algeria to Middlesbrough. Position: 50 40.17N; 00 05.63E. Depth: 30m.Sunk: 29 March, 1918, by single torpedo from UB-57. Three saved from crew of 36.

Diving: Superstructure collapsed. Highest point stern, stands upright and 14m proud. Big break amidships. Gun fallen into wreckage. Shellcases nearby. Sand encroaching. Bell recovered by Bromley BSAC in 1989.Launch: Newhaven.

3.538 ton cargo steamer, built 1897. 360ftx47ft. Armed with 4.7in gun on stern. 301hp triple expansion engines. 5.600 tons iron ore, Algeria to Middlesbrough. Sunk: 29 March, 1918, by single torpedo from UB-57. Three saved from crew of 36. War records say vessel was probably sunk by gunfire from a german submarine. 13 lives lost.

Nationality:
British
Type of wreck:
Armed merchantship
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
3538 grt
Dimensions (m):
109,7x14,4x7,5
Cause lost:
Torpedo
Date lost:
29/03/1918 [dd/mm/yyyy]

Date built:
1897
Builder:
Short Brothers Ltd.
Owner:
J. Westoll, Sunderland
Engine:
Triple expansion engine
Power:
301 n.h.p.
Speed:
9 knots
Depth (m):
35 max. / 21 min.

Ships Bell

Ships Plans

CITY OF WATERFORD SS

CITY of WATERFORD (Depth 30m bottom 20m top - 9.2 N/miles South from Newhaven)
This is a 1,334 tons British Steamer. She was in a collision with the Marpessa, as she returned from Antwerp. Still sitting 10m proud of the seabed and well intact. The gallery's Blue ceramic tiles and cooking pots can still be seen. She is 83m long with a Beam of 11m.

City of Waterford: 1.334 ton 270ft by 36ft beam. British Steamship.Position: 50 40 30N; 00 06 38W, Depth, 30mSunk:. 14th April 1949 Collision in fog with the 5.500 ton Greek steamer Marpessa.

Diving : Stands upright 10m, 20m down to the deck. Lots to view because she is still intact, the Galley pots and pans, floor ceramic tiles are visible

Nationality:
British
Type of wreck:
Passenger ship
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
1344 grt
Dimensions (m):
82x11x--
Cause lost:
Collision
Date lost:
14/04/1949 [dd/mm/yyyy]
Date built:
1921
Builder:
Caledonian Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd.
Owner:
Clyde Shipping Co. Ltd., Glasgow
Engine:
3 Cyl. Triple expansion engine, 2 biolers.
Power:
196 h.p.
Speed:

Depth (m):
30 max. / 20 min.

LANCER II SS

LANCER II (Depth 21m to bottom - 3.3 N/miles South from Newhaven)
This is the wreck of a Trawler which sank after she was in collision with HM Yacht Vagrant. She rises up 4-7m from the sea bed.


Lancer II was an Admiralty trawler of 275 tons which was heading for Newhaven on 18 July, 1918, when she was rammed by HM Yacht Vagrant off the Brighton Light Vessel. Vagrant took Lancer in tow but she sank soon after at 50 44.17N; 00 01.15E in 21m.


Nationality:
British
Type of wreck:
Armed trawler
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
275 grt
Dimensions (m):

Cause lost:
Collision
Date lost:
18/07/1918 [dd/mm/yyyy]
Date built:
1914
Builder:
Smith´s Dock Co. Ltd., Middlesbrough
Owner:

Engine:

power:

speed:

depth (m):
25 max. / 18 min.

INVERCLYDE SS

INVERCLYDE (Depth 12m to bottom - 4.4 N/miles West from Newhaven)
This Trawler saw service in both World Wars as a minesweeper and patrol ship. She sunk while in tow in October 1942. This is a 215 ton ship with a length of 37m and a beam of 7m. She has a large boiler that sits 3m off the sea bed and make a good shallow dive with plenty of sea life to be seen.

Nationality:
British
Type of wreck:
Merchant ship
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
215
Date lost:
16/11/1942 [dd/mm/yyyy]
Depth (m):
15 max. / 12 min.
Triple expansion engine.

CITY OF BRISBANE SS

CITY of BRISBANE. (Depth 22 bottom 16m top - 3 N/miles South from Newhaven)
It is 135m long with a 17m beam. The steam trawler was a victim of the German Submarine UB57 It torpedoed it in the last few months of the War. This one sits upright on the sea bed 5-6m.

Nationality:
British
Type of wreck:
Armed Merchant Ship
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
7094
Dimensions (m):
137x17x--
Cause lost:
Torpedo
Date lost:
14/08/1918 [dd/mm/yyyy]