MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
News Release (064/2008) issued by The Government News Network on 8
April 2008
The final resting
places of more than 750 people who lost their lives at sea will be
protected by the Ministry of Defence.
The MOD has extended additional legal protection to ten
shipwrecks under the Protection of Military Remains Act (PMRA)
1986 to ensure the sites are safe from disturbance from divers.
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.
Under Secretary of State for Defence, Derek Twigg, said:
"I am pleased to extend protection to these ten vessels.
This will ensure that these shipwrecks cannot be disturbed without
specific permission. I hope this will be of some comfort to the
families of those who lost their lives onboard these ships."
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.
Notes to Editors:
1. Details of the ten wrecks designated under the Protection of
Military Remains Act (PMRA) 1986 are below. PMRA 1986 allows MOD
to protect from unauthorised interference the remains of aircraft
and vessels that were in military service when lost; such remains
may be designated either as controlled sites or protected places.
The former designation is considerably more restrictive than the
latter. 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. Shipwrecks are eligible for designation if
they lie in UK or international waters. In UK waters any military
aircraft or vessel of any nationality may be designated but only
aircraft or vessels belonging to the United Kingdom may be
designated in international waters.
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.