In the Centenary year of the Battle of Jutland, marine archaeologists say they’ve discovered the last missing wreck from the 1916 clash between the British and German navies in the North Sea.
The upturned hull of the British cruiser HMS Warrior was found lying at a depth of more than 80 metres.
It was among 30 wrecks investigated during an expedition led by the Danish Sea War Museum in Thybøron and Jutland historian Dr Innes McCartney, from Bournemouth University in the UK.
Dr McCartney is calling for tougher government action to protect sunken Jutland warships from illegal salvage.
The previously undiscovered HMS Warrior represents the ‘final chance to save the last pristine Jutland wreck’, he says.
The cruiser was damaged by German shellfire at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916, with the loss of 71 lives. More than 740 crewmen were transferred to another warship, the seaplane carrier HMS Engadine, which tried to tow Warrior back to Britain.
HMS Warrior sank at an unknown position in the North Sea after the rescue attempt had to be abandoned in bad weather.
100 years on, the Sea War Museum expedition set out to find the wreck, following the towed course. HMS Warrior was discovered in August, 19-27 miles (30-43 kms) from the official positions.
The team carried out a multi beam survey of the wreck and video recordings were made from a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) circling the site.
The top part of a mast is folded under the wreckage, clearly indicating that HMS Warrior hit the seabed upside down when she sank on the morning of 1 June 1916 as the biggest sea battle of the First World War drew to a close.
To watch the wrecksite videos & animation, visit the Sea War Museum Jutland website.
See also The Guardian – former naval chief urges UK Defence Ministry to ‘crack down on illegal metal scavenging.’
Sources: Sea War Museum Jutland, Thybøron, Denmark; Dr Innes McCartney (via Facebook/Twitter)
Images courtesy of © Sea War Museum Jutland/JD-Contractor A/S
Posted by: CN Editorial Team