5 Aug 2006 - HMS Pathfinder Dived!
On 5th August Stevie and Warren joined an expedition to locate and dive HMS Pathfinder off St Abbs Head, Berwickshire.HMS Pathfinder was the first Warship to be sunk by a torpedo from a Submarine, she was sunk by U21 while patrolling off the mouth of the Forth in the first weeks of the First World War.
She was found heavily damaged but fairly intact in 67metres of water 16miles from Eyemouth.
We dived with a group of Mixed gas Divers from Edinburgh and the North East of England. The Skipper of Northstar Iain Easingwood located the wreck and managed to shot it just aft of the Bridge. The ship has been broken in half by the explosion when the torpedo hit the magazine. and foward of the Bridge are is just scattered and tangled metal covered in nets.
The visibility was easily 10m+ at at depth of 67m and there was enough ambient light to see without your torch. Where we landed was on the Starboard side in between two guns, which were still in place, there were shell cases lying scattered everywhere and a brass telegraph was found on the deck, the props were still in place and clear of the Seabed at 68metres. All too quickly our 20 minute bottom time was up and it was time to ascend and spend the next 50minutes decompressing.
As this was a War Grave no artifacts were removed.and everyone agreed that seeing clothing and shoes still on the wreck was very poignant.
Hopefully we can organise another trip before the winnter to investigate how much wreckage lies on the seabed.
HMS PATHFINDER
On 2nd September 1914, the submarine U-21 was approaching the Firth of Forth on the lookout for Leith-bound merchantmen to sink. Suddenly, a British warship appeared in her periscope. It was the cruiser HMS Pathfinder . One single torpedo from U-21 sufficed. Striking Pathfinder in the area below her magazine, the German torpedo caused a fire which exploded Pathfinder's ammunition supply, sending her swiftly to a watery grave along with her crew of 268, there were only 11 survivors
This was the first U-boat success. Others swiftly followed.
The light cruiser HMS Pathfinder had the unhappy distinction of being the first ship ever to be sunk by a torpedo fired by submarine. (The American Civil War ship USS Housatonic was sunk by a ramming action). She was the lead ship of the Pathfinder class, having a sister ship HMS Patrol.
She was built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, launched on July 16, 1904 and commissioned on July 18, 1905.
Pathfinder was sunk off St. Abbs Head Berwickshire in Scotland on Saturday September 5, 1914 by the German U-21 commanded by Leutnant Otto Hersing
The visibility was easily 10m+ at at depth of 67m and there was enough ambient light to see without your torch. Where we landed was on the Starboard side in between two guns, which were still in place, there were shell cases lying scattered everywhere and a brass telegraph was found on the deck, the props were still in place and clear of the Seabed at 68metres. All too quickly our 20 minute bottom time was up and it was time to ascend and spend the next 50minutes decompressing.
As this was a War Grave no artifacts were removed.and everyone agreed that seeing clothing and shoes still on the wreck was very poignant.
Hopefully we can organise another trip before the winnter to investigate how much wreckage lies on the seabed.
HMS PATHFINDER
On 2nd September 1914, the submarine U-21 was approaching the Firth of Forth on the lookout for Leith-bound merchantmen to sink. Suddenly, a British warship appeared in her periscope. It was the cruiser HMS Pathfinder . One single torpedo from U-21 sufficed. Striking Pathfinder in the area below her magazine, the German torpedo caused a fire which exploded Pathfinder's ammunition supply, sending her swiftly to a watery grave along with her crew of 268, there were only 11 survivors
This was the first U-boat success. Others swiftly followed.
The light cruiser HMS Pathfinder had the unhappy distinction of being the first ship ever to be sunk by a torpedo fired by submarine. (The American Civil War ship USS Housatonic was sunk by a ramming action). She was the lead ship of the Pathfinder class, having a sister ship HMS Patrol.
She was built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, launched on July 16, 1904 and commissioned on July 18, 1905.
Pathfinder was sunk off St. Abbs Head Berwickshire in Scotland on Saturday September 5, 1914 by the German U-21 commanded by Leutnant Otto Hersing