More information : Horizontal Datum: OGB
Vertical Datum: LAT
(1)
Built: 1904
Launched: January 1905.(1)
Builder: W & D Henderson & Co. of Glasgow.(1)
Job No: 440 (12)
Official No: 120821.(12)
Previous owner: Sierra Shipping Co, Liverpool(6)(7)
Owner: Atlantic Transport Co, 38, Leadenhall St, London.(3)(10)
Renamed: 1913
Builder: D and W Henderson and Co Ltd, Glasgow
Propulsion: Screw, 3 cylinder, triple expansion
HP: 461
Boilers: 3
Crew: 43.(10)
Armament: 1 x 4.7ins
Current Owner: Torbay BSAC.(2)(7)(9)
(2)
Captain William Johnston.(6)(7)(9)
Gunners: Ian Ramsey, William Mackintosh.(9)
Left London at 21.03 and was torpedoed on her port side in No 2 hold when south of Bolt Tail, believed to be by UC-17, Oberleutnant Ralph Wenninger A distress call was sent out and an attempt to beach the vessel made but at 8.45am with engine and boiler rooms floooded she was abandoned. Assistance came at 9.30am and she was taken in tow but she sank at 1.15pm.(2)
Torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel, 11 miles SE by E from Start Point by UC 17 while on a voyage from London to Philadelphia.(3)
For a while the Maine's two masts were clear, which later collapsed and she was swept in 1920 She was first dived on in 1961 by Torbay BSAC who bought her for £100 and later salvaged her bronze propellor and sold it for £840. The gun was later salvaged from her stern and the spare iron propellor which is reportedly on display at the Victoria Sopping Centre, Paignton. She lies 15m proud on a shingle seabed in 37m.(6)
In 1987 her bell was recovered, being 2ft high and solid brass, it was presented to Torbay BSAC.(7)
The MAINE, 13 miles south of Berry Head was hit at 8.05am by a torpedo on the port side by number 2 hold, blowing off the hatches, fired by UC-17, Oberleutnant Ralph Wenninger in poor weather. The Captain with engines fully running tried to beach the vessel west of Start Point, but the engine room filled with water and she was forced to stop. At 9.30am torpedo boat No 99 and a patrol boat attached cables and attempted to tow her to Start Point, by noon a tug had also joined. Only the Master, first and second mates, bosun and cook remained onboard. However it was lost cause and eventually they took to the Gig to be rescued by the yatch LORNA while the vessel sank at 12.45pm.(9)
While the ship was proceeding on her course carrying 550 tons of general cargo, an explosion took place on the port side No 2 at hold at 8.35am, 11 miles SSE by E of Start Point..A W/T call was sent out and efforts were made to beach the ship. At about 8.45am the engine room and stoke hold had to be abandoned as they were filling with water. At 9.30am assistance came from patrol and torpedoe boats and at noon she was taken in tow by a tug but at about 1.15pm she sank, 2 miles south of Bolt Head. The crew were taken off by a torpedoe boat.(10)
After she was torpedoed she sent a distress signal and attempted to make for the coast, but eventually water got into the stokehold and the engines stopped. As the lifeboats were lowered atorpedoe boat No 99 approached under the command of Percy Taylor,DSC, of the Royal Naval Reserve.The MAINE was now five miles SSW of Start Point, the torpedoe boat took off most of her crew and took her in tow. Tugs and other boats soon helped out but the internal bulkheads collapsed and she sank at 12.45pm on an even keel two and a half miles off Bolt Head, her masts still showing above the surface..(12)
A "Notice to Mariners No 370, 1917" was issued waring of the wreck.(12)
The wreck was discovered by Torquay BSAC in the summer of 1961 and first seen by Dereck Cockbill, the vessel virtually intact, her superstructure on the bottom from clearence measures taken after the war. A salvage sindicate was formed to raise her bronze propeller which had "Stone's Bronze, London 1904" stamped on it, research revealed its weight to be six and a quarter tons.
She lies upright, her hull plating thin and superstructure strewn about(12)
13-DEC-1917 6 Cables N 85 degrees west off Hamstone Rock position 50 12 52N 003 51 03W also given. Reported lost 11 miles SE by E from Start Point.
08-JAN-1920 1.8 miles 155 degrees from Bolt Tail sweep carried out over wreck and no obstruction of any kind found at 45 feet (Low water spring tide).
24-APR-1951 Position 50 12 45N 003 50 53W wire drag sweep clear 40 feet foul at 42 feet height above seabed 50 feet.
21-MAY-1962 Salvage rights bought by the British Sub Aqua Club.
05-JUN-1967 The hulk of the wreck is now lying in an upright position.
12-JAN-1970 Salvage work is to be carried out during winter months 1969/70 with explosives.
12-DEC-1970 Wreck of the MAINE located stands approximately 28 feet high on the seabed. General depths are 52 feet scour to 4 feet seen.
08-JUN-1978 Hull reported still intact.
22-JUN-1996 Hull still mainly intact but starting to collapse near the boilers. As a result it is no longer possible to swim through parts of the cargo hold.(1)
Number 7 porthole recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/248).(8)
A brass light fitting recovered from this site off Bolt Head. (Droit A/269).(8)
A brass porthole backplate reportedly off this wreck. (Droit A/510).(8)
A fire hose adaptor has been recovered from this wreck off Salcombe. (Droit A/578).(8)
A valve recovered from this wreck, position 50 12.45N 003 50.53W. (Droit A/2876).(8)
A porthole and a wooden hinge bracket and door hinge recovered from either the LIBERTA or the MAINE [but not specified which belongs to which], and 6 shell cases [likely to belong to the MAINE]. (Droit A/3706).(8)
A porthole recovered from this wreck, position 50 12.828N 003 50.959W. (Droit A/4048).(8)
Additional source:
Lloyds Register 1915 -1916 |