| More information : Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains:
Horizontal Datum: OGB
Vertical Datum: LAT (1)
22-AUG-1939: 26 fathoms, wreck in position 50 12 24N 003 32 09W. (1)(13)
24-APR-1951: Depth over wreck 21 fathoms, height above seabed 70 feet. (1)(13)
04-MAR-1954: Dived on and proved to be the MEDINA, a merchant vessel of about 6000 tons, lies 350 yards eastwards. (1)(13)
22-JUN-1954: Position 50 12 27N 003 32 06W or 102 degrees 4.2 miles from Start Point, apparently intact except stern. (1)(13)
23-DEC-1971: Salvage contract held by Risdon Beazley Ulrich Harms. (1)(13)
20-JUL-1973: Salvage operations until NOV-1973. (1)(13)
11-JUN-1975: Salvage operations recommenced. (1)(13)
04-AUG-1975: Salvage operations suspended. (1)(13)
10-JUN-1982: Salvage work to commence 13-JUN-1982. (1)(13)
08-NOV-1982: Still fairly intact and standing high, sunk by the stern into seabed. Much scrap lying either side of wreck, resulting from previous salvage work. Metal of hull now getting very thin. (1)(13)
16-FEB-1983: Wreck shown in 50 12 22N 003 32 04W. (Kingfisher chart K(SW)3, 1982) (1)(13)
27-APR-1983: Examined in 50 12 25N 003 32 11W. Least depth 42m in a general depth of 60m. Scour 1m deep, height 21m, lies 010/190 degrees. (1)(13)
12-DEC-1984: Dived on in Nov to Dec 1984. (13)
10-NOV-1986: Dived on in Nov. 1986. (13)
03-FEB-1987: Dived on in Jan/Feb 1987. (13)
04-SEP-1998: Massive wreck salvaged for its copper ingot cargo, but still reasonably intact. The stern has suffered most damage. The deck lies in 39m, in a general depth of 60m. (Diver Magazine, Sept. 1998). (13)
25-NOV-1999: Upright, with a 15 degree list to port. Stern most damaged and sinking into the mud of the seabed. Bulkheads collapsing, and compartments folding down. (Diver Magazine, Dec. 1999). (13)
Two plates with a P and O crest have been recovered from this vessel, position 50 12.25N 003 32.11W. (Droit A/359) (3)
A porthole drip tray recovered from this wreck, position 50 12.25N, 003 32.11W. (Droit A/652) (3)
A porthole and three cups reported from this wreck off Start Point. (Droit A/820) (3)
A telegraph and a chronometer recovered from this wreck 3 miles east of Start Point. (Droit A/1177) (3)
A porthole and 2 lamps recovered from this wreck, position 50 12.25N 003 32.11W. (Droit A/1407) (3)
4 bowls, 3 plates, and a light fitting recovered from this wreck, position 50 12.37N 003 32.17W. (Droit A/1891) (3)
A porthole and a bench end recovered from this wreck, 6 miles west of Start Point. (Droit A/2378) (3)
6 plates, 6 bowls and a coathook recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/2466) (3)
A coat hook and an item, possibly a bottle opener, recovered from this wreck, 4 miles off Start Point. (Droit A/2518) (3)
A porthole recovered from this wreck off Start Point. (Droit A/2577) (3)
A porthole recovered from this wreck off Start Point. (Droit A/2846) (3)
A porthole, 5 bowls, a plate, a saucer, a spoon, an inkwell, 2 jars and a shell case recovered from this wreck, position 50 13.30N 003 32.30W. (Droit A/2864) (3)
A white ceramic tea cup with P & O motif, recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/3190) (3)
A porthole recovered from this wreck, position 50 12.25N 003 32.11W. (Droit A/3610) (3)
6 white plates with "P&O" on the side recovered from this wreck, south of Dartmouth. (Droit A/4103) (3)
2 spoons, a fork, a pair of nutcrackers, and a chamber pot with the P&O logo recovered from this wreck, out of Salcombe. (Droit A/4127) (3)(4)
2 portholes recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/4190) (3)
A large porthole recovered from this wreck, 5 miles south of Dartmouth, in 56m depth. (Droit A/4319) (3)
Numerous items including tableware, fittings, personal items, baskets, clothes, figures and jars recovered from this wreck, off Start Point. (Droit A/4406) (3)
Glass jars, a wooden pen and ink stand, a badge and a brass bombardier's lapel badge, belt buckles, collar studs, cheap finger rings, fragments of ivory fans, sealing wax, a lady's lace shawl, fragments of men's ties, various parts of golf clubs, and tableware, recovered from this wreck, Start Point. (Droit A/4507) (3)
A brass pot with six lips, and no markings, recovered fromthe wreck of the MEDINA in 50 12 25N, 003 32 11W. (Droit 058/01) (15)
A square brass porthole, recovered from the wreck of the MEDINA in 50 12 25N, 003 32 11W. (Droit 346/01) (15)
A paperweight marked 'Automobile Club of Western Australia', recovered from the wreck of the MEDINA. (Droit 008/02) (16)
6 EPNS dessert spoons and 6 EPNS forks recovered from the MEDINA near Salcombe. (Droit 119/04) (5)
A porthole outer ring lacking an inner ring and glass, 24" in diameter, recovered from the MEDINA in position 50 13.30N 003 32.30W. (Droit 056/05) (10)
A side plate and a cracked cup, both with the P&O mark, and a small glass bottle, recovered from the MEDINA, in position 50 12.42N 003 32.18W. (Droit 050/06) (11)
A serving spoon; a nutcracker; 4 forks; 2 dessert spoons; a teaspoon; and a fish knife, recovered from the MEDINA. (Droit 155/08) (12)
A statue of a lady holding the Medina in her arms, by F Lynn Jenkins, dated 1911, in left hand side front of base, 34.5" high, hole in top of head (possibly for a mount), recovered from the MEDINA. (Droit 463/09) (14)
Wreck Event and Documentary Evidence:
Torpedoed and sunk by German submarine, while en route India to London, via Plymouth. (This vessel was used as the Royal Yacht during the world tour of 1912). (1)
Built for 400 first class passengers, 220 second class, costing £332,377. She was fitted out as a Royal Yacht for the 1911 Delhi Durbar which was the traditional gathering of Indian Princes paying tribute to King George V and Queen Mary. In the spring of 1917, she headed home carrying Lord Carmichael, who had just given up the post as Governor of Bengal, and Lady Carmichael. They transferred to HMS SHEFFIELD, in Port Said taking only hand luggage. The MEDINA, after calling in at Plymouth, was torpedoed by UB-31, six crew members being lost in the explosion. Her cargo of tin, Indian brasses and Australian meat was salvaged in 1932. In 1984 Lord Carmichael's baggage was recovered by Consortium Recovery Ltd. and auctioned. (2)
Described as a liner, having just left Plymouth for London on the last leg of her voyage. She was torpedoed in her starboard engineroom the same evening, which caused the engines to stop and the vessel to start sinking. Mr Palmer, the 4th Engineer, and five native firemen were killed in the explosion in the engineroom, but the remainder of the passengers and crew got into the boats and left the vessel before she sank 45 minutes later. The boats were then escorted to Dartmouth and Brixham. (6)
Torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 3 miles ENE of Start Point, position 50 15N 003 30W, by the German submarine UB 31, en route from Sydney, New South Wales, and Indian ports to London, via Plymouth carrying passengers and general cargo. 6 lives lost. (7)
Torpedoed without warning 3 miles ENE of Start Point, with the loss of 6 lives. (8)
Voyage given as Sydney and Plymouth for London, with passengers and general cargo. (9)
Built: 1911 (2)(6)(7)
Builder: Caird and Co. Ltd. (2)(6)
Where Built: Greenock (2)
Propulsion: 2 screw drivne, 8 cylinder quadruple engines (2)
HP: 1164 (2)(6)
Master: H S Bradshaw (6); Notley (2)
Crew: 358 (2)
Crew Lost: 6 (2)(6)(7)
Passengers: 53 (2)
Owner: Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. (3)(6)(7)(11)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources:
Sotheby's Sale Catalogue 26-May-1988
Daily Telegraph 27-May-1988
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