More information : Wreck site and archaeological remains:
Vertical Datum: LAT (1)
02-MAR-1961: Wreck in depth 53ft. (1)
24-APR-1961: Depth 50 in general depth 78 - 80ft, scour depth 86ft. A second, small wreck, clear at 45ft, was found approximately 600ft east of main wreck. (1)
26-AUG-1963: Contract placed to disperse wreck to least depth 55ft. (1)
13-SEP-1963: Dispersal operations in hand. (1)
25-OCT-1977: in 51 02 55N, 001 19 05E. Depth 16.3 in general depth 25m, scour depth 26m. Height 4.3m, length 84m, lies 345/165 deg. (1)
11-OCT-1978: Depth 15.8 in general depth 24m, scour 1m deep, height 8.82m length 85m, beam 13m lies 172/352 deg with bow north. Charted as wreck 15.2m. (1)
09-AUG-1983: positively identified as the LUSITANIA from maker's plate. Lies upright with much of the superstructure and decks collapsed. (1)
25-SEP-1986: This wreck thought to be Hapag-Lloyd SS PATRIA, plate recovered. (1)
'Wreck lies in a general depth of 24m.' (4)
A brass light mounting recovered from this site, position 51 02.55N 001 19.05E. (Droit A/768) (9)
Part of a plate recovered from this wreck off Folkestone. (Droit A/2031) (9)
A stand recovered from this wreck, position 51 02.55N 001 19.05E. (Droit A/2037) (9)
A deck key recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/2326) (9)
An inkwell recovered from the wreck of the LUSITANIA, in 51 02.919N, 001 19.080E. (Droit 238/01) (11)
1 x brass door handle backplate (flower patal design); 10 x mother of pearl button tops; 4 x mother of pearl buttons; 1 x multi faceted glass bottle stopper; 1 x small brass spirit level; 1 x brass eye piece tube; 1 x small brass eye piece tube; 1 x cufflink. These objects were all recovered from the wreck of the LUSITANIA (SS), approximatley 1.5 miles out of Dover Western Dock entrance. (Droit 290/01) (11)
A glass lens with a diameter of 8cm, an 8cm tall brass winch oiler, two brass coat buttons with a shipping line crest, three coins (possibly old English pennies) and a piece of broken plate with the 'John Hall Junior' shipping crest, recovered from the wreck of the LUSITANIA in 51 02N, 001 19E. (Droit 288/02) (14)
Three Gilt dress uniform buttons, four assorted coins, a toothpaste-style ceramic pot without a lid, and a beer barrel bung, recovered from the wreck of the LUSITANIA off Dover, Kent. (Droit 132/03) (15)
3 small white buttons and a coin, in poor condition and unrecognisable, recovered from the midships area of the LUSITANIA, off Folkestone. (Droit 031/04) (10)
A Royal Marines infantry uniform button, and a mother-of-pearl shirt button, recovered from the LUSITANIA, in position 51 02.93N 001 19.97E. (Droit 226/04) (10)
02-AUG-1986: Examined in 510257N, 011859E [WGD] using DGPS. The wreck swept clear at 16.8m and foul at 17.0m. The least echosounder depth was 17.8m in a general depth of 23.8m. No socur. Side scan sonar height 6m. Length 75m. Width 15m. The wreck is orientated 000/180 degrees. One distinct piece. Partially buried. The least echosounder depth was not obtained. (12)(13)
Charted by the UKHO as LUSITANIA in 51 02.950N, 001 18.983E (WGS84). (12)(13)
Wreck event and documentary evidence:
A British cargo vessel, frequently used as a collier, which hit a mine laid by UC-5 on 17-NOV-1915 and foundered. At the time she carried Government stores and general cargo from London to Lisbon. She lies at 51 02.55N, 01 19.05E and her superstructure and decks have collapsed inwards. Her bow points to the north. Divers recovered her maker's plate. She lies very close to a small and as yet unidentified wreck. (2)
Struck a mine laid by the German submarine UC-5 and sank off Folkestone. (3)
'Struck a mine at 0.45pm, laid by the German submarine UC-5, and sank off Folkestone five minutes later. The LUSITANIA saw the hospital ship ANGLIA in difficulties and sinking some three miles distant and went to her assistance. She lowered two of her boats, which found a great many people floating in the water, many of them injured troops lying in cots. Whilst picking up survivors she hit a mine and went down just after the ANGLIA sank. One crewman was picked up by the tug UNDAUNTED, the remainder by HMS HAZARD and landed at Dover.' (4)
The ANGLIA disaster occurred about 12.30pm and was seen by the collier LUSITANIA, 1834 tons, London to Lisbon, which steamed to the former's assistance, and lowered two boats. These boats had scarcely left the side when the LUSITANIA herself struck a mine and began to sink; her boats therefore returned and took off the remainder of her company without loss of life. (5)
Struck a mine and sunk in the Straits of Dover 1 mile E of Folkestone Gate, laid by the German submarine UC-5, whilst on a voyage from London to Cadiz with a general cargo. (6)
Sunk by mine a mile E of Folkestone Gate. (7)
Mined a mile east of Folkestone, en route London for Cadiz with general. (8)
Built: 1903 (3)(4)
Builder: Blyth SB Co Ltd. (3)(4)
Machinery: N E Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. Sunderland (3)
HP: 209 (3)(4)
Propulsion: Screw driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion engine (3)(4)
Boilers: 2 (3)(4)
Construction: 2 decks; poop deck 18 feet; bridge deck 64 feet; forecastle 28 feet (3)(4)
Master: J R Rees (3)(4)
Crew: 13 (4)
Crew Lost: 7 (4)
Owner: J Hall (Jnr) and Co. (3)(4)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
LR.1914-15 No.1060(L); PRO Kew Adm 137/3290 |