More information : Wreck site and archaeological remains:
Method of Fix: EDM
Horizontal Datum: OGB (1)
27-JUN-1979: An armed merchant ship, guns still mounted on the stern, least depth over the wreck 84ft above the boilers. General depth 102ft, length 200ft. Identified by maker's name and number on the steering gear. (1)
28-APR-1980: Least depth 20m in a general depth of 26m, swept clear at 21.9m, foul at 22m with a scour 1m deep. She lies on the side of a bank in an area of rock and gravel, heading 180/280 deg. (1)
Today the ROSEHILL lies in 30m of water. She is quite broken up with 2 boilers standing 6m high, heading west to the stern is the 12lb gun still on its swivel mounting with the barrel pointing straight up. The rudder is lying flat on the seabed and her big prop sticking out of the sand. (7)
A toothpaste tube recovered from this wreck. (Droit A/1833) (12)
A brass threaded boss recovered from this wreck, position 50 19.40N 004 18.25W. (Droit A/2813) (12)
A mounted gun recovered from this wreck off Looe. (Droit A/4404) (12)
A name plate recovered from this wreck, off Looe. (Droit A/4573) (12)
07-FEB-1993: Dived on in 501841.5N, 041821.5W [OGB] using Decca. The least echosounder depth obtained was 24m in a general depth of 30m. No scour. Fairly broken up. Boilers stands 5m clear of rock seabed. Gun on stern. Difficult to find with echosounder.
29-APR-2002: Dived in 1995: Lies in a general depth of 30m. Large gun on the stern. Hull fairly intact. Superstructure flattened and stands no more than 5m high. (13)(14)
Wreck event and documentary evidence:
The ROSEHILL, (ex. MINISTER) 23-SEP-1917 was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 5 miles SW by S from Fowey by the German submarine UB40 whilst on a voyage from Cardiff to Devonport with a cargo of coal. (2)
SS ROSEHILL, British owned armed steamship of 2788 tons gross was torpedoed without warning on 23-SEP-1917, five miles SW by S of Fowey. No lives were lost in the explosion and she was able to steam a further 15 miles towards Plymouth before sinking with her cargo of coal (3,980 tons) in 30m. For years she was thought to be the deep water wreck shown off Gribben Head until John Shaw positively identified her being much further east while diving in Whitesands Bay. He is now her legal owner. The wreck can be found on a sandy bottom in position 50 18.50N, 004 23.35W. (3)(8)
She was positively identified from the maker's name and number on her emergency steering standard, taken off her poop. Her stern gun has been removed, but shell are still found around the stern. She sits upright on a shale bottom and is still reasonably intact. (8)
The ROSEHILL was torpedoed by the German submarine UB40 at 6.05pm. The crew got away in their own boats at once, but returned to her at 6.45pm, with great difficulty since they had left her with her propeller still turning, and could not regain the deck until the engine had stopped of its own accord as steam pressure fell. She was in no immediate danger of sinking, and therefore was taken in tow. Much valuable time was lost in attempting to reboard, and she sank before they could reach Kennack Sands. (4)(7)(9)(11)
Built: 1911
Where Built: Sunderland
Boilers: 2
Propulsion: Screw driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion engine
Armament: 1 x 12pdr (12cwt)
Original Owner: Stephen Clarke (7)
Owner: W J Tillett and Co, Cardiff
Current Owner: John Shaw, Padstow
Crew: 24
Code Book: No
Date of loss qualifier: Actual date of loss |