[ARCHIVED CONTENT] List of Vessels - Controlled Sites

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Report Of The Public Consultation On Military Maritime Graves And The Protection Of Military Remains Act 1986

Annex B

LIST OF VESSELS THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR DESIGNATION AS CONTROLLED SITES

1.	HMS BULWARK Location: KENT (Sheerness) World War I Military Maritime Grave On November 26th 1914 the battleship Bulwark whilst at anchorage in Sheerness harbour was completely destroyed by internal explosions in her magazine and shell rooms. She sank with the loss of 730 lives.
2.	HMS DASHER Location: STRATHCLYDE World War II Military Maritime Grave The escort aircraft carrier HMS DASHER was destroyed by internal explosion in the Firth of Clyde, on March 27th 1943. While engaged in deck/ landing operation training the Dasher suffered an aviation/gasoline explosion as a result of which she sank within 3 minutes. No absolute cause was determined at the time. The vessel's normal complement was 520. She sank with the loss of 379 lives.
3.	HMS FORMIDABLE Location: DEVON World War I Military Maritime Grave The 1st class battleship was a unit with the 5th Battle Squadron serving with the Channel Fleet. She left Sheerness on 30th December 1914 to take part in a firing exercise off Portland. HMS Formidable was struck by a torpedo on the starboard side abreast of her foremost funnel and sank with the loss of 547 lives.
4.	HMS HAMPSHIRE Location: SCAPA FLOW World War II Military Maritime Grave The armoured cruiser Hampshire was detached from the Grand Fleet for special duty of conveying Lord Kitchener and his staff to Russia. She left Scapa Flow on 5th June 1916. A gale rendered her destroyer escort useless and they return to Scapa. The Hampshire carried on alone. At about 7.40 pm HMS Hampshire hit a mine and sank within 15 minutes. Of her complement of 655 men and 7 passengers only 12 men survived. Lord Kitchener and his staff all perished.
5.	HMS NATAL Location: CROMARTY World War I Military Maritime Grave The armoured cruiser Natal was a unit of the 2nd Cruiser squadron. On December 30th 1915, she was lying in Cromarty harbour when a fire broke out on board. Within a short time her magazine exploded and she sank almost immediately. Of her complement of 815 men the loss of life was heavy, amounting to 421 officers and men.
6.	HMS A7 Location: Plymouth 1914 Military Maritime Grave On the 16th January 1914 the submarine A7 was carrying out independent exercises in Whitsand Bay near Plymouth. She failed to surface following the exercise. The cause of the accident is not known. All of her 11 man crew were lost.
7.	HMS VANGUARD Location: SCAPA FLOW World War I Military Maritime Grave The battleship Vanguard served with the Grand Fleet during WWI until the time of her destruction. On July 9th 1917, whist at anchor in Scapa Flow, she blew up with all but three of her complement of 670. No cause of the explosion was ascertained. 667 lives were lost.
8.	HMS AFFRAY Location: ISLE OF WIGHT Peacetime - 1951 Military Maritime Grave During training exercises off the Isle of Wight, the submarine Affray failed to surface. Whilst the snapping of the snort mast followed by rapid and uncontrollable flooding provided the most obvious solution to the problem, there was a considerable body of evidence against this conclusion, in particular the absence of any other damage, and the lack of any conclusive evidence as to why it had broken. All her crew of 75 were lost.
9.	HMS EXMOUTH Location: GRAMPIAN World War II Possibly a dangerous wreck and Military Maritime Grave The destroyer Exmouth was sunk by a U-Boat in the Moray Firth on January 21st 1940, with the loss of 189 lives.
10.	HMS ROYAL OAK Location: SCAPA FLOW. World War II Environmental Pollutant and Military Maritime Grave The battleship Royal Oak was with the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. On the morning of October 14th 1939, the ship was laying at anchor at the extreme end of the harbour at Scapa, when she was struck by a salvo of torpedoes from a U-boat which had managed to penetrate the incomplete coastal defences and attack the battleship. Of her complement of 1,234 officers and men 833 lost their lives. The Royal Oak, a converted WWI coal-burning vessel, has some 75 fuel tanks. When sunk the Royal Oak was fully fuelled. Concerns exist over the small leaking of her heavy fuel into the surrounding area. Work is ongoing to remove this oil.
11.	U Boat Submarine Military Maritime Grave Nominated by German Authorities to represent all others lost within UK jurisdiction.
12.	H5 Location: ANGLESEY, Wales. World War I Military Maritime Grave (UK and USA) On March 6th 1918 the submarine H5 was sunk in collision with an unidentified vessel. All perished including a United States Naval Officer (US citizen). A request has been made on behalf of the US Government to designate this a maritime grave.
13.	HMS SHEFFIELD Location: FALKLAND ISLANDS Falkland Islands Campaign Military Maritime Grave In 4 May 1982 the destroyer SHEFFIELD was hit by an Exocet air-to-surface missile which started uncontrollable fires. The ship had to be abandoned but did not actually founder until 9 May. Twenty officers and men were lost.
14.	HMS COVENTRY Location: FALKLAND ISLANDS Falkland Islands Campaign Military Maritime Grave On 25 May 1982, while on patrol off Pebble Island, the destroyer COVENTRY and the BROADSWORD were attacked by aircraft which hit both ships with bombs; the latter sustained only superficial damage but the COVENTRY, hit by two 1,000 lb bombs, capsized and sank with the loss of 19.
15.	HMS ANTELOPE Location: FALKLAND ISLANDS Falkland Islands Campaign Military Maritime Grave On 23 May 1982, during an air attack, the frigate HMS ANTELOPE was hit by two 1,000 lb bombs, which lodged onboard unexploded, killing one man. The ship moved up San Carlos Water and anchored in Ajax Bay. While attempts were being made to defuse one of the bombs, it exploded, killing another man and seriously injuring a further one. A serious fire broke out and the ship was abandoned. The fires raged throughout the night but the ANTELOPE was still afloat at dawn. Not long after, however, another major explosion occurred (possibly the second 1,000 lb bomb). The ship's back broke and she sank with her bows and stern sticking out of the water.
16.	HMS ARDENT Location: FALKLAND ISLANDS Falkland Islands Campaign Military Maritime Grave On 21 May 1982 the frigate HMS ARDENT came under repeated air attack and was hit several times by bombs and rockets. On fire and expecting further attacks, the ship was abandoned. She continued to burn and remain afloat for a further twelve hours before sinking. Twenty-two men were killed and 37 wounded.

Last Updated: 9 Nov 01