Wrecked in the Red Sea (SS Thistlegorm)

Member Name: huddro

Product:	SS Thistlegorm
Date:	09/05/03 (923 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent condition wreck, Easily accesible

Disadvantages: Too many divers on some days

1941
It was the third week of September when the SS Thistlegorm moored at Safe Anchorage F in the Gulf of Suez to await passage through the Suez Canal to Alexandria. A journey that had started from Glasgow on the 2nd June 1941 and proceeded in convoy via Cape town then up the East Coast of Africa. The wait for passage was to last 2 weeks.

The ships manifest simply marked MT (Motor Transport) covered a multitude of war supplies destined for the 8th Army at Tobruk from Bedford trucks, Bren-Gun Carriers, BSA Motorcycles, Armoured cars, Weapons, Ammunition, Aircraft, Radios, Boots, and more besides. Even the owners the Alban Line had taken the opportunity to load two sets of Railway rolling stock for delivery to the Egyptian Railways, carried as deck cargo.

The drone of the propellers and the rushing of wind through the cockpit kept the chilled pilots of the two Heinkel HE111?s from Number 2 Group 26th Kemp Squadron alert as they searched the dark night sky for a sign of their prize. Having taken off earlier in the evening from their base in Crete after intelligence reported a large troopship was due to travel through the Suez canal carrying 1200 British troops they were beginning to feel they were hunting for a needle in a haystack.

As the needle on their fuel gauges sank the pilots turned for home looking to jettison their cargo of bombs to lighten their load and make it back to base. As they headed down the Gulf of Suez, their fuel critical, a dark shape appeared on the water. The pilot now knew where to drop his bombs. Dropping altitude the pilot came in low releasing his bombs right over the bridge of the Thistlegorm. Both were on Target and penetrated number 5 hold aft of the bridge detonating a great deal of ammunition.

On 5th October 1941 hell had come to the Thistlegorm. The explosions from number 5 hold ripped back the armour-plated decks sending the 2 locomotives and their rolling stock high into the air. With
hardly time to launch the lifeboats the crew abandoned ship. The raging fires and heat forcing men to leap into the sea. The deck peeled back from the explosion like a tin can trapping an injured man. One member of the crew, Angus McLeay, wrapped rags round his feet and raced across the now red hot deck to rescue his comrade an act of bravery winning him the George medal.

At 0130 hours 6th October 1941 the Thistlegorm sank with the loss of 9 lives. Captain Ellis and the 35 remaining members of his crew were rescued and safely taken to Suez.

Present Day
?Mooring line attached if we go we go now. Kit on, follow the line, meet at the deck? the boat heaves in the swell as the dive master disappears beneath the waves the first divers jump, like freefall parachutists, single file the line moves to the back of the boat and as the stern drops off the swell the divers jump descending the line immediately, in conditions like this you do not want to be on the surface. It is 0600 on a November morning 2001 and we are the only boat to have moored at the Thistlegorm having left Sharm at 0200 and slept on the boat (very big tip if you do this take the inside cabin it may feel warm on the sun lounger in dock but after 4 hours at sea you will be freezing whereas those of us in the know have slept warm and snug inside!)

We meet at the deck to starboard of the Bridge the waters calm not even a current. A quick check of my gauges to ensure all is ok, a signal from my buddy says the same and as the final diver arrives we swim for?ard for an external view of the wreck. Over the deck past the locomotive water carriers still standing tied down, past the gaping hole above hold 2 wondering how the deck can still be supporting these trains after all this time.

We continue to head forward and drop over the bows dropping slowly to the seabed, to head aft along the port side. Corals form beautiful patterns and barracuda school above us. Looking a
way from the wreck a steam train engine sits upright on the seabed as though placed, turning back to the wreck the gaping mess of hold 5, or what remains, shows why the ship sank so quickly.

Here the ship is more or less ripped in two her stern tilted 45 degrees while the rest of her structure sits upright on the sand. Her cargo is spread and thrown, a jumbled mess of smashed army supplies. Continuing towards the stern her sole gun hangs disconsolate not having fired a shot in defence.

Many fish have made their home here giant Barracuda hang off the port side, lion fish patrol below the wreck and scorpion fish sit waiting for the unwary.

Finning round the stern we are faced with the enormous propeller now the size of this ship really sinks in the brass still shining in the water. We move forward again past the remains of hold 5 and ascend to the bridge to take the line for the surface. As soon as we are on the line the swell takes hold and as we near the surface are tossed like rag dolls.

Breaking the surface shows utter confusion dive boats are everywhere trying to tie to the wreck and each other, Piccadilly Circus springs to mind, to add to this melee there is a 6 foot swell and exiting proves tricky. Back on the boat a quick tank change, a mixture test and we kit up, deciding to head back down for the second dive after only a 30 minute surface interval rather than have lunch and then dive. The weather is worsening and more boats are arriving by the minute.

We use the same procedure to enter and descend clearing the surface as fast as possible. This is the big dive we are actually going into the wreck. We are lucky enough to be diving with Alastair from the Red Sea Diving College, who was a member of the 1991 team that mapped the Thistlegorm, and as such knows this wreck inside out.

As we descend into the gloom of hold 2 our torchlight picks out the Bedford trucks with the BSA Motorcycles still lined u
p as if waiting for unloading. We curve into hold 1 where aircraft parts are stored; looking up we can make out the trains on the deck hanging ominously over the hold. Dropping into the lower hold we find boxes of Lee Enfield 303 rifles set into their cases by the effects of concretion. As we swim back through hold 2 we can make out the vast store of Lorries, Motorcycles, trailers and various other cargo.

While our eyes adjust to the gloom we need to take care not to catch on any of the jagged edges that abound or to put unwary hands onto spars in case scorpion fish lurk. Passing into Number 3 hold we come across box after box of Lee Enfield rifles and beyond this is what was the fuel store. Single file we move into a smaller passage and find ourselves in what was the galley, along another corridor we can peer into what was once the Captain's cabin. Dropping down a walkway we swim through the remains of hold 5 all are caught by a solitary boot laying on the seabed a grim reminder that this is a war grave and sailors lost their lives here.

Moving on we find a Bren-gun carrier turned turtle, boxes of shells, more rifles, and more lorries faint markings for the 8th Army. Ascending slightly we start to swim for'ard encountering other groups of divers. All too quickly we are back at the line having completed a full circuit of this amazing wreck. Ascending I watch back as she is swallowed in the gloom.

On board the dive boat we have a few more pressing problems some seasickness and more importantly a broken anchor. After much maneuvering and no lack of skill by our crew one anchor is duly retrieved and we head for home. A final treat though, we are escorted by a school of dolphins playing with the boat, what a day!

Statistics
The Thistlegorm was built in 1940 being 12.65m in length and 4,898 gross tones. She was owned by the Albyn Line and partly funded by the British Government as part of the war effort. Armed wi
th one anti aircraft gun mounted on the stern she was designated an armed freighter.

After being sunk in 1941 Jacques Cousteau rediscovered the wreck around 1956. Cousteau did not reveal the position of the ship and it was not until the early 90?s that the ship was marked.

The Thistlegorm sits on the seabed at 32meters with the top of her bridge at around 10m.

My Family and the Thistlegorm
The Thistlegorm will always hold a special place in my heart. One of the men of the 8th Army waiting for her to arrive was my Grandfather, a tank driver pushed forward by Montgomery to break the Middle East deadlock. Although short of supplies their battle group still pressed forward from Tobruk against Rommel's Army. Unfortunately my Grandfather was never to know peace giving his life for his country in the desert in Libya.

If you ever dive her take a moment and spare a thought for the brave men who sailed in her and those who relied on her cargo. Take care not to damage her nor be tempted to take items from her, allow others to experience her as she is now.

Diving Trips
Most diving centres in the popular resorts of Sharm Hurghada and Dahab run excursions to the Thistlegorm but these trips are not generally included in your standard dive package. There is also an entrance fee payable for the Dive Boat to enter the Ras Mohammad National Park, as this area of sea is designated due to the beautiful corals. You will also need your passport on this trip, as it has been known for Egyptian authorities to board Dive Boats and check identities. The cost of this for us was 60USD each.

Conclusion
This is one of the most outstanding wrecks in the world and well worth a visit. If you are qualified dive on Nitrox to enable a longer bottom time as there is so much to see and take in from this well preserved wreck, unfortunately you will need to be at least a PADI Advanced diver as this wreck lies much deeper than th
e 18m open water limit.

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