Projects

A team of divers from Southsea Sub-Aqua Club have spent 5 days surveying a local dive site to try to solve the mystery of how 2 tanks, 2 bulldozers and a field gun came to rest on the sea bed 8 miles offshore in Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex.

The historic WW2 armoured vehicles and gun lie jumbled up on the sea bed at a depth of 20m but there is no known associated shipwreck nearby. As a result of their work the divers believe they now have the evidence to prove that they were lost from a Landing Craft Tank (LCT) and not from a section of Mulberry Harbour bridge as previously believed.

Underwater photographs and video of the tanks have allowed experts at The Tank Museum, Bovington, to confirm the tanks as Centaur CS IV – the type used exclusively by the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group for Operation ‘Overlord’. Their purpose was to arrive first at ‘H Hour’ on ‘D Day’ and use their powerful Howitzer 95mm guns to take out enemy gun positions. Their LCT was specially adapted with ramps so that they fire from the craft as it approached the Normandy beaches. A total of 80 Centaurs were to be used on D Day but only a small number actually made it across the English Channel and until now only 2 were believed to have survived as war memorials in Normandy. One Centaur tank stands as a war memorial at the famous Pegasus Bridge in Normandy. The bulldozers are also believed to be very unusual, in that they were specially armoured Caterpillar bulldozers, one of a series of modifications to different types of war equipment known as Hobart’s “Funnies”. This type of armoured bulldozer was used by the British Army 79^th Armoured Division and Royal Engineers to clear obstacles from the beaches. Little is known about the modifications made and there are no known surviving bulldozers of this type.

The survey revealed a number of other surprising discoveries - a large ‘Kedge’ anchor, tucked just beneath a tank, 2 ammunition sleds, 2 propellers and ammunition were amongst the many additional items found at the site. These items and much research into the Royal Marines War Diaries have lead to the mystery finally being solved.

The historic War Diaries for 2^nd RM Armoured Support Group, who took part in the D Day landings at Juno Beach supporting Canadian forces, confirmed that one LCT was forced to turn back half way across the Channel after engine trouble and reported 2 Centaurs as being lost at sea. The weather was very bad during the crossing and a further Naval War Diary entry confirms that the same LCT capsized whilst under tow. All crew and RM personnel were rescued.

The diving project, which is lead by Alison Mayor, has the approval of the Ministry of Defence and will submit its full report later this summer. Teams of 12 divers took detailed measurements, photographs and video of the site to record the location, orientation and condition of the military vehicles. Some divers also conduct a survey of the marine life which has made its home on the wrecks.

“The Project has been hugely successful thanks to the hard work of Southsea Sub-Aqua Club divers and its supporters. The mystery of how these awesome WW2 fighting machines has long puzzled Club members and now it seems we have finally found the answers. These wrecks have been dived for many years but it is only when you start looking at the story behind their sinking do you begin to appreciate their true historical significance”.

The project received a grant from the British Sub-Aqua Jubilee Trust and is supported by Silent Planet Ltd, Portland. The Tank Museum at Bovington, has provided assistance in the identification of the wrecks.

If you have any information or comments about D Day activities in the Bracklesham Bay area, especially in connection to the RM ASG or Landing Craft Tanks or to find out more about Southsea Sub-Aqua Club visit the club web site www.southseasubaqua.org.uk or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or please write to Southsea Sub-Aqua Club, Fort Widley, Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth PO6 3LS.

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Meridian TV ( from Southampton ) joined SSAC on the third dive of the survey week, Sunday morning, July 28th 2008.

See Alison and others from the Club being interviewed after the dive.


Introduction	Main Item

Divers aim to solve D-Day tanks mystery

A team of divers from Southsea Sub-Aqua Club will try to solve the mystery of how 2 tanks, 2 bulldozers and a field gun, believed to be linked to D Day, came to rest on the sea bed 8 miles offshore in Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex.

The historic WW2 armoured vehicles and gun lie jumbled up on the sea bed at a depth of 20m but there is no known associated shipwreck nearby. The divers plan to spend 5 days surveying the site and will attempt to establish how the equipment came to rest on the sea bed.

Information gathered on an initial dive has revealed, to everyone’s surprise, that the Tanks are likely to be Centaur CS IV tanks a limited number of which were exclusively assigned to the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group for Operation Overlord. A total of 80 Centaurs were to be used on D Day but only a small number actually made it across the English Channel and landed on the Normandy beaches. One Centaur tank now stands as a war memorial at the famous Pegasus Bridge in Normandy. The bulldozers are also believed to be very unusual, in that they were specially armoured Caterpillar bulldozers, one of a series of modifications to different types of war equipment known as Hobart’s “Funnies”. This type of bulldozer was used by the 79^th Armoured Division of the British Army. Little is known about the modifications made and there are no known surviving bulldozers of this type.

So how did these war machines end up at the bottom of the sea? The local theory is that the vehicles were lost from a bridge section of one of the artificial (Mulberry) harbours, though it is now believed by the diving team that it is more likely that they were lost from the deck of a Landing Craft Tank (LCT). In rehearsals for D Day, known as ‘Exercise Fabius III’, a number of vessels carrying British and Canadian troops and equipment came under attack by German E boats in Bracklesham Bay which may have resulted in the loss of the tanks. Alternatively, the military vehicles may have been lost in rough seas on the crossing to Normandy for the D Day landings on 6^th June 1944. The diving team hope to establish exactly what happened.

The project, which is being lead by Alison Mayor, has the approval of the Ministry of Defence and will start on 26 July. Teams of 12 divers will be taking measurements, photographs and video of the site to record the location, orientation and condition of the military vehicles and will also conduct a survey of the marine life which has made its home on the wrecks.

“It’s a real puzzle how the tanks and bulldozers came to rest so far offshore when there is no shipwreck nearby. These war machines are of significant historical interest and we hope to find the clues that will help solve the mystery of how and when they sank below the waves.”

Photos: (Left) Diver inspects tank wheel sprocket (Martin Davies) - (Right) D-Day Centaur Tank (Courtesy Bovington Tank Museum)

The project has received a grant from the British Sub-Aqua Jubilee Trust and is supported by Silent Planet Ltd, Portland. The Tank Museum at Bovington, has provided assistance in the identification of the wrecks.

Any information or comments about D Day activities in the Bracklesham Bay area or to find out more about Southsea Sub-Aqua Club visit the club web site This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or please write to Southsea Sub-Aqua Club, Fort Widley, Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth PO6 3LS.

HM Submarine A1
Annual Licensee Report: 2007

By Martin Davies

Introduction

This is my second report for English Heritage on Submarine A1 since becoming Licensee. During this year a total of 5 dives have been completed on the wreck. Once again the poor British weather has dominated the amount of diving that has been accomplished on the site and prevented planned exercises from taking place. Two of the dives completed were in conjunction with the Nautical Archaeological Society (NAS) and were promoted as “Heritage dive” days, giving members access to the site under a Visitor license. At the beginning of the season and on the first dive it was discovered that illegal fishing activities had been taking place and this turned out to be a major hindrance to diving activities at the beginning and throughout the mid season.

Diving Activities

Poor weather in April, May and June limited access to the site. The preferred window for diving is on a neap tide and on the flood. The unusual currents in the area mean that we have to look for a High Water neap and plan dives for 2.5 hours before HW(Portsmouth) These unique requirements limit the opportunities that are available to dive the site especially at weekends. In Bracklesham Bay, where the wreck lays, the sea bed is mainly silt/clay and this has gradually built up inside the wreck since the hatches have been removed. Diving on the ebb tide has the added difficulty that weed and debris from Chichester harbour is in suspension around the wreck or passing by in the current making visibility even worse.

There were 2 NAS days comprising a brief at NAS (Fort Cumberland), a dive on A1 followed afterwards by a visit to Submarine Museum at Gosport. These Heritage dive days were very successful. There was a lot of interest and positive feedback from the event. Initially 1 Charter Boat booking with Wight Diver but an additional day added to meet demand. The other dives were completed using Southsea Sub-Aqua Club’s (SSAC) RIB and a SSAC charter booking with Wight Diver.

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Introduction

Main Item

HM Submarine A1Annual Licensee Report: 2007

Introduction

Diving Activities

HM Submarine A1
Annual Licensee Report: 2007