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4-5 June 2011

Unknown LCT 30

War Knight

 

On 4 and 5 June 2011, divers from SSAC completed a weekend's diving on Wight Spirit, diving the wrecks of the SS Molina, SS Joannis Millas, LCT (30m) and SS War Knight - all to the west of the Isle of Wight.

The SS Molina sank in 1918 after being torpedoed by UB-35. Molina is an impressive wreck with a bow standing over 7m from the sea bed at 36m. Her large engine and boilers are clearly visible. Visibility was 8-10m.

 

 

 

SS Molina: single screwed steamer sunk by a torpedo from the German Submarine U-35 in 1918. Lies upright on a shingle bottom with a badly broken stern. Located five miles due South of the Isle of Wight. (Video by Chris Ringrose)

The second dive was the Joannis Millas which sank in 1896 having run aground.

Landing Craft Tank (30m) - given the club's recent success in investigating WW2 LCTs - was a good opportunity to investigate another LCT wreck, this time to the west of St Catherine's Point and lying at a maximum depth of 30m.

We then dived the War Knight which sank in 1918 after a collision, hitting a mine and gunfire! This is a large wreck (7,951 tons) in shallow water and one of the first merchant vessels to have a turbine engine.