Thistlegorm 2 questions

[wibble32]

Have dived this site and thoroughly enjoyed it.
1) Has anyone ever been briefed that some areas in the bow section are "off limits"? This is stated in the drawings in the excellent Siani Dive Guide by Alberto Siliotti. Any ideas why?

2) Where is all the cargot from the bombed holds and does anyone know what it was? Anyone seen a manifest?

I guess the smart answer to 2) is duh! it was bombed and scattered. However the holds would have been jam packed with a lot of kit and the stories etc. are that the boat was stationary and sank straight down. The Loco's got thrown a fair way but they were on the decks, the gear in the holds would have created quite a debris field.

Theories or informed opinion please.
Rgds Wibble

[purple vonny]

Originally Posted by wibble32

Have dived this site and thoroughly enjoyed it.
1) Has anyone ever been briefed that some areas in the bow section are "off limits"? This is stated in the drawings in the excellent Siani Dive Guide by Alberto Siliotti. Any ideas why?

2) Where is all the cargot from the bombed holds and does anyone know what it was? Anyone seen a manifest?

I guess the smart answer to 2) is duh! it was bombed and scattered. However the holds would have been jam packed with a lot of kit and the stories etc. are that the boat was stationary and sank straight down. The Loco's got thrown a fair way but they were on the decks, the gear in the holds would have created quite a debris field.

Theories or informed opinion please.
Rgds Wibble

As far as I know the bow section is ok, not heard anything recently.

The cargo ramains in the holds. It has jeeps, motorbikes, guns, wellies bits of military vehicles. They have been vandalised by divers but are still there.

[deepestandy]

The port side bow is 'off limits' depending on who briefed you. It is considered to be in danger of the water tender falling in to hold 1. Over the past 5 years or so I have witnessed the angle that this water tender sits becoming more acute.

The cargo form hold 4 where the bomb hit was carrying two bren carrier (small tracked vehicles). they are still visible. The rest of the cargo was mainly ammunition dozens of boxes of which are still visible in a big heap over the side of the wreck. the rest I suppose was either scattered or just added to the explosion.

HTH

Andy

[purple vonny]

Originally Posted by deepestandy

The port side bow is 'off limits' depending on who briefed you. It is considered to be in danger of the water tender falling in to hold 1. Over the past 5 years or so I have witnessed the angle that this water tender sits becoming more acute.

HTH

Andy

That makes sense, it's been getting wonkier for a while!

[wibble32]

PV
I agree the un-bombed holds still have their cargo, of wellies, trucks motorbikes etc. but the bombed bit just to the stern of midships where the bren gun carriers are seems remarkably light on cargo; google and see an image on ancient wisdom.net for a good depiction. Having swum round it I have an idea of what is on the wreck to be seen, I was asking if anyone knows what "was" there in the damaged holds.

Any ideas?
Wibble

[purple vonny]

Hmmm, don't know. I do know I nicked a bit of coal from down there for a souvenir (yeah, go on red me!) so wonder if it was a fuel store of some kind? There were also some girders and a wheelbarrow in one bit of the stern but the whole lot is pretty blown apart and it is hard to tell what was originally in there.

I've dived this wreck about 20-odd times now and I find the stern very spooky. I don't know why. Perhaps it is because it is mostly twisted grey metal whereas the bow and mid section are quite colourful and coral encrusted.

[deepestandy]

Hold 3 is aft of the engine room and contained coal for the ships steam engine, Hold 4 contained various ammunition, including large projectile weapons crates of mortars and hand grenades. Not sure of the exact quantities and precise weapon detail but some of the larger shells are visible as are the mortars and if you look hard enough there are some crates with grenades in them.

Andy

[PW1664]

These might help.......







Some of my and Moo's vids....

[Midnight]

To quote the Thisltegorm crew as they watched it being loaded:

"We are not going to need lifeboats if we get bombed.... we would be better with parachutes" (paraphrased from the video).

Apparently, the 111 droped its load directly into the hold where most of the ammunition was loaded and the explosion lit-up both sides of the Red Sea.

One of the most disgusting facts of the whole affair, and there was a few, was the fact that as Merchant Seamen their wages were stopped from the moment she sank.

BTW the video, if you can get hold of a copy, should be compulsory viewing for anyone diving her. It will make you think twice and deepen your respect.

Regards,
Midnight

[jonny200]

one sinister theory is that the thistlegorm could have been carying a more "sinister" cargo. these would have been removed before tourist diving was to be allowed.

The MOD re classified the manifest as soon as the licence was up. I dont know enough about it to say anything more factually, its just what has been suggested to me by a credible source