SS Thistlegorm

SS Thistlegorm was a British armed Merchant Navy ship built in 1940 by Joseph Thompson & Son in Sunderland, England. She was sunk on 6 October 1941 near Ras Muhammad in the Red Sea and is now a well known diving site.

History

SS Thistlegorm was built by Joseph Thompson & Sons shipyard in Sunderland for the Albyn Line and launched in April 1940. She was powered by a triple-expansion steam engine rated to 365 horsepower (272 kW). The vessel was armed with a 4.7-inch (120 mm) anti-aircraft gun and a heavy calibre machine gun attached after construction to the stern of the ship. She was one of a number of "Thistle" ships owned and operated by the Albyn Line, which was founded in 1901, based in Sunderland, and had four vessels at the outbreak of World War II.

Sinking

The SS Thistlegorm was sunk on 6 October 1941, at anchor in Safe Anchorage F, in the Straits of Gubal, Northern Red Sea, having been targeted by the German Luftwaffe. The attack was carried out by two Heinkel He-111 aircraft. The wreck of the Thistlegorm was discovered in 1956 by Jacques Cousteau and is now a popular dive site.

Diving

The wreck of the SS Thistlegorm has become one of the world's most popular dive sites and is visited by divers from around the world. The wreck is located at a depth of 30 metres, making it accessible to most divers, and is known for its large cargo of motorcycles, trucks, rifles, and other wartime supplies.

See also

• List of shipwrecks
• Red Sea
• Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)