Introduction I Repatriation I The
Royal Navy I Contemporary British Government
Policy on Wrecks I San Carlos I
Contemporary British Government Policy on Wrecks
As a general principle, Her Majesty's Government considers military vessels that sank with loss of life to represent military maritime graves. As such the Government believes that they should remain undisturbed to the maximum extent possible, and works to ensure this.
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The Protection of Military Remains Act (PMRA) 1986 allows the Secretary of State to extend legal protection to the remains of aircraft and vessels that were on military service when lost. In UK waters any military aircraft or vessel of any nationality may be designated but only aircraft or vessels belonging to the United Kingdom may be designated in international waters.
The Act allows for two levels of designation for maritime military remains. Designation as a Controlled Site is very restrictive and virtually prohibits any activity in the vicinity of the wreck unless a licence is obtained from the Secretary of State. The second and more common type of designation is that of Protected Place which is not as restrictive and does allow diving on a ‘look don’t touch basis’.
The MOD conducts a rolling review of British wrecks, in military service when lost, and designates them as appropriate. As at February 2010 the remains of 67 ships have been designated under the Act in UK and international waters since the designation programme commenced in 2002. Details are given below:
Controlled Sites
Name |
Location |
HMS BULWARK |
Off Sheerness, Kent |
HMS NATAL |
Cromarty Firth |
HMS A7 |
Off Plymouth |
HMS DASHER |
Clyde |
HMS ROYAL OAK |
Scapa Flow |
HMS VANGUARD |
Scapa Flow |
UB 81 |
Solent |
HMS H5 |
Off Anglesey |
HMS HAMPSHIRE |
Orkneys |
HMS AFFRAY |
Off isle of Wight |
HMS FORMIDABLE |
Off Devon |
HMS EXMOUTH |
Off Wick, Grampian |
Total = 12
Protected Places
Name |
Location |
ATLANTIC CONVEYOR |
South Atlantic |
HMS ACHERON |
Off Isle of Wight |
HMS AMPHION |
North Sea |
HMS ARDENT |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS BLACK PRINCE |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS BLACKWOOD |
Off Dorset |
HMS BOADICEA |
Off Portland |
HMS BULLEN |
Off N.W Scotland |
HMS CALGARIAN |
Off Rathlin Island |
HMS CURACO |
Off N Ireland |
HMS DEFENCE |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS DELIGHT |
Off Portland |
HMS DUKE OF ALBANY |
North Sea |
HMS EXMOOR |
Off Lowestoft |
HMS FISGARD II |
Off Portland |
HMS FITZROY |
Off Great Yarmouth |
HMS FORTUNE |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS GLOUCESTER |
Mediterranean |
HMS GHURKA |
Off Dungeness |
HMS HOOD |
North Atlantic |
HMS INDEFATIGABLE |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS INVINCIBLE |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS K4 |
Firth of Forth |
HMS K17 |
Firth of Forth |
HMS KURD |
Off Lizard Point |
HMS L24 |
Off Portland |
HMS LOYALTY |
English Channel |
HMS M1 |
Start Point Devon |
HMS M2 |
Off Portland |
SS MENDI |
Off Isle of Wight |
HMS MORNE |
English Channel |
HMS NESTOR |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS NOMAD |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS PATHFINDER |
Off St Abbs Head |
HMS PENYLAN |
English Channel |
HMS PRINCE OF WALES |
Off Malaysia |
HMS QUEEN MARY |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS REPULSE |
Off Malaysia |
HMS SHARK |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS SHEFFIELD |
Falkland Islands |
RFA SIR GALAHAD |
Falkland Islands |
HMS SPARROWHAWK |
North Sea (Jutland) |
SS STORAA |
Off Hastings |
HMS SWORDFISH |
Off Isle of Wight |
HMS TIPPERARY |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS TURBULENT |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS UMPIRE |
North Sea |
HMS VANDAL |
Lochranza Scotland |
HMS VERVAIN |
Off Waterford |
HMS VORTIGERN |
Off Cromer |
HMS WARRIOR |
North Sea (Jutland) |
HMS WARWICK |
Trevose Head Cornwall |
U-12 |
Dover Straits |
U-714 |
Off St Abbs Head |
UB-65 |
Off Padstow Cornwall |
