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Above: Nick Gilbert
and Adina Ochert
In May of 2002 the group travelled to Malta
for a type of 'recce' expedition to dive on a number of wrecks
and examine the possibility of diving HMS Russell. The expedition
was lead by Kevin Pickering and Teresa Telus and many of the
wrecks dived in 2002 were also dived when the team returned
in 2003.
The images below are of some of the wrecks
dived on these expeditions.
HMS Southwold
HMS Southwold was one of 86 Royal Navy Hunt
Class destroyers. Typically these vessels had a net tonnage
of 1050 tons, were 86 metres long with a beam of 9.5 metres.
They had a top speed of 25 knots and were commonly used for
convoy escorts. HMS Southwold had a crew of 168 men and a
main armament of three twin barrel 4" guns (one at the
bow and two at the stern). She also carried anti-aircraft
guns, and depth charges.
On March 24 1942 Southwold was escorting
a convoy from Alexandria. She hit a mine while guarding the
bombed and battered transport vessel BRECONSHIRE. HMS Southwold
suffered severe damage from the explosion, and sank off Valletta
harbour. She now lies in 68 metres of water in two sections
(bow and stern) about 100 metres apart. Images from the dives
on her stern section are shown below:
 
Top Left: Stern
4 inch gun and turret. Top Right:
Anti-aircraft guns (nicknamed pom-pom guns)
Images: Copyright
©2002 Kevin Pickering
WWII German 'Schnellboot'
S-31
The German Schnellboot (fast boat) known
to the allies as 'E' boat (enemy boat) was originally developed
in 1929 using a fast pleasure-craft design. These boats were
well armed, with twin torpedo tubes and triple 'Daimler-Benz'
engines of 6,000 bhp what they could not out-shoot they could
outrun!
On a number of nights in December 1941 Schnellboots
from the German 3rd MTB Flotilla, under Lt.Cdr. Kemnade, carried
out mine laying operations off Valetta. The mine-laying operations
continued into 1942. It is known that during this period of
activity 164 ground mines, 192 moored mines, 45 submarine
mines, 74 protection floats and 216 explosive floats were
laid. Malta was quite literally surrounded by mines.
The images below are of the German Schnellboot
S-31 who blew herself up on one of her own mines during an
operation to sink the British minelayer welshman
on the 10th May 1942. She now lies in approximately 70 metres
of water off Grand Harbour in Malta.
 
Top Left: Port
side torpedo launching tube with open door. Top
Right: Live torpedo
Images: Copyright
©2002 Kevin Pickering
SS Polynesian
The steam ship Polynesian was built for "La
Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes" at La Ciotat in
France and launched on the 18th April 1890 by Marie Francois
Sadi Carnot - President of the Republic of France. On the
10th August 1918 the vessel was hit by a Torpedo from the
U Boot UC22 and sank 7 miles outside the entrance of Valletta
Harbour in Malta. Ten people lost their lives. Today the Polynesian
lies at a depth of just over 60 metres.
 
Top Left: Remains
of the mast and rigging. Top Right:
Diver swims over stern gun
Below: Diver
swims along the length of the Polynesia from the stern
Images:
Copyright ©2002 Brad Sheard |
