3 British World War I - era ships found off Estonia

[Kev in Deva]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/europe/3-british-world-war-i-era-ships-found-off-estonia/article1682161/

3 British World War I - era ships found off Estonia.

Globe and Mail Update Published on Monday, Aug. 23, 2010 11:37AM EDT

The wrecks of three British warships sunk after World War I off the coast of a Baltic Sea island have been found, Estonia's military announced Monday.

Using state-of-the-art sonar equipment, an Estonian naval vessel last week located the wrecks of HMS Cassandra, HMS Gentian and HMS Myrtle near the Estonian island of Saaremaa, about 140 kilometers southwest of the capital, Tallinn.

“We are convinced that these (wrecks) are ... those perished British vessels,” Cmdr. Ivo Vark said in a statement.

He said that the last coordinates of the vessels — reported by then British squadron commander Adm. Edwyn Alexander-Sinclair — were “surprisingly accurate” and helped the search substantially.

The light cruiser HMS Cassandra sank on Dec. 6, 1918 after hitting a mine, killing 10 sailors in a blast, Estonian naval officials said. The remaining crew of 400 was evacuated.

Minesweepers HMS Gentian and HMS Myrtle both sank on July 15, 1919 after hitting mines while on routine clearing missions. A total of nine sailors were killed in the two blasts.

The three vessels were part of British squadrons sent to the Baltic Sea in 1918-19 to extend support and deliver arms to the newly created state of Estonia, which was fighting for its independence against both Soviet Bolsheviks and German troops.

Naval officials said the HMS Myrtle had been spotted in 1937, while the location of the two other vessels remained a mystery until now.

The wrecks lie at depths of up to 100 yards. Estonian officials did not elaborate on the condition of the wrecks but said they legally belonged to Britain.

In recent years, numerous World War I and World War II-era wrecks have been found in the Baltic Sea.

Kevin in Deva. :beer:

[Michael Johnson]

That's the wonder of our era. Here I sit in Toronto, while an Irishman in Romania posts a copy of an article under the banner of a Toronto newspaper. (Since I don't subscribe to the Globe I can't tell whether the article appeared in hard copy.)

Maybe some day they'll find the two French minesweepers that vanished on Lake Superior November 1918.

[Kev in Deva]

That's the wonder of our era. Here I sit in Toronto, while an Irishman in Romania posts a copy of an article under the banner of a Toronto newspaper. (Since I don't subscribe to the Globe I can't tell whether the article appeared in hard copy.)

Maybe some day they'll find the two French minesweepers that vanished on Lake Superior November 1918.

Err . . . . Anglo-Irishman if you don't mind.

Kevin in Deva. :beer:

[Chris Boonzaier]

Well, at least we know they are original....

If they were off the coast of latvia they may have been fake...... :-)

[IrishGunner]

Estonian officials did not elaborate on the condition of the wrecks but said they legally belonged to Britain.

Sounds like maybe there are some financial issues (read expenses) with recovery / environmental damage... :whistle:

[Kev in Deva]

Estonian officials did not elaborate on the condition of the wrecks but said they legally belonged to Britain.

Sounds like maybe there are some financial issues (read expenses) with recovery / environmental damage...

As deaths were involved they are War Graves in my opinion.

The light cruiser HMS Cassandra sank on Dec. 6, 1918 after hitting a mine, killing 10 sailors in a blast, Estonian naval officials said. The remaining crew of 400 was evacuated.

Minesweepers HMS Gentian and HMS Myrtle both sank on July 15, 1919 after hitting mines while on routine clearing missions. A total of nine sailors were killed in the two blasts.

May they + Rest In Peace +

[IrishGunner]

As deaths were involved they are War Graves in my opinion.

Kev, yes deaths involved, but does that mean there are still bodies aboard? The information posted here is not clear on that fact. Are bodies still aboard? If there are bodies aboard, there should be no question they are War Graves and the British have an exceptional system for dealing with such cases. They should decide disposition and not the Estonians.

However, I was merely suggesting that the wording in your OP that the Estonians have said the ships are "legally" British implies that the Estonians are laying no claim - and therefore no financial responsibility.

I certainly meant no disrespect to any perished souls.

[Kev in Deva]

As deaths were involved they are War Graves in my opinion.

Kev, yes deaths involved, but does that mean there are still bodies aboard? The information posted here is not clear on that fact. Are bodies still aboard? If there are bodies aboard, there should be no question they are War Graves and the British have an exceptional system for dealing with such cases. They should decide disposition and not the Estonians.

However, I was merely suggesting that the wording in your OP that the Estonians have said the ships are "legally" British implies that the Estonians are laying no claim - and therefore no financial responsibility.

I certainly meant no disrespect to any perished souls.

If any of the Royal Naval serviceman's bodies were not recovered either at the time of sinking or immediately afterwords, then the sights are War Graves as I understand it, their is no reason for the 3 sites to be interfered with.

What financial responsibility?

Nothing in the original article indicates anything to do with financial responsibility,

What "disposition" do you refer too?

the wrecks will remain where they are, after all they have been there for 94 years.

Kevin in Deva. :cheers:

[IrishGunner]

Yea, we are sailing past each other here. I'm agreeing with you... But also reading between the lines.

No worries... :whistle: