Divers to search the depths for wrecks of North Sea

A North Yorkshire scuba diving club will be searching the sea bed to map more than 150 ship wrecks – including a German submarine that was depth charged in 1917.

Members of Selby branch of the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) will be logging and photographing all the wrecks littering a 25-mile stretch of the north east coast.

They are planning to record the first ever underwater footage of the stricken submarine and BSAC, the UK’s leading scuba diving organisation, will be organising a special evening where it will be shown.

Howard Rawson, the club’s diving and training officer, said: “We feel we could make a real difference by making an accurate and detailed record of all the wrecks.

“This will then be available, and of use, to everyone not just the diving community.

“Of course it’s great to dive on a wreck and look at it but we are actually doing some research into each one. As well as photographing, mapping and recording them, back on dry land, we are researching their history.”

According to Mr Rawson, the first wreck they’re going to map and photograph is the German U-boat, UC-39.

Seven crew died on the submarine which sank off Flamborough Head in Bridlington Bay after being depth charged on April 8, 1917. It’s not known how many survivors there were.

“UC-39, which was built by Blohm and Voss in 1916, is a War Grave so we do have to be careful and treat it with respect,” Mr Rawson said.

“The wreck is in good condition. UC-39, under the command of Oberleutnant Otto Ehrentraut, was actually shelling a steamer, Ida, in Bridlington Bay, when she was surprised by the destroyer, HMS Thrasher, who shelled and then depth charged her.

“Despite a crash dive, water poured into her control and engine room and the crew panicked. Ehrentraut decided to surrender and surfaced. However, HMS Thrasher continued to fire and Ehrentraut was killed as he climbed from the conning tower.”

HMS Thrasher’s guns fell silent when a prisoner, the Swedish master of a steamer, Hanna Larsen, that UC-39 had earlier sunk, was seen waving a white flag.

Mr Rawson added: “No fewer than 17 of the U-boat crew were taken prisoner and the U-boat was taken in tow by the destroyer HMS Itchen but unfortunately it sank before making port.

“As a dive club we want to record and photograph the wreck and do as much research as we can into its history.

“Then of course there is the other 150 or so wrecks in the same 25 mile stretch of water. We are starting with UC-39.

“As far as we know, this will be the first time UC-39 has been photographed and videoed, we intend to organise a slide show and public presentation of our findings.”

Mr Rawson is hoping the project will help the club to attract new members keen to give the sport of diving a try.

“We are a friendly bunch at the Selby branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club and members come from all walks of life.

“However, our membership has fallen and we would love to see more new members join us, in particular some younger people.

“We meet every Thursday at 8.30pm at the Albion in Selby, where we have a get together to arrange dive trips while supporting the landlord’s quiz night.

“We certainly get out and about and have arranged club dives all around the UK as well as Thailand, Madeira and the Red Sea.”

He added: “We are also in the process of organising a trip to Normandy.

“We have our own boat with a good powerful engine attached which can comfortably carry eight, or even nine, divers at a time.”

Mr Rawson, who works as a quantity surveyor, says the club is also looking for a training pool they can use after a fire destroyed Selby’s Abbey Leisure Centre.

He said: “We were all devastated after Abbey Leisure Centre was so badly damaged and I understand it may well have to be completely rebuilt.

“In the short-term it has left us in dire need of a pool to use for training purposes although we may be able to use the pool at Barlby School, just outside of Selby.”

“It’s an exciting time to be a member BSAC and we would welcome new members, keen to hear about what sport diving can offer or anyone interested to know more about our wreck mapping project.”