The Wreck of HMS Jason (1917)

Date 2017 - 2023

Event ID 1157585

Category Project

Type Project

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1157585

SULA Diving and MV Clasina collaborated to locate and survey the wreck of HMS Jason, and to re-examine the circumstances surrounding its loss and provide new information to the Military of Defence (MOD) to help in the designation of the site as a War Grave under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. By making the report publicly available it is also hoped to increase public awareness of such events and serve as a reminder of those lost. As well as searching the archive, the project undertook side scan sonar and magnetometry surveys, a remote video and diving inspection of the wreck.

The project succeeded in locating a significant wreck site, approximately 2 nautical miles south east of Loch Eatharna, on the east side of Coll. There is little doubt that the remains at the site are those of HMS Jason. This conclusion is supported by evidence gathered during the course of survey work, which includes the following.

The location of the wreck site (56° 35.001’N, 006° 28.976’W) is approximately 1500m away from the position where HMS Jason sank, as detailed in the logbook of HMS Circe and used on the Admiralty chart for the area (No. 2171); there are no other recorded Royal Navy losses in the area.

The wreckage is approximately 60m in length and missing its bow. The length of HMS Jason was 74m.

Articles on the wreck site observed by divers include crockery with Royal Navy stamps, 2 guns (one fore and one aft) of similar calibre with matching munitions and twin engines with Yarrow boilers.

Other general features of the sites match closely with the layout of HMS Jason. The missing bow section is consistent with other incidents of this type (e.g. HMS Albacore, HMS Carnation). While the bow section was not seen during the dive, side scan images show a separate item of debris lying a short distance to the north of the main wreck site and any future dives on the site may which to investigate this.

The position of the wreck has been reported to the UK Hydrographic Office. The discovery was also reported to the Royal Navy by Lt Cdr Jen Smith, who was part of the Gasperados dive team that surveyed the wreck. This will trigger a process that may see the wreck designated under the Military Remains Act 1986.

Information from Kevin Heath (SULA Diving) 15 March 2023