Sms Munchen: Fidra, Firth Of Forth

NT59SW 8005 5195 9236

N56 7.3 W2 46.375

NLO: Fidra [name: NT 513 868].

See also NT59SW 8008.

Formerly entered as NT59SW 1

Quality of fix = 0015

Evidence = Echo sounder

Horizontal Datum = OGB

General water depth = 54

Orientation of keel/wreck = 090270

Circumstances of Loss Details

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The MUNCHEN was assigned to Britain in 1920 for scrap. It was sunk in torpedo explosive experiments in 1921.

Surveying Details

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25 October 1921. The torpedo experiments on the MUNCHEN were completed when the vessel was sunk in 56 07 00N, 002 45 50W.

Source; Admiral, Rosyth, 17 September 1921.

29 July 1960. The site was examined on 7 September 1959 at 56 07 18N, 002 46 21W. The site gave a very good sonar conctact from the SE and NW. The least echosounder depth was 41.5 in a general depth of 56.3 metres. No scouring was observed.

Report by HMS SCOTT, 1959.

12 January 1970. Request received from I D Newlands, Fife, to purchase the wreck.

24 May 1977. Local fishermen report a net fastener at decca posn [n brit] green c 39.85, purple c 63.25.

Report by Dunbar Coastguard 5 May 1977.

26 January 1994. The wreck was examined 22 August 1993 in 56 07 18.0N, 002 46 22.3W. NGR - eastings 351956, northings 692364. The least echosounder depth was 40.3 in a general depth of 53.5 metres. No scour pits were observed. The side scan sonar indicated a height of 9 metres, length 112 metres (367 feet), and breadth 20 metres (65 feet). The site is an intact, well defined wreck lying with its keel orientated 090/270 degrees. Report by Oceonics (UK) Ltd.

See also Notice to Mariners 559/94.

Hydrographic Office 1995.

(Classified as Light Cruiser: date of loss cited as c. 1921). [SMS] Muenchen: [Munchen]: this vessel was sunk in a torpedo explosive experiment.

Registration: German. 3250 tons displacement. Length: 109m. Beam: 13m.

(Location of loss cited as N56 7.3 W2 46.35).

I G Whittaker 1998.

SMS Munchen (light cruiser)

Displacement: 3250 tons.

Length 364 ft 6 ins (111.1m); beam 43 ft 4 ins (13.2m).

Top speed: 23kts; 10 boilers; 2x3-cyl triple-expansion engines; 11000 shp; 2 screws.

Crew: 286/320.

Armament: 10x4.1ins; 2x17.7ins torpedo tubes; 108 mines.

Armour: deck 2ins (5.1cm).

This light cruiser of the Bremen class was built by Weser at Bremen and entered service in 1905. She saw service (under Commander Bocker and in the 4th Scouting Group) at the Battle of Jutland, being extensively damaged but subsequently repaired. The ship was not interned at the end of hostilities but passed to Britain in reparation, and was expended in torpedo trials, the details of which are unknown.

The wreck lies 4 miles (6.4km) from Fidra at a (seabed) depth of 58m, and is substantially intact. The wreck is charted at 40m in a general depth of 52/56m to a seabed of mixed gravel, sand, mud and shell over rock. The depth of water and the distance from land are unusual for weapons experiments, which usually take place in shallow waters inshore.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 30 August 2002.

H M Le Fleming 1961; R and B Larn 1998; M Clark 2002.

HO chart 734 (1995).

NMRS, MS/829/49.