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Salvage King: Ness Of Duncansby, Pentland Firth
Steam Tug (20th Century)
Site Name Salvage King: Ness Of Duncansby, Pentland Firth
Classification Steam Tug (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Duncansby Head; North Sea; Hms Salvage King
Canmore ID 103014
Site Number ND37SE 8004
NGR ND 39071 74006
NGR Description ND c. 389 738
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/103014
- Council Highland
- Parish Maritime - Highland
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
ND37SE 8004 c. 389 738
N58 38.9 W3 3.2
NLO: Ness of Duncansby [name: ND 389 738]
Duncansby Head [name: ND 405 733]
Pentland Firth [name centred ND 35 81].
Formerly entered as ND37SE 8590 at cited location ND 3871 7410 [N58 39 W3 3].
Tug SALVAGE KING, lost 12 Sep 1940 between 2am and 3am, Ness of Duncansby, 1 mile from Duncansby Head Lighthouse. Don't know if light seen. Light was lit from 2am to 6.35am. Southerly wind, moderate breeze, sea smooth, rain. All saved. No cargo. Owing to war conditions I was unable to get any particulars regarding this vessel, which was flying the white ensign. All the crew were taken off vessel by destroyer & another tug after an unsuccessful effort to refloat tug SALVAGE KING on the following tide.
[Contemporary] source: Charles L. Gilberstson, Principal Lightkeeper, Duncansby Head Lighthouse.
Quality of fix = PA
Horizontal Datum = OGB
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The tug SALVAGE KING grounded west of Duncansby Head.
Source: World War II Shipping Loses.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
1940. The wreck's position is given as 58 39 00N, 003 03 00W.
Hydrographic Office 1995.
(Classified as steel tug: date of loss cited as 12 September 1940). Salvage King: this vessel stranded 1.5 miles W of Duncansby Head.
Registration: British. Built 1925. 1164grt. Length; 57m. Beam: 11m.
(Location of loss cited as N58 39.0 W3 2.0).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Whittaker places this stranding 1.5 miles (2 km) W of Duncansby Head, which would place it at ND c. 38 73, near Ness of Duncansby [name: ND 389 738].
Duncansby Head lighthouse (ND47SW 2.00) is at ND 40589 73357.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 9 September 2002.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 231
Name : SALVAGE KING
Latitude : 583900
Longitude : 30300
Date Built : 1925
Registration : BRITISH
Type : TUG (STEEL)
Tonnage : 1164
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 57
Beam : 11
Draught : 5m
Position : Position Approximate
Loss Day : 12
Loss Month : 9
Loss Year : 1940
Comment : Stranded 1.5 miles west of Duncansby Head
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 000933
Feature Class : Wreck
State : DEAD
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 58.65000,-3.05000
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 58.64961,-3.05158
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Position Quality : Unreliable
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 2
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : HMS SALVAGE KING
Type : S TUG
Flag : BRITISH
Tonnage : 1164
Tonnage Type : Gross
Date Sunk : 12/09/1940
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Original Detection Year : 1940
Original Source : Other
Circumstances of Loss : **BUILT IN 1925 BY BOW, MCLACHLAN & CO LTD, PAISLEY. HIRED IN 1940 AS A SALVAGE TUG. TWO BOILERS, TRIPLE EXPANSION ENGINE OF 396NHP, SINGLE SHAFT. GROUNDED W OF DUNCASBY HEAD. (WW2SL & SIBI).
Surveying Details : **H3108/40 POSN 583900N, 030300W.
**HH2925/83 21.1.85 NOT REFERRED TO IN ROS. (BUA SUBSEA, HI 204). NCA.
Charting Comments : POSN FOR FILING ONLY
Date Last Amended : 21/02/2005
