Hmt Saucy: Inchkeith, Firth Of Forth

NT28SE 8009 2655 8326

N56 2.2 W3 10.7333

NLO: Inchkeith [name: NT 297 827].

Formerly entered as NT28SE 8122.

Quality of fix = 0025

Evidence = Echo sounder

Horizontal Datum = OGB

General water depth = 15

Orientation of keel/wreck = 338158

Circumstances of Loss Details

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The vessel was hired by the Admiralty for use as rescue tug, and was mined.

Source: World War II Shipping Loses.

Surveying Details

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23 September 1940. The vessel sank 277 degrees, 2560 metres from the Inchkeith Light and was marked by buoy laid 300 degrees, 90 metres from the wreck.

Commander in Chief, Rosyth.

11 October 1945. The wreck was dispersed to least depth of water over the site of 13.6 metres. The area was still regarded as 'foul', but the was buoy withdrawn.

Commander in Chief, Rosyth, 24 September 1945.

14 June 1967. The wreck was not found during survey, and it was considered to have been buried by the silt.

Report by HMS MYRMIDON, 29 May 1967.

10 August 1971. The vessel was again searched for with sonar and not found.

Report by HMS SOISS, 13 November 1971.

23 July 1992. The wreck was located at 56 02 10N, 003 10 33W, using decca.

Report by R N Baird in Register of Wrecks.

28 August 1993. An uncharted wreck was located on the 9 August 1993 at 56 02 12N, 003 10 44W. The least echosounder depth was 11.2 metres in a general water depth of 15 metres.

Report by HMS SANDOWN 9 August 1993.

The vessel was dived upon and found to be a tug of World War I era with a 3.5" gun forward. The bow is complete and stands 4 metres high in a scour pit. The vessel is upright with its masts lying alongside on the seabed. Report by LCdr R Stewart, Rosyth 19 August 1993.

The wreck was reported as 130 feet (40 metres) overall. The beam is 33 feet (10 metres). The orientation along the keel is 338/158 degrees, with the bow to the NW. At position 56 02 11.5N, 003 10 45W, the bow stands approximately 4 metres above seabed. The stern has broken up. The vessel has a metal hull with a wooden deck. Considerable scouring was observed around the bow.

Hydrographic Office 1995.

(Classified as steel rescue tug: date of loss cited as 4 September 1940): Saucy: mined. Check GH casualty 22 October 1940.

Registration: British. Built 1918. 597grt. Length: 46m. Beam: 10m.

(Location of loss cited as N56 2.17 W3 10.55).

I G Whittaker 1998.

This vessel is not noted by G Toghill (2003 or 2004).

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 16 March 2009.