Hmt Northumbria: Firth Of Forth
Requisitioned Steam Trawler (20th Century), Steam Trawler (20th Century)
Site Name Hmt Northumbria: Firth Of Forth
Classification Requisitioned Steam Trawler (20th Century), Steam Trawler (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Gy 169; Hms Northumbria; One Mile North Of May Island; Isle Of May; North Sea; Outer Forth Estuary
Canmore ID 96670
Site Number NO60SW 8001
NGR NO 64280 01410
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/96670
- Council Fife
- Parish Maritime - Fife
- Former Region Fife
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NO60SW 8001 6428 0141
N56 12.2417 W2 34.55
NLO: Isle of May [name: NT 65 99]
North Ness [name: NO 650 002].
See also NO61SE 8002.
Formerly entered as Site no. 8139.
(Location cited as N56 17.51 W2 32.40 [NO61SE 8002]).
G Ridley 1992.
(Location cited as N56 12.43 W2 34.72: remains described, including boiler).
B Baird 1993.
Quality of fix = 0015
Evidence = Swept by Wire (Single Ship/Boat Drift Sweep)
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 35
Orientation of keel/wreck = 090/270
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The vessel was hired by the Admiralty as a minesweeper and was mined.
Source: World War I Shipping Loses.
Surveying Details
------------------------
24 March 1919. The vessel is believed to have sunk at 56 17 00N, 002 33 00W.
28 July 1960. The wreck is located at 56 17 33N, 002 32 25W.
Report by HMS SCOTT, 2 September 1959.
6 August 1986. The wreck located by HMS SCOTT is identified as the ISLANDMAGEE - see 56 17 31N, 002 32 22W.
26 November 1986. The wreck is identified as the HMS NORTHUMBRIA by the bell recovered on 13 September 1986. The approximate position given is 56 12 00N, 002 36 00W.
Source: W Murney.
28 July 1987 The precise position is given as 56 12 26N, 002 34 43W. The highest point, the boiler, stands 4 metres high and the remainder of the wreckage is no more than 1 metre high.
Source: W Murney, 19 July 1987.
24 January 1994. The site was examined on the 17 August 1993 at 56 12 14.6N, 002 34 33.0W. It swept clear to a depth of 32.8 metres, but fouled the wire at 33 metres. The least depth of clear water by echosounder was 33.4 metres in a general water depth of 35.1 metres. No scour pits were observed. The side scan sonar trace indicated a height of 3 metres above the seabed, length 40 metres (131 feet), breadth 6 metres (19 feet). The keel is orientated on a bearing of 090/270 degrees. The wreck is broken in two.
Report by Oceonics (UK) Ltd.
Hydrographic Office 1995.
(Classified as steel trawler: date of loss cited as 3 March 1917). Northumbria: this vessel was mined 1 mile North of May Island [Isle of May].
Registration: Grimsby. Built 1906. 211grt. Length: 35m. Beam: 6m.
(Location of loss cited as N56 12.43 W2 34.72).
I G Whittaker 1998.
[HMT] Northumbria: in requisitioned service, 1914-17.
Displacement: 211grt 76nrt
Engines: 60hp = 10 kts
Armanent: 1x12pdr.
Admty no. 623.
Port registration: GY 169.
This vessel was built at Beverley by (trawler builders) Cook, Welton and Gemmell, being launched in 1906. She was operated by East Anglia FCL of Grimsby until September 1914, when she was requisitioned and converted for service as a minesweeper. She was lost on 3 March 1917, being mined near May Island [Isle of May] by a mine which had been laid the same day by UC-29.
G Toghill 2004.
This wreck is charted [Wk], being wire-swept to 32m in a general charted depth of between 33m and 41m. No seabed type is indicated nearby. The charted location lies 0.76nm (1.35km) NNW of the North Ness, Isle of May.
The equation of this wreck with the documented loss of HMT Northumbria is accepted on the evidence of the reported discovery of the bell. The present whereabouts of this fitting are unknown.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 27 September 2010.
Loss (3 March 1917)
(Classified as steel trawler: date of loss cited as 3 March 1917). Northumbria: this vessel was mined 1 mile North of May Island [Isle of May].
Registration: Grimsby. Built 1906. 211grt. Length: 35m. Beam: 6m.
(Location of loss cited as N56 12.43 W2 34.72).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Evidence Of Loss (1992)
(Location cited as N56 17.51 W2 32.40 [NO61SE 8002]).
G Ridley 1992.
External Reference (1993)
(Location cited as N56 12.43 W2 34.72: remains described, including boiler).
B Baird 1993.
External Reference (1995)
Quality of fix = 0015
Evidence = Swept by Wire (Single Ship/Boat Drift Sweep)
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 35
Orientation of keel/wreck = 090/270
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The vessel was hired by the Admiralty as a minesweeper and was mined.
Source: World War I Shipping Loses.
Surveying Details
------------------------
24 March 1919. The vessel is believed to have sunk at 56 17 00N, 002 33 00W.
28 July 1960. The wreck is located at 56 17 33N, 002 32 25W.
Report by HMS SCOTT, 2 September 1959.
6 August 1986. The wreck located by HMS SCOTT is identified as the ISLANDMAGEE - see 56 17 31N, 002 32 22W.
26 November 1986. The wreck is identified as the HMS NORTHUMBRIA by the bell recovered on 13 September 1986. The approximate position given is 56 12 00N, 002 36 00W.
Source: W Murney.
28 July 1987 The precise position is given as 56 12 26N, 002 34 43W. The highest point, the boiler, stands 4 metres high and the remainder of the wreckage is no more than 1 metre high.
Source: W Murney, 19 July 1987.
24 January 1994. The site was examined on the 17 August 1993 at 56 12 14.6N, 002 34 33.0W. It swept clear to a depth of 32.8 metres, but fouled the wire at 33 metres. The least depth of clear water by echosounder was 33.4 metres in a general water depth of 35.1 metres. No scour pits were observed. The side scan sonar trace indicated a height of 3 metres above the seabed, length 40 metres (131 feet), breadth 6 metres (19 feet). The keel is orientated on a bearing of 090/270 degrees. The wreck is broken in two.
Report by Oceonics (UK) Ltd.
Hydrographic Office 1995.
External Reference (2004)
[HMT] Northumbria: in requisitioned service, 1914-17.
Displacement: 211grt 76nrt
Engines: 60hp = 10 kts
Armanent: 1x12pdr.
Admty no. 623.
Port registration: GY 169.
This vessel was built at Beverley by (trawler builders) Cook, Welton and Gemmell, being launched in 1906. She was operated by East Anglia FCL of Grimsby until September 1914, when she was requisitioned and converted for service as a minesweeper. She was lost on 3 March 1917, being mined near May Island [Isle of May] by a mine which had been laid the same day by UC-29.
G Toghill 2004.
External Reference (2009)
(Location cited as N56 12 26 W2 34 43 [GPS N56 12.239 W2 34.633]: '1 mile N of May Island [Isle of May]').
(Account of loss and description of wreck, as dived: no specific evidence of identity).
B Baird 2009.
Note (27 September 2010)
This wreck is charted [Wk], being wire-swept to 32m in a general charted depth of between 33m and 41m. No seabed type is indicated nearby. The charted location lies 0.76nm (1.35km) NNW of the North Ness [name: NO 650 002], the northern most point of the Isle of May.
The equation of this wreck with the documented loss of HMT Northumbria is accepted on the evidence of the reported discovery of the bell. The present whereabouts of this fitting are unknown.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 27 September 2010.
Note (27 September 2010)
(Location entered as NO 6428 0141 [N56 12.2417 W2 34.55]). This wreck is charted [Wk], being wire-swept to 32m in a general charted depth of between 33m and 41m. No seabed type is indicated nearby. The charted location lies 0.76nm (1.35km) NNW of the North Ness [name: NO 650 002], Isle of May.
The equation of this wreck with the documented loss of HMT Northumbria is accepted on the evidence of the reported discovery of the bell. The present whereabouts of this fitting are unknown.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 27 September 2010.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 199
Name : NORTHUMBRIA
Latitude : 561226
Longitude : 23443
Date Built : 1906
Registration : GRIMSBY
Type : TRAWLER (STEEL)
Tonnage : 211
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 35
Beam : 6
Draught : 3m
Position : Exact Position
Loss Day : 3
Loss Month : 3
Loss Year : 1917
Comment : Mined 1 mile N of May Island.
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 002983
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Non-dangerous wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 56.20403,-2.57583
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 56.20394,-2.57735
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Previous Position : 56.20722,-2.57862
Position Method : Electronic Distance Measuring System
Position Quality : Surveyed
Position Accuracy : 13.0
Depth : 32.0
Depth Method : Swept by wire-drag
Depth Quality : Least depth known
Water Depth : 35
Water Level Effect : Always under water/submerged
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : HMS NORTHUMBRIA
Type : S TRAWLER
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 35.2
Beam : 6.0
Draught : 3.0
Sonar Length : 40.0
Sonar Width : 6.0
Shadow Height : 3.0
Orientation : 90.0
Tonnage : 211
Tonnage Type : Gross
Date Sunk : 03/03/1917
Scour Depth : 0.0
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Last Sensor : Physical Snag
Original Detection Year : 1917
Named Location (Nlo) (12 March 2012)
NLO: Isle of May [name: NT 65 99].
See also NO60SE 8002 and NO61SE 8011.
Formerly entered as NO60SW 8139.
