Strangford Lough Wreck List
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(Lee's Wreck)

Vessel Type:

Liberty Ship

Location:Co. Down
Date of Loss:1947/1948Place:Ballyhenry Bay, Strangford Lough
Cause of Loss:Ran agroundBoat Dive from:Portaferry
Charted Depth:Breaks surfaceIrish O.S. Map:Discovery Series No. 21
Height of Wreck:15mAdmiralty Chart No:2156
Hull Material:SteelLatitude (GPS):54° 23' 21.6" North
Type of Seabed:Rocks and shaleLongitude (GPS):05° 34' 21" West
Average Visibility:10 - 15mConvert Lat. & Long. to -Decimal - CLICK HERE
Image available?Yes - see below Diving Experience:Novice
 
Diving Information:    
  • Sitting in an upright position and exposed at all stages of the tide.
  • Ironwork is deteriorating, and liable to collapse - be warned.
  • Proliferation of "Dead man's fingers" and sponges at stern of wreck.
  • Resembles a garden, full of colour. Always fish around.
  • Slack Water is best, high or low tide.
  • Boat can be launched from either Strangford or Portaferry.
  • Boat can be tied to wreck.
  • Warning!! A notice has been issued warning of the wreck’s rapid deterioration and care is needed when diving the site.
 
Historical Information:
  • Formally called the "Carso", and built in 1923 originally as an Italian ship, she was captured by the Allies in 1943.
  • Built by Stabilmento of Trieste, she grossed 6,148 tons and measured 406 x 54 x 33ft.
  • She was used in the D-Day landings as part of the Gooseberry Breakwater on "Sword" beach (British).
  • After the war she was purchased by the breakers yard ‘John Lee’ operating from Ballyhenry Bay.
  • The idea was to beach her at high tide, but the current caught her and she struck a rock and sank, later to break in two. The forward section was later cut away and scrapped.
  • A depth charge was found aboard in 1996 and disposed of by the Royal Navy.
 

S.S. Empire Tana

("S.S. Empire Tana" as the "S.S. Carso")

© by kind permission of Giorgio Spazzapan Collection


 

S.S. Empire Tana

("S.S. Empire Tana" as the "S.S. Carso")

© by kind permission of Giorgio Spazzapan Collection


 

D-Day Harbour plan

via email

All external rights respectfully acknowledged


 

S.S. Empire Tana

© Michael Montgomery, Castlereagh SAC, 2006


 

S.S. Empire Tana

© Michael Montgomery & Nick Cooke, Castlereagh SAC, 2006


 

S.S. Empire Tana

© Michael Montgomery & Nick Cooke, Castlereagh SAC, 2006


 

S.S. Empire Tana

© Michael Montgomery & Nick Cooke, Castlereagh SAC, 2006


 

S.S. Empire Tana

© Michael Hamilton, Castlereagh SAC, 2004


 

S.S. Empire Tana

© Michael Hamilton, Castlereagh SAC, 2004


 

S.S. Empire Tana

© Michael Hamilton, Castlereagh SAC, 2004

Source Publications:
Down Recorder article - 11/09/85
by
Dr. R. Brown
"Irish Wrecks Database"
by
Roy Stokes & Liam Dowling
"Shipwreck Index of Ireland"
by
Richard & Bridget Larn
Lloyd's Register - Fairplay Ltd 2002 - ISBN: 1900839970
"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 932 – 1997"
by
Dr. Edward J. Bourke
Edward J. Bourke 1998 - ISBN: 0952302713
"Underwater Ireland Guide to Irish Dive Sites"
by
Irish Underwater Council
CFT 1999 - ISBN: 0948283025
 
Other Sources:
Randal Armstrong
-
Castlereagh SAC (1977)
Michael Montgomery
-
Castlereagh SAC (2005)

Strangford Lough Wreck List

Last update - 02-Feb-2006

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