Irish Wrecks On-Line - Georgetown Victory SS (No. 500)

*Vessel Type:*	American Troopship	*Location:*	Co. Down
*Date of Loss:*	30th April 1946	*Place:*	Killard Point, Ballyhornan
*Cause of Loss:*	Ran ashore	*Boat Dive from:*	Portaferry
*Charted Depth:*	12m	*Irish O.S. Map:*	Discovery Series No. 21
*Height of Wreck:*	3m	*Admiralty Chart No:*	2156
*Hull Material:*	Steel	*Latitude* *(approx.)*:	54° 18' 45" North
*Type of Seabed:*	Sand and rocks	*Longitude* *(approx.)*:	05° 31' 15" West
*Average Visibility:*	5 - 10m	*Convert Lat. & Long.* to -	Decimal - CLICK HERE
*Image available?*	Yes -see below	*Diving Experience:*	Novice

Diving Information:

The wreck is split into sections.
Dive at slack water, preferably Slack High.
Low Water makes it difficult to get the boat out if launching from Ballyhornan beach.
Better to launch from Portaferry or Strangford slip, although it means a longer boat journey, but less hassle.

Historical Information:

Built as a Victory Class Troopship in 1945 at Fortfield Shipyard, Bethlehem, U.S., and registered at Baltimore, the "Georgetown" had left Fremantle for Glasgow with 1,200 Royal Navy men and Marines due for demob.

The trip initially started from Sydney, Australia. Inexplicably she mistook Strangford Lough for the Clyde.

She grounded about 100yds south of Killard Point, and her back broke just forward of the bridge within a few hours of stranding.

Measured :- 437 x 62 x 34ft and weighed 7,406 gross tons, and powered by twin steam turbine engines.

Formerly owned by U.S. War Shipping Administration she is now owned and salvaged by Karl Bialowas.

S.S. Georgetown Victory

Via internet - source unknown

S.S. Georgetown Victory

© Sandy Roberts - by permission

S.S. Georgetown Victory

Source Publications:

"Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam *1824 - 1962*"	by	Charles Hocking
		*London Stamp Exchange 1989 - ISBN: 0948130474*
*"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**
*"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 1582 - 2000"*	by	Dr. Edward J. Bourke
		Edward J. Bourke 2000 - ISBN: 0952302721
*"Shipwrecks of the Ulster Coast"*	by	Ian Wilson
		*Impact Printing 1997 - ISBN: 0948154993*

Other Sources:

*Randal Armstrong*	-	Castlereagh SAC (1980)
*Georgetown School Web Site*	-	via Eddie Matchett, Lisburn SAC (2008)

Last update - 02-Jun-2008