Hi Steven - locally no one knew the Fernside had been sunk 4 miles out in the bay here. I’d dived a wreck called the Gowrie a number of times, an intact WWII loss. Despite being pristine there was a debris field of wreckage all around the stern which clearly didn’t come from the Gowrie. It was only when I tried to dive the Gowrie once again and snagged our anchor on something about 50m away I realised there was a 2nd wreck all smashed up and flattened very close to the Gowrie. The bomb hit the aft machinery area - the effect on such a small ship was devastating- the superstructure remains are upside down, blown like that by the explosion.
@@rodmacdonald6396 Hi Rod, thanks for your reply and message, most unexpected. In your video I think I saw the steam engine and boiler quite clearly. Jack's job is listed as "fireman", so that would have been his work area. I wonder why his body came ashore and no others did. Perhaps he had come off watch and was on the upper deck, possibly at night when no-one else was around? Coincidentally my cousin has lived in the Stonehaven area for years, working for the Met. office. Thanks for sharing the video. Steven
My great-uncle Jack Richards died in that ship. His body was the only one found.
Hi Steven - locally no one knew the Fernside had been sunk 4 miles out in the bay here. I’d dived a wreck called the Gowrie a number of times, an intact WWII loss. Despite being pristine there was a debris field of wreckage all around the stern which clearly didn’t come from the Gowrie. It was only when I tried to dive the Gowrie once again and snagged our anchor on something about 50m away I realised there was a 2nd wreck all smashed up and flattened very close to the Gowrie. The bomb hit the aft machinery area - the effect on such a small ship was devastating- the superstructure remains are upside down, blown like that by the explosion.
@@rodmacdonald6396 Hi Rod, thanks for your reply and message, most unexpected. In your video I think I saw the steam engine and boiler quite clearly. Jack's job is listed as "fireman", so that would have been his work area. I wonder why his body came ashore and no others did. Perhaps he had come off watch and was on the upper deck, possibly at night when no-one else was around?
Coincidentally my cousin has lived in the Stonehaven area for years, working for the Met. office.
Thanks for sharing the video. Steven