Isle of Man Wreck Identification

Analysing data collected by the latest sonar technology, scientists and archaeologists are aiming to identify dozens of shipwrecks in the Irish Sea.

During the summer of 2020, Bangor University’s research vessel Prince Madog used a multibeam sonar system to undertake high-resolution surveys. They explored every charted shipwreck site off the west coast of the Isle of Man.

Over the next two years, we will study these datasets and combine them with previous research, maritime archives, and historical documents. Our work will identify and learn more about these underwater sites. At the same time, this project will develop ways to connect maritime collections with scientific datasets associated with wreck sites more effectively.

The results of our work will mean new research opportunities. Both new and existing audiences will be able to share in, and better understand, a part of our maritime heritage that will forever remain hidden beneath the sea.

HMS Champagne

The British merchant cruiser HMS Champagne is one of the vessels we are hoping to identify from the wrecks in the study area.

HMS Champagne was torpedoed in October 1917, and during this attack 56 crew members died. Weighing 5,360 tonnes and 128 metres in length, this vessel was originally named SS Oropesa. It was built in 1895 by Harland and Wolff Ltd in Belfast and owned by the Pacific Steam & Navigation Company, based in Liverpool.

The ship was modified for service as an auxiliary cruiser in 1914. It subsequently served as part of the Admiralty’s 10th Cruiser Squadron, sinking a U-boat off the Scottish coast in 1915. In 1917 it was lent to the French navy and renamed ‘Champagne’, but kept its British crew.

On the morning of 9 October 1917 the ship was on patrol off the Isle of Man. Just after 6 am, a torpedo fired from U-96 struck the ship in the engine room, on its starboard side. Having lost all power in moderately rough seas, the vessel suffered additional damage from successive torpedo strikes and eventually the order to abandon ship was issued.

In an attempt to fire on the U-boat responsible, four men remained at their posts manning the ships guns while it sank. Sadly, only one of these men survived. More than 200 of the crew were saved by the ships’ lifeboats, local fishing vessels and the RNLI, and taken to ports across the Isle of Man.

Next steps

During 2022 and 2023, we’ll collect information from maritime archives about the history of HMS Champagne, especially the circumstances around its loss. We’ll analyse this alongside information about the numerous other vessels lost in the area. All of this data will be combined with the multibeam sonar dataset to try and determine the exact location and current condition of the remains of HMS Champagne.

This relatively new and integrated approach will be used to help identify other wrecks associated with the World Wars in this area of the Irish Sea. We can also use it to learn more about older and more recent losses.

The project will also examine a range of marine scientific datasets. These datasets will help us learn more about how specific submerged wrecks are impacted by their environment, and how they may change in the decades to come.

Researchers working on this project are based at Bangor University (BU), Ulster University (UU), the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW) and Manx National Heritage (MNH). We very much welcome interest and contributions from other organisations, associations or individual members of the public wishing to share information or learn more about HMS Champagne and other vessels lost in the Irish Sea.