HISTORY
The local name the Inner Lees does not suggest a wreck that has such an interesting past. The Inner Lees, is in fact, the bow section of the ship that became S.S.Empire Tana.
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| (c) Giorgio Spazzapam Collection |
Built in 1923, as cargo ship S.S Carso by shipbuilders Stabilmento of Trieste, she measured 419 x 54 x 35ft and had a gross weight of 6,275 tons. On 14th Feburary 1941 she was scuttled in Kisamayu, Italian Somaliland, when the port was captured by the British Forces; subsequently salvaged and renamed S.S. Empire Tana.
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| (c) Giorgio Spazzapam Collection |
The Empire Tana was used by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as a cargo ship until 9th February 1944, when she was damaged in a collision with 4 other ships off the coast of Casablanca in heavy fog.
WORLD WAR II
Later in 1944 the Empire Tana was scuttled to act at as a Block ship (code name: corn cob) in the waters of Sword Beach. |
| Sunken block ships at Omaha Beach |
The formation at Sword Beach (Gooseberry 5) was made up of the following vessels: Becheville, Courbet, Dover Hill, HMS Durban, Empire Defiance, Empire Tamar, Empire Tana, Forbin and HNLMS Sumatra.
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| Formation of the Gooseberry at Sword Beach |
The Gooseberry formations were to create an area of sheltered water around the 5 main landing beaches at Normandy: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
[2nd Battalion of The Royal Ulster Rifles were among the troops to land at Sword Beach]
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| Typical Gooseberry formation |
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| Landing beaches at Normandy |
THE WRECK
After the war, around 1947, the ship was bought by a breakers yard owned by John Lees.She was raised and towed to Strangford Lough by the tug 'Zealandia.' The breakers intended to beach the ship at high tide, but did not go according to plan, as the current resulted in the Empire Tana striking a rock; causing her to break in two and sink. The mid-section was salvaged, so not all was lost for the breakers yard.
In 1996 a depth charge was found on the wreck and was disposed of by the Royal Navy
The bow section of the Empire Tana is accessible from the shore, whereas the stern is a boat dive. Both sections break the surface at low water, and are equally popular dive sites in Strangford Lough.
In 1996 a depth charge was found on the wreck and was disposed of by the Royal Navy
The bow section of the Empire Tana is accessible from the shore, whereas the stern is a boat dive. Both sections break the surface at low water, and are equally popular dive sites in Strangford Lough.
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| Inner Lees at high tide |
In recent years divers have been advised that the wreck is in a rapid state of decline, and care should be taken when diving the site. Factors that are possibly contributing to this are: exposure to the weather conditions at low tide, the currents of Strangford Lough (as the wreck is situated close to The Narrows) and boats mooring to the wreck.
PROJECT BASELINE
Currently Project Baseline: Strangford Lough will focus solely on the Inner Lees; the bow section of the wreck, which is home to many species of marine life including conger eels, wrasse, pollock and starfish. |
| Team member Dave Mellon at the bow |
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| Resident Conger Eel below the hull |
The project will not only monitor the marine life on the wreck, but also the condition of the wreck itself, to observe further deterioration and possible contributing factors.
Sources:
http://www.irishwrecksonline.net
http://www.mariners-l.co.uk
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://www.timemoneyandblood.com
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