4427: Items from ships that sank

online resource

posted on 2024-01-17, 15:04 authored by Lest We Forget Project Team

During the 1980s I was one of a group who participated in Advanced Range Diving. At that time, any items we recovered from wrecks on the sea we were allowed to keep. A number of the items in my collection collected during the 1980s came from First World War ships.

History

Name of contributor(s)

Malcolm Copson

Subject of the story/individual the object(s) relate to

Various

Date(s) the event(s) in the story took place

1914-1918

Location(s) where the event(s) in the story took place

Scapa Flow and English Channel

Object(s)

Deck light from the "Prince Wilhelm" which was part of the German fleet scuttled at Scapa Flow in June 1919 (recovered at 45 metres depth). Mouth piece used by the Stuckmeister (the person who points the gun) on the ship to shout instructions down to the Turmoffizier who was 2 decks below manning the turntable. Handwheel from Bayern which operated the air vent for the left turret (recovered at 45 metres depth). A brass rum ration tap. Ship to air shell-head - small dials set the height the shell explodes at. The cap is soldered on to prevent tampering once the height is set and then placed in bundles according to height set. Aimed at aircraft. Firing mechanism for ship to ship line shot. Fired shell in breach. Bilge pump (wreck unknown) English Channel. Lamp with plaque stating which ship it is from. Porthole off the Maid of Orleans. Troop carrier in 1918. (Lost in WW2. Torpedo attack).