This is the information page about the shipwreck War knight, the water chart below shows the wreck in its immediate vicinity. The position of this wreck is 50 39.957 N,1 31.124 W (50.633333333333, -1.4166666666667)
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The texts accompanying this shipwreck are in English ๐ฌ๐ง, as they are prepared by the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) based on data from UKHO and the hydrographic services of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, among others. They include the known details of the wreck and the comments of the cartographers who have checked the position and condition of the wreck over time.
Name: WAR KNIGHT
Length 125 meter, width: 17.1 meter, draught: 9.1, tonnage 7951 ton
Load: general and mixed goods
Cause: built in 1917 by union iron works, alameda, usa. owned at time of loss by the shipping controller. three boilers, steam turbine engine, single shaft. passage philadephia and new york for london in convoy nh53. general cargo including foodstuffs, bales of rubber and drums of chemicals. carrried 999 tons fuel oil. was in collision with american s tanker 'o b jennings' which was carrying a cargo of naptha. both vessels were quickly engulfed in fire. war knight was taken in tow next day by a destroyer but then struck a mine which had probably been laid by german submarine uc 17. she was then beached close inshore where she was later partially salvaged. (m woodward, article in sport diver).
Year of registration: 1918
Water depth above wreck: 10 meter, Height above seabed: 157 cm
Known since: 1918, last detected: 2011
Details measurements/cartography: H3197/21 26.5.21 H3197/21 26.5.21 WK IN 503956N, 013055W. MARKED BY UNLIT G CONL BUOY. (TH EX 2107/21). CHART AS WK [OLD SYMBOL] (1917) MARKED BY G BUOY.
- NM 969/21. H6963/23 11.10.23 H6963/23 11.10.23 DW NOW MARKED BY G CAN BUOY. (TH 81/23). AMEND TO DW (1917) MARKED BY G CAN BUOY. BR STD. H7588/37 23.11.37 H7588/37 23.11.37 DRIFT SWEEP CLEAR AT 22FT. (HMS FLINDERS, 11.11.37). AMEND TO WK 3FMS 4FT.
- NM 2214/37. 9.9.65 9.9.65 REP'D THAT WK LIES 100YDS NE OF CHARTED POSN. WRECK DIVED ON. (MR PERRY, BSAC, 9.9.65). NCA. H744/44 3.3.44 H744/44 3.3.44 DELETE BUOY.
- NM 466/44. 5.2.69 5.2.69 NOW CHARTED AS WK 3FMS 2FT [6.1MTRS] [LAT]. NE 2219. H1270/72 8.11.72 H1270/72 8.11.72 CONSIDERED WK LIES ABOUT 100YDS N OF CHARTED POSN. HOWEVER THERE IS A LARGE ROCK OUTCROP NEAR CHARTED POSN WHICH COULD BE MISTAKEN FOR THE WK. THIS OUTCROP NEVER SHOWS ABOVE WATER. THE WK IS WELL FLATTENED BUT SOME SAMSON POSTS STICK UP CLOSE TO SURFACE. WELL SALVAGED IN PAST. CURRENTLY OWNED BY LOCAL I.O.W DIVER. FROM E/S TRACE DEPTH OF ROCK IS 22FT [18FT WHEN REDUCED - TIDE] & OF WK IS 28FT [24FT LESS TIDE]. (MR R LEON, REPORT DATED 23.8.72). NCA. H4469/81 4.8.83 H4469/81 4.8.83 EXAM'D 21.6.82 IN 503954N, 013102.5W [OGB] USING TRISPONDER [2 LOP]. LEAST ES DEPTH 6.2 IN GEN DEPTH 10-11MTRS. SCOUR DEPTH 0.5MTRS. LYING NNW/SSE. LENGTH ABOUT 60MTRS, BEAM 15MTRS. (SCESU, HI 97) SHOWN IN INCORRECT POSN ON FAIR SHEET [K9156/1], TOO FAR TO THE EAST. AMEND TO WK 6.2MTRS IN REVISED POSN. BR STD. 2.2.07 2.2.07 CONTEMPORARY REPORTS IDENTIFY THE SHIP IN THIS POSN. IN ADDITION SHE IS THE ONLY MERCHANT SHIP KNOWN TO HAVE A STEAM TURBINE, WHICH CAN BE SEEN IN THE WK. (D C WENDES, SOUTH COAST SHIPWRECKS). NCA. 16.6.11 SEP 2011/000130950 16.6.11 LOCATED IN 5039.957N, 0131.124W [WGD]. LENGTH APPROX 115MTRS. LEAST DEPTH 7.2MTRS. (FATHOMS LTD, HI 1316). POOR COVERAGE. NFS. RETAIN WK 6.2MTRS IN REVISED POSN. BR STD.
Comment researcher: UK Hydrographic Office
Position: 50 39.957 N,1 31.124 W