SS Thistlegorm
Red Sea, Egypt
What happened
During World War II the Thistlegorm was carrying supplies for British forces, including trucks, motorcycles, rifles and two railway steam locomotives. It left Glasgow on 2 June 1941, bound for Alexandria, Egypt. While it waited at anchor in the Red Sea, German bombers attacked it in the early hours of 6 October 1941, and an explosion in its hold sank the ship.
Why it matters
Its cargo is still on the seabed, giving a clear picture of what an army supply ship carried in World War II. It is now one of the most popular wreck dives in the world.
What came next
Jacques Cousteau found the wreck in the early 1950s with information from local fishermen. It lies at about 30 metres at its deepest, shallow enough for recreational divers to visit.
Did you know?
The two steam locomotives were carried as deck cargo and were blown off the ship, and they now lie on either side of the wreck.
Timeline
- 9 April 1940Thistlegorm is launched in Sunderland, England.
- 2 June 1941It leaves Glasgow on its last voyage, bound for Alexandria.
- 6 October 1941German bombers sink it at an anchorage in the Red Sea.
- Early 1950sJacques Cousteau finds the wreck.