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HMS Pathfinder Centenary Dive: Tragic World War I Sinking Unveiled

Explore the tragic sinking of HMS Pathfinder by submarine U-21 in WWI, uncovering facts, eyewitness accounts, and wartime realities. Diving expeditions now reveal the ship's resting place.

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HMS Pathfinder Centenary Dive: Tragic World War I Sinking Unveiled

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  1. HMS Pathfinder

  2. Centenary Dive • Jane Maddocks • BSAC NDC Nautical Archaeology Adviser • Dave lock • BSAC NDC Diver Training Lead

  3. Team • Mark Callaghan • Jason Hall • Sophie Heptonstall • Sarah Jepson • Dave lock • Jane Maddocks • Andy Proctor • Mike Rowley • Maggie Surrage • Dave Wakelam

  4. HMS Pathfinder • Sentinel Class Scout Light Cruiser • Designed to be eyes and ears of fleet • One of four pairs built to general specification • Sister ship HMS Patrol • Built by Camel Laird, Birkenhead • Laid down August 1903 • Launched July 1904 • Commissioned July 1905 • Cost £297,000

  5. Specifications • 2900 Tons displacement • 379 ft x 38.6 ft x 13 ft • Armour plate • Deck = 1.5” – 5/8” • Hull belt = 2” • Conning tower = 3” • 2 x 4 cyl triple expansion engines • Normand-Laird boilers • 16,500 i.h.p. 25 knots • 14330 i.h.p. 25.22 Knots (Trials) • Coal capacity = 160 tons – 410 tons • Crew complement = 268

  6. Armament • 9 x 4” guns • 6 x 6 pdr guns • 2 x 18” Torpedo tubes

  7. Achilles Heel • Period of evolving technology • Need for speed • Destroyer Flotilla Leader • Triple expansion engines devour coal • Limited bunker capacity • 160 – 410 tons • Very limited range

  8. Service Record • Atlantic Fleet • Channel Fleet 1906 • Home Fleet 1907 • Beginning of WW1 • Leader of 8th Destroyer Flotilla • Based Rosyth, Firth of Forth • Home port of Beatty’s “Cats” • Capt. Francis Martin-Peake

  9. 5th September 1914 • Routine patrol off Isle of May • Leading 8th Destroyer Flotilla • Destroyers altered course towards Isle of May~ midday • Pathfinder continued on SSE course • At 5 knots due to lack of coal

  10. Carl Hans Lody • 25th August 1914 • Staying in area • Takes bus to Firth of Forth every morning • 30th August 1914 • Letter to Germany • “4 ships in repair dock” • “Other ships heading to sea” • SM U-21 ordered to target area • 6th November 1914 • Shot as spy in Tower of London

  11. SM U-21 • Type U-19 Class • Built Kaiserliche Werf, Danzig. • Laid down 1910 • Launched 8th Feb. 1913 • Commissioned 22nd Oct. 1913 • KapitanLeutnant Otto Hersing

  12. SM U-21 • 64.1 m x 6.1 m x 3.58 m • 2 x MAN 8 cyl. diesels • 1st U Boats with diesels • 2 x AEG Double Motordynamos • 15.4 knots surfaced • 9.5 knots submerged • 4 x 50 cm Torpedo Tubes • 1 x 88 mm SK L/30 gun • 4 Officers + 25 Crew

  13. 4th September 1914 • SM U-21 penetrated Firth of Forth • As far as Forth Bridge • Fired on by Carlingnose shore battery • Retired back to sea

  14. 5th September 1914 • SM U-21 On surface charging batteries • Lookout spots smoke on horizon • Identifies slow moving warship • Submerged for attack • Warship turns away • Surface to recharge • Warship reverses course • Submerged for attack • 1543 hrs fired 1 torpedo from 2000 yards

  15. HMS Pathfinder • Torpedo spotted ~ 1545 hrs • Lt-Cdr Favell - evasive action • Torpedo struck forward of bridge • Explosion triggers second massive explosion in forward magazine • Bow section blown off from bridge forward • Sinks in 4 minutes

  16. Aftermath • Pathfinder becomes the 1st ship to be sunk by submarine launched motorised torpedo • Explosion heard and seen ashore • Fishing boats, Destroyers and Lifeboat raced to scene • 18 survivors • (Including Capt. Martin-Leake) • 4 subsequently died

  17. Aldous Huxley wrote: • From Northfield House, St. Abbs • “We actually saw the Pathfinder explosion – great white cloud with its foot in the sea. The St. Abbs’ lifeboat came in with the most appalling accounts of the scene. There was not a piece of wood big enough to float a man and over acres the sea was covered with fragments – human and otherwise.”

  18. News Management • Official Admiralty Position • “Submarines lack ability to sink surface warships with a torpedo” • First official statement • “Struck mine” • Scotsman Newspaper • Eye witness accounts by fishermen • Admiralty Intelligence • Claimed U-Boat cornered and sunk by cruisers

  19. Reality • 22 Sept 1914 SM U-9 sank • HMS Aboukir • HMS Hogue • HMS Cressy

  20. SM U-21 & Otto Hersing • May 1915 Sank • HMS Majestic • HMS Triumph • February 1916 Sank • Admiral Charner • 36 Allied ships • Sank 1919 in North Sea • On tow for interment

  21. Diving HMS Pathfinder • www.marinequest.co.uk • ~ 12 Miles N of Eyemouth • Upright & complete • From bridge to stern • Max. depth 68 m • Min. depth 57 m • Bow ~ 1 Mile North

  22. Diving HMS Pathfinder • Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 • No entry • No interference • No removal of artefacts John Liddiard John Liddiard John Liddiard

  23. Diving HMS Pathfinder • Appropriate diving platform • Individual self sufficienct within team • Thermal & Urination issues • Matched to preference & experience • Team diving • Common gases • 10/50 diluent • 20/30 Deep Bailout • 80% Shallow Bailout • Emergency gas • 20/30 @ 55 m • 80% @ 10 m • Drop tanks in boat • All return to shot line for ascent • Diver to boat signal protocol

  24. Diving HMS Pathfinder • Emergency manager/s • Emergency gas deployment • Drop tanks • In-water safety divers • Casualty evacuation procedure • Recompression facilities • In-water recompression? • Therapeutic Oxygen • Therapeutic Oxygen trained people • First Aid • Understanding of potential diving ailments

  25. Diving HMS Pathfinder 80% @ 10m Piston clip & Prussic loop Missing divers procedure Tokens 20/30 @ 55m Strobe 58m 61m 68m

  26. MOD Permission

  27. Wreath & Flag

  28. Relatives • Malcolm Stern • Nephew of William Stern • RN K/5331 • 1st Class Stoker • 1st Jewish casualty of WW1

  29. Relatives • John Magee • Grandson of Richard Magee • Master at Arms • RN 164813 ch

  30. Relatives

  31. Thank you Mike Rowley

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