Maritime record MDO20097 - Minerva

Possible remains of 1917 wreck of Norwegian cargo vessel, located approximately 10 miles WSW of the Bill of Portland. If the MINERVA, she was a steamer built of iron, which foundered following attack: regardless of identity, the vessel concerned would have foundered in this offshore position.

Sunk by a German submarine, whether by torpedo or gun action unknown

Position 50 29.60 N 2 45.31 W taken from (2) hinch1999

Horizontal Datum: OGB (1)
Vertical Datum: LAT (1)(2)
Quality of Depth: SWS (1)(2)
General Depth: 43 metres (1)
Orientation: E/W; 050/230 (1)(2); N/S (4)
Method of Fix: SYL (1)

Indexed as the POLKERRIS. (1)

22-JAN-1960: Wire drift sweep. Clear at 18 fathoms, foul at 19
fathoms. General depth 23 fathoms. Least depth by echosounder 116 feet. Length 350 feet. Lies in an E/W direction. Shoalest at the
centre. Position 50 29 34N, 02 45 21W. Horizontal sextant angle
108 degrees 58 minutes hot 119 degrees 09 minutes ede. (1)

25-JAN-1983: Wreck shown in Decca; conversion 50 29 33N, 02 45 19W. (1)

19-JUL-1984: Navigational coordinates 34 64 30E, 66 26 5N obtained. Swept clear at 36m, foul at 36.5m. Least echosounder depth 36.8 in general depth 43m. No scour. Height 6m, length 55m, beam 10m. Lying 050/230 degrees. It is possible that part of the wreck is missing. (1)

27-JUL-1987: Thought that this could be the wreck of a sailing vessel. (1)

22-JUL-1995: Vessel has 2-cylinder compound engine. Measured length 180-185ft, some damage to the stern rail. Measured beam 24ft. Hull with clipper bow to the S completely intact, with upper part of stern missing. Single iron prop with one blade missing. Hull probably of iron with deck beams and tie plates. Anchor in situ on port side, no evidence of any cargo. Believed to be MINERVA, ex. MARIE. (2)(5)

Charted as the MINERVA (PROBABLY) in 43m general depth; dimensions of site 55m x 10m. (2)

Located 10 miles WSW of the Bill of Portland, and the same distance SW of Chesil Beach, in Lyme Bay. (3)

MINERVA 50 29.60N 002 45.31W in 44m. Formerly thought to be the PERRITON or the POLKERRIS. Upright, intact, apart from damage on her starboard side and at her stern. Orientated N/S. Her clipper bow appears to confirm the identification. (4)

<1> United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, 1992, Hydrographic Office wreck index (Index). SWX4837.

<2> SeaZone Hydrospatial, Digital marine geographic information derived from SeaZone Hydrospatial, 21-FEB-2008, re-examined 31-AUG-2016 (Digital archive). SDO20540.

<3> 1977, Admiralty Chart 2454, 21-FEB-2008 (Cartographic materials). SDO14746.

<4> Hinchcliffe, J and V, 1999, Dive Dorset: a diver guide (3rd Edition), No 50, p53-54 (Monograph). SWX1.

<5> United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, Wreck report, 18591 (Monograph). SDO20514.

<6> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 904617 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 15 2024 12:32PM