Normandie

Seine-Maritime

France

The dive is in a closed pond, but is made of sea water, so its populated with its own very specific life.



Le Havre

Bassin du Commerce





Le Gauss is also known as Sperrbrecher 178, SP 178.

Le Gauss

TSS Train Ferry No. 3 was a freight vessel built for the British Army War Office in 1917.

The ship was built by Fairfield Govan and launched on 12 September 1917. Along with her sister ships SS Train Ferry No. 1 and SS Train Ferry No. 2, they were the first vessels to offer regular transport between Britain and continental Europe for rail freight vehicles. They were ordered by the British Army to provide rail freight transport from Richborough harbour to the continent to sustain the war effort. They had four sets of rails along the train deck and used a link span to load when in harbour.

On 1 February 1919 she was involved in the rescue of British and American soldiers from the American transport Narrangansett which had gone ashore on Bembridge Point, Isle of Wight.

After their use by the British Army ended in 1922, they were purchased by the Great Eastern Railway

The Great Eastern Railway was taken over by the London and North Eastern Railway company in 1923 with its interest in the Great Eastern Train Ferry Company. The new service was inaugurated on 24 April 1924 by Prince George, Duke of Kent.

In 1934, the Great Eastern Train Ferry Company was liquidated and she was bought by the London and North Eastern Railway.

In 1940 she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Daffodil. In 1941 was converted to a Landing Craft carrier. She was sunk on 18 March 1945 off Dieppe, Seine Maritime, France. source: Wikipedia.

Northwest of Dieppe harbor. The wreck is marked by a buoy.

HMS Daffodil is also known as SS Train Ferry No. 3.

HMS Daffodil

Wreck of armed merchantman. She was 3753 tons and was carrying wheat before being torpedoed on 3 may 1917. She was 243ft long and had a beam of 47ft. 

The hull is relatively intact considering the age. She is broken in the middle, but the bow and stern can be seen. Stern has a large propeller. Sea bed is around 30m with wreck proud,stern is highest point at 24m. 

Nice wreck with good fish life.

Wreck is dived from a boat and lies off Newhaven.

Clodmoor

This is the wreck of the P+O liner built in 1888.  ALthough currents a minor, watch for tidal effects



Oceana is also known as The O.

Oceana

Wreck of VIIC U-boat. Sank by depth charges from HMS Watchman after sinking 11,000 ton SS Cuba on 06/04/45. Thirty-two died, but eighteen escaped from U-boat. The boats captain Ernst Cordes was amongst those that died. The U-boat also is believed to be responsible for sinking the James Eagan Lane. Wreck is breaking up, but Conning tower is ok and basic structure is still present.

Out of Portsmouth

U1195

On Christmas Eve 1944 the SS Leopoldville left Southampton carrying over 2000 American troops from the 66th Infantry Division, known as the Black Panthers, to support the Battle of the Bulge.  Just 5 miles from the safety of Cherbourg she was struck by a torpedo fired from U-486 commanded by Oberleutnant Gerhard Meyer.  Due to a combination of delays, errors and mishaps over 800 men lost their lives on that cold December evening.

The SS Leopoldville was built in 1928 by the James Cockerill shipyard in New Jersey and first saw service ferrying passengers and cargo between her homeport of Antwerp and the Belgium Congo.  In 1940 she was moved to Liverpool to be converted to a troop carrier and spent the first few years of the war ferrying troops between England and the Mediterranean.  She was one of the first troop carriers to make the crossing to Normandy for the D-Day landing on the 6th June 1944 and made a further 23 crossings over the preceding months under the command of her Belgian Captain, Charles Limbor. 

Then on December 24th 1944 at 17.58, just 5 miles from Cherbourg, disaster struck when a torpedo fired from U-486 struck the Leopoldville in hold No 4, instantly killing 350 men.  Her three escort ships, HMS Brilliant, HMS Hotham and the Free French frigate Croix de Lorraine instantly gave chase and Captain Limbor in a state of shock didn't contact anyone for assistance, to add to the problem some of the Congolese crew proceeded to load the lifeboats with personal items and rowed away.  About fifteen minutes after the torpedo struck the captain gave order to abandon ship, but in Belgian so none of the troops understood.   

It wasn't until HMS Brilliant arrived back at 18.30 having not found the u-boat the severity of the situation became apparent and Cherbourg was contacted for assistance, though not much help would arrive as everyone was away on holiday.  HMS Brilliant made a heroic attempt to rescue as many men as possible and after taking over 500 men the mooring ropes were cut as the Leopoldville was listing too heavily.  At approximately 20:30 two loud explosions ripped through the lower decks and the Leopoldville finally gave up and slipped beneath the waves.   

In all a total of 802 men lost their lives that cold December evening, most succumbing to hypothermia and drowning (they were not instructed to remove their greatcoats and helmets before entering the water as the life jackets would not take the weight).  The whole incident was quickly hushed up by the authorities and only received a small mention in the middle pages of some newspapers. 

The Leopoldville incident was as good as forgotten until 1984. 

Certainly the most impresive Wreck from the chanel

Out of Cap de la Hague - Barfleur. Approx 1hr by boat. If you don't have a boat to disposition ask a local dive base.


SS Leopoldville Wreck

Former Belgian ship converted to an Infantry landing Ship. Sunk by U261 on 29 July 1944. Intact Bofors gun on rear of ship. Beware of live depth charges on wreck.



HMS Prince Leopold is also known as Leopold.

HMS Prince Leopold



Good access with beach car park or boat launch from Newhaven marina.

Newhaven West Arm

11,000 ton French liner, used as troopship. Sunk 6 April, 1945, by a torpedo from U-1195, which lies nearby. 32m deep with wreckage standing upright 14m proud. Piles of steel plates and girders on very large site. Viz can be poor. 




Cuba

Wreck of 530 ton Tree class armed trawler. Badly damaged in an attack by E-boats on 31 January 1944, whilst escorting a convoy 10 miles south east of Beachy Head. For some unknown reason ship was towed towards Portsmouth instead of Newhaven. Ship was too badly damaged and sank six miles from Selsey Bill. Broken up and scattered wreck.



HMS Pine is also known as Pine.

Bassin du Commerce

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Bassin du Commerce