Modern Day Looting at Jutland

[Jonathan Saunders]

This makes dreadful reading. The lack of interest by the government, the MOD and The Admiralty in pursuing those responsible for desecrating our protected war graves is absolutely shocking.

http://thepipeline.info/blog/2016/05/22/exclusive-named-the-salvage-company-which-looted-jutland-war-graves-as-mod-fails-to-act/

(Apologies if this issue has already been raised on the Forum but I couldnt find any similar posts).

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This makes dreadful reading. The lack of interest by the government, the MOD and The Admiralty in pursuing those responsible for desecrating our protected war graves is absolutely shocking.

http://thepipeline.info/blog/2016/05/22/exclusive-named-the-salvage-company-which-looted-jutland-war-graves-as-mod-fails-to-act/

(Apologies if this issue has already been raised on the Forum but I couldnt find any similar posts).

Unfortunately, to be expected in this day and age !

Regards,

LF

[Theletterwriter]

LF

Not just in this day and age. The Indefatigable was reportedly extensively scavenged in the 1950's by Danish or German "salvagers". If this article is correct about the MOD, those in the know need to be identified.

Douglas

[healdav]

I have a long article detailing the salvaging of the fleets in Scapa Flow in the 1920s/30s.

[Jonathan Saunders]

There was "legal" salvinging in the 20s and 30s of several WW1 wrecks (which was not The Admiralty's greatest moment) but these wrecks have since been declared war graves and are protected under British and International law. If this article is true, and I have no reason to believe it is anything but 100% true, then as far as the British government, the MOD and The Admiralty are concerned, being a declared war grave counts for nothing.

[Terry_Reeves]

Jon

I agree with your comments. Given that Jutland is in the news at the moment, try and get your local MP to take it up.

TR

[Andy Wade]

Unsurprising but extremely annoying that the Government have taken no action in this matter.

Apologies in advance for going off-topic in this next bit but I do get back on track...

I was involved (in a very minor way) with the attempts by the P.O.W.R.S.A. (Survivors Association), to obtain the designation of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse under POMRA.

I was honoured to be invited to attend the event in Liverpool in 2003, along with survivors of the Prince of Wales and Repulse, when the Prince of Wales bell was unveiled having been first spotted on the wreck in an easily accessible position, it was lifted by Royal Navy divers and brought home and restored at Liverpool Maritime Museum, because there was a very strong rumour that a price had been placed on it by an unspecified Japanese businessman. Admiral Alan West was present and it was good to see he was pretty meek in the presence of these old boys who were on board when these ships were sunk on 10th December 1941.

I also recall much teeth gnashing at the lifting on the bell of HMS Hood which wasn't at risk in the same way because of the great depth and I note that it was rung on the 24th May this year in honour of those who went down with her.

The Jutland Wrecks are much closer to home though (and relatively shallow) and as has already been said, advances in scuba diving have made these wrecks accessible to anyone with a fat enough wallet.
The report by Archaeologist Andy Brockman shows there has been a blatant disregard for the men who died on board these wrecks and whose remains still lie there today.

Here are two of our local men who died on HMS Indefatigable:

Stoker Leonard Robinson:

Seaman Gunner Henry Throup:

[Theletterwriter]

Andy

I agree with your thoughts about the Jutland wrecks. Thank you for also posting the photographs of Leonard Robinson and Henry Throup.

Douglas

[TeeCeeCee]

I didn't see this story, and was so busy comparing the 2011 image of the brass clarkson cases to a period version that I missed the significance of them on the trawlers decks, I thought at the time it was a diving party had found them around the wreck or maybe on it, though not in it, and they've took a few momentos. It's naughty but I didn't think it a hanging offense.

 

I didn't see the boiler, or the claw/grab, or know of the propellor nor the QM monogram.

 

I'm as incredulous as earlier posters: it's the 21st century, the North Sea is on our doorstep and it's European sailors on a vessel belonging to a european country looting a naval ship from a european country! If nothing is done about this blatant illegality then any rules or laws to protect naval wecks around the word are useless, and are shown to to be so, that is unless there is precious metal within, in which case calls will be made, pains taken and the legal profession employed.

 

Museum Website

 

 

[James A Pratt III]

Illegal salvage operations have been going on for decades on HM ships and other vessels. When price of scrap metal gets high and in most cases there is no penatly involved people will go after them. Note there are legal and goverment approved salvage operations. I realize this will make me unpopular with some people but this is a fact of life.

[TeeCeeCee]

4 hours ago, James A Pratt III said:

Illegal salvage operations have been going on for decades on HM ships and other vessels. When price of scrap metal gets high and in most cases there is no penatly involved people will go after them. Note there are legal and goverment approved salvage operations. I realize this will make me unpopular with some people but this is a fact of life.

 

Yes James, I found the salvaging of the gold from the Edinburgh just as tasteless, however legal it was.

 

I believe it's proof, if proof were needed, that HM Govt. couldn't give two shillings for the remains within the wrecks, they will only exert their ownership claim over them when the cost of doing so can be retrieved.