After more than a century of mystery, technical divers from the community-led initiative ProjectXplore have conclusively identified the wreck of HMS Bayano, a First World War armed merchant cruiser sunk by the German submarine U-27 on 11 March 1915. The 126-metre vessel now rests at a depth of 106 metres in the North Channel between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The discovery follows months of archival research at the UK National Archives and Glasgow City Archives, together with side-scan sonar and deep technical dives from the vessel MV Aquaholics 5 out of Stranraer in October 2025. The identification brings closure to one of the last missing Royal Navy armed merchant cruisers of the First World War.

The search and the find

Led by divers Leo Fielding, Dan McMullen and Dr Steffen Scholz, the seven-member ProjectXplore team surveyed the site using towed side-scan sonar before descending with closed-circuit rebreathers to document the wreck.

At 106 metres on the seabed, the vessel lies bow-north-north-west with a 20-degree list to starboard, rising more than 15 metres above the bottom in places. Photographs show the ship’s two 6-inch (152 mm) guns—one forward and one aft—matching the armament recorded for HMS Bayano and unique among First World War armed merchant cruisers.

Sonar data confirmed a barrel length of approximately 6.8 metres, consistent with the BL 6-inch Mk VII naval gun specified for the vessel’s wartime conversion. Measurements of hull length (126 m) and beam (16 m) aligned with shipyard specifications from builders Alexander Stephen & Sons of Glasgow.

Other details matched precisely: the single-funnel layout, two collapsed masts, five-bar railings along the promenade deck, the refrigeration machinery from her earlier service as a fruit carrier, and an elliptical stern profile—all confirming the ship’s identity.

“The identification is not based on one photograph but on a series of mutually reinforcing indicators like the gun size, location, the dimensions, the single-funnel merchant layout, the refrigeration plant, the railing pattern, the stern form and the historical positions,” said diver Dr Steffen Scholz.

A century-old mystery resolved

Built in 1913 for the Elders & Fyffes Line as a refrigerated banana carrier, Bayano was requisitioned by the Royal Navy in late 1914, armed with two 6-inch guns, and commissioned as an Armed Merchant Cruiser.

On 11 March 1915, while transiting from Glasgow to Liverpool, the vessel was struck forward of the bridge by a torpedo from U-27, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Bernd Wegener. The ship sank within minutes. Of her complement of more than 200, only 27 survived.

At the time, Bayano’s loss was headline news across Britain and the Empire. Survivors described Captain Henry Carr remaining on the bridge until the end, waving goodbye to his men. Royal Marine Arthur Craze, one of the few rescued, recalled, “Men were moving about as unconcerned as if nothing had happened. … The last thing I saw of the ship was the propellers up in the air, perfectly still.”

The ship’s final resting place, however, remained uncertain. Conflicting wartime records placed the sinking between Corsewall Point and Ailsa Craig. Archival evidence reviewed by ProjectXplore—positions from U-27’s war diary and survivor testimony—predicted a location within two nautical miles of the newly confirmed site.

Diving the site

Conditions in the North Channel are notoriously difficult: poor visibility, strong currents and depths beyond the range of most sport divers. Using JJ-CCR rebreathers and Global Underwater Explorers procedures, the team completed two dives to survey and photograph the wreck.

“The site is remarkably intact, which makes it an exceptional piece of underwater heritage,” said diver Alexandra Pischyna. The cold, low-energy environment has helped preserve much of the superstructure and machinery, including the refrigeration plant from Bayano’s pre-war career.

Every observation strengthened the identification: the forward gun still offset on the starboard rail—exactly as described by 20-year-old lookout Johnny Caulfield in 1915—the amidships bridge foundation, and hull damage consistent with a starboard-side torpedo impact beneath the bridge.

Courage remembered

Beyond the technical triumph, the project was guided by remembrance. Nearly 200 men perished in the freezing water, many trapped below decks. Only 27 survived.

“Every detail such as the guns, railings and engineering speaks of a working warship and of the men who served aboard her. This was a moment of discovery and of remembrance,” said diver Daniel McMullen.

“To stand witness to HMS Bayano again after 110 years is an immense privilege. We hope this work honours her crew and preserves their story for future generations,” added Joe-Colls Burnett.

The Royal Navy has been informed of the identification, and the site is expected to be treated as a war grave.

Historical context

Bayano’s loss came just one month after Germany announced its campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare, signalling a new phase in naval conflict. Her destruction underscored the vulnerability of converted merchant ships pressed into military service and the human cost of modern industrialised warfare.

For maritime historians, the find fills one of the final gaps in the record of Britain’s armed merchant cruisers—auxiliary vessels that played a key role in maintaining the Allied blockade during the First World War.

From a technical standpoint, the identification showcases how modern sonar mapping, archival research and deep mixed-gas diving can converge to resolve century-old mysteries.

ProjectXplore’s mission

ProjectXplore is a not-for-profit, volunteer-led Global Underwater Explorers initiative connecting divers with maritime-archaeology projects around the UK. Its guiding goals are education, conservation and remembrance.

“We are passionate about understanding and conserving maritime history,” said co-organiser Leo Fielding. “Every wreck is a story of technology, people and place—and a reminder of the lives behind the steel.”