Over the summer, I met up with my buddy Eddie Huzzey in Dover for a week of wreck exploration. I was super excited, as Eddie had marked some new sites that had not been dived before.

An upright stern emerged through the grey-green water around 10m below me. The last time I visited this wreck on a cold October day, I was in total blackness at this depth, but today was different and the high sun overhead at last revealed the HMHS Lanfranc in its full glory.

Afterthoughts

Thirteen allied hospital ships were torpedoed in World War I, along with several more on all sides lost to mines, including the most famous of them all—the Britannic. Yet even after Germany declared its intentions to target these ships, there were several examples where U-boat commanders chose not to attack, as humanity prevailed against their orders.

The author gives special thanks to Terry Ayling for his tireless modelling, lighting assistance and endless patience. Steve Jones is an underwater photographer and journalist whose award-winning work has been published in over 30 countries during a career spanning three decades.

 A true all-rounder, his assignments have included colossal battleship wrecks in the deep north Atlantic and sub-zero encounters with apex polar predators to equatorial seascapes awash with strong currents.

References and further reading:

• McGreal, S. (2009). The War on Hospital Ships 1914-1918. Pen and Sword Maritime. ISBN-13: 978-1844158584
• McCartney, I. (2002). Lost Patrols: Submarine Wrecks of the English Channel. Periscope Publishing Ltd. ISBN-13: 978-1904381044
• Young, R. and Armstrong, P. (2009). Silent Warriors: Submarine wrecks of the United Kingdom, Volume. 2. The History Press.

X-RAY MAG: You have announced that you are going to cross the English Channel underwater. What is the status on that project?