HMS Hawke Discovered Off Aberdeenshire Coast
Lost Royal Navy Warship HMS Hawke Discovered Off Aberdeenshire Coast
A shipwreck recently discovered off the Aberdeenshire coast is believed to be the lost Royal Navy warship, HMS Hawke, which was torpedoed and sunk during World War I. The wreck, found approximately 70 miles east of Fraserburgh, is said to be in “remarkable” condition despite having been submerged for over a century.
HMS Hawke met its tragic fate on October 15, 1914, when it became struck by a German U-boat’s torpedo during a patrol in the North Sea. The devastating attack caused the ship to catch fire and sink in less than eight minutes. Of the over 600 crew members aboard, 524 perished in the sinking, with only 70 sailors surviving the disaster. This loss marked a significant early blow to the Royal Navy, highlighting the threat posed by German U-boats during the early stages of the war.
On 20 September 1911, Hawke collided in the Solent with the White Star ocean liner RMS Olympic. Photographs documenting the damage to Olympic (left) and Hawke (right) following their collision.
The discovery of HMS Hawke was made by the “Lost in Waters Deep” team, a group dedicated to locating wartime shipwrecks in Scottish waters as a means of honoring those who perished. Using historical data, such as the logs of Navy cruisers and the day journal of the U-boat commander responsible for the attack, the team meticulously narrowed down the ship’s potential resting place. An “obstruction” reported by Scottish fisheries in the 1980s provided a key lead, and after years of research, the wreck was finally located on August 12, 2024, at a depth of 360 feet (110 meters).
Steve Mortimer, a diver involved in the project, described the discovery as both challenging and rewarding. After years of data analysis and research, the team had only a few hours of dive time to investigate the site. Remarkably, just a kilometer from the previously identified obstruction, they found the massive wreck of HMS Hawke.
The 387-foot (118-meter) long and 60-foot (18-meter) wide Edgar-class protected cruiser, launched in 1891, had served the Royal Navy for over two decades before meeting its tragic end. Notably, HMS Hawke had survived a significant collision with RMS Olympic, the sister ship of the Titanic, in 1911, an event that left the cruiser badly damaged.
During World War I, HMS Hawke became assigned to the 10th Cruiser Squadron. Initially engaged in blockade duties between Shetland and Norway.
In October 1914, as part of efforts to prevent German warships from attacking troop convoys from Canada, the squadron moved south to patrol the North Sea. It was during one of these patrols, off the coast of Aberdeen, that HMS Hawke was struck by the single torpedo fired from German submarine U-9, marking a crucial moment in the war and showcasing the Royal Navy’s vulnerability to U-boat attacks.
Despite over a century on the seabed, HMS Hawke remains in a surprisingly preserved state. Mortimer noted that much of the ship’s teak decking is still intact, and the ship’s structure, including the captain’s walkway and numerous guns, remains visible. Inside the wreck, the team found a range of fascinating artifacts, from Royal Navy crockery to intact teacups, bowls, and plates, undisturbed on the floor. Many portholes remain open, a poignant reminder of the suddenness of the ship’s demise.
The cold, nutrient-poor waters of the area have helped preserve the wreck, preventing significant degradation by marine organisms. Mortimer described the site as a “remarkable time capsule,” offering a unique glimpse into a moment of history frozen in time. The wreck’s relatively intact condition adds to its historical significance, allowing researchers and historians to piece together more details about the lives of those who served aboard.
German artistic impression of the sinking by Willy Stoewer 1914
The Royal Navy is expected to formally identify the wreck in the coming weeks, providing closure to the long-lost chapter of HMS Hawke’s history and honoring the memory of the sailors who tragically lost their lives in the sinking.
