HMS Campania
HMS Campania. (Adty No ) 5/11/1918
Displacement: 12884 grt.
Length: 189.6 m. Beam: 19.9m. Draught: 11.5 m
Propulsion: 2 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engines, 2 shafts, twin screw.
Machinery.
Complement: 600 ?
Men Lost: 0
Armament: .6 × 4.7 in guns
1 × 3 in AA gun
Displacement: 12884 grt.
Length: 189.6 m. Beam: 19.9m. Draught: 11.5 m
Propulsion: 2 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engines, 2 shafts, twin screw.
Machinery.
Complement: 600 ?
Men Lost: 0
Armament: .6 × 4.7 in guns
1 × 3 in AA gun
RMS Campania was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Govan for the Cunard Steamship Co. Ltd. - Cunard White Star Line, Liverpool in 1892.
In 1914 the Admiralty purchased RMS Campania from a shipbreaker and she became HMS Campania and was converted to a seaplane carrier being commissioned in 1915.
The Loss
During a gale on the morning of 5th November 1918 HMS Campania started dragging her anchor and collided with several ships also anchored in the Firth of Forth. One of the ships HMS Campania collided with was HMS Royal Oak and it is thought this collision breached the hull of Campania The ship sank five hours after the collision settling by the stern. All the crew survived.
Newspaper articles:
Newspaper articles:
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail - Friday 22 November 1918
CAMPANIA SUNK. Liner that Saved a Cruiser's Crew in Jutland Battle. The Cunard liner Campania was recently sunk during a gale in the Firth of Forth, all hoard being saved. She broke from her moorings, and came into collision with a battleship, sinking before she could be beached. The Campania, taken over the Admiralty during the war. had for some time past been acting a seaplane-carrying ship. It has been stated publicly, though not officially, that while acting in that capacity she played a gallant part the Battle of Jutland. When HMS Warrior was hard pressed by a German Battleship she interposed her hull, made fast a hawser to the British cruiser. and towed her for ten hours. The Warrior subsequently sunk but it was claimed that the Campania was means of saving the crew, only one of whom wan officially reported as drowned. The Campania was of 12,884 registered tons, and was built at Fairfield on the Clyde in 1883.
Nottingham Journal - Friday 22 November 1918
CAMPANIA SUNK. Well-known Liner' Lost in Collision: All Aboard Saved. A Liverpool correspondent states that the well-known Cunard liner. Campania, was recently sunk in the Firth of Forth’ during gale. All on board were saved. The liner broke from her moorings and, colliding with battleship, sank before could be beached. The Campania had for some time been acting seaplane carrying vessel. The Campania was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Go., Glasgow, and was launched September, 1892. A vessel of 12,950 tons, she was then placed the Liverpool—New York service, the most magnificently-appointed passenger liner in the world.
Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser - Wednesday 27 November 1918
CAMPANIA SUNK. COLLISION WITH BATTLESHIP IN FIRTH OF FORTH. The Cunard liner_ " Campania " was recently sunk during a gale Firth of Forth, all on board being saved. She broke from her moorings and came into collision with a battleship, sinking before she could be beached The Campania had for some time past been acting a seaplane-carrying ship.
CAMPANIA SUNK. Liner that Saved a Cruiser's Crew in Jutland Battle. The Cunard liner Campania was recently sunk during a gale in the Firth of Forth, all hoard being saved. She broke from her moorings, and came into collision with a battleship, sinking before she could be beached. The Campania, taken over the Admiralty during the war. had for some time past been acting a seaplane-carrying ship. It has been stated publicly, though not officially, that while acting in that capacity she played a gallant part the Battle of Jutland. When HMS Warrior was hard pressed by a German Battleship she interposed her hull, made fast a hawser to the British cruiser. and towed her for ten hours. The Warrior subsequently sunk but it was claimed that the Campania was means of saving the crew, only one of whom wan officially reported as drowned. The Campania was of 12,884 registered tons, and was built at Fairfield on the Clyde in 1883.
Nottingham Journal - Friday 22 November 1918
CAMPANIA SUNK. Well-known Liner' Lost in Collision: All Aboard Saved. A Liverpool correspondent states that the well-known Cunard liner. Campania, was recently sunk in the Firth of Forth’ during gale. All on board were saved. The liner broke from her moorings and, colliding with battleship, sank before could be beached. The Campania had for some time been acting seaplane carrying vessel. The Campania was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Go., Glasgow, and was launched September, 1892. A vessel of 12,950 tons, she was then placed the Liverpool—New York service, the most magnificently-appointed passenger liner in the world.
Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser - Wednesday 27 November 1918
CAMPANIA SUNK. COLLISION WITH BATTLESHIP IN FIRTH OF FORTH. The Cunard liner_ " Campania " was recently sunk during a gale Firth of Forth, all on board being saved. She broke from her moorings and came into collision with a battleship, sinking before she could be beached The Campania had for some time past been acting a seaplane-carrying ship.
HMS Campania sinking.
The Wreck
HMS Campania has the UKHO Wreck Card 2825. The card was created in 1918 and stated:
4.12.18 POSN 152DEGS, 5350FT [S 11DEG E MAG] FROM FIXED LT E ENTRANCE BURNTISLAND HBR. GIVES 560230N, 031315W. MASTS & FUNNELS SHOWING AT LW. (CINC ROSYTH). - FNM 739/18.
In 1921 it was stated that the wreck would be dispersed and by July 1921 the dispersal had been carried out reducing the wreckage to a depth of 6.5 fathoms and the wreck was no longer considered a danger to navigation and the wreck buoy was removed.
An interesting article about the dispersal:
The Scotsman - Friday 25 February 1921
OPERATIONS IN THE FORTH work has begun at the instance of the Northern Lighthouse Commissioners for the removal of the wreck of the Campania , from the fairway of the Firth of Forth During the war this [famous old Cunarder was used as a seaplane carrier and was sunk by accident off-Burntisland. She lies with her bow pointing up the Firth the tops of her masts showing arid with a heavy list to port. A : well-known English salvage ' contractor ,Mr. Thomas Round , Sunderland , a contractor to Trinity House for the ] removal of wrecks has been entrusted with the work.; Mr. Round is represented on the work by his elder son , Mr. George Lee Round, who directs operations, and Mr. John Round, who acts as leading diver , The latter has made a survey , of the-wreck as she lies and placed several heavy charge's of gelignite, by which the forepart of the vessel has been blown away. A salvage steamer , the St . Adrian with a large motor tender and small ; boats , comprise the flotilla engaged.
Aboard the motor tender the salvagers favoured by the exceptionally fine weather make daily trips to the ! scene of the wreck, which they have ringed round with a dozen danger buoy. Arrived over the wreck their vessel is moored ahead to one of the Campania's ' masts, and astern to one of the danger buoys, or to an anchor when a .. westerly breeze is blowing
THE DIVER AT WORK . Mr. John Round, an athletic young man of 24 , dons the diving dress and goes over-the side . Having reached the main deck of the sunken liner at a depth of 50 feet or so , he selects a place in which to stow a charge and marks it with a weight at the end of a rope , lowered for the purpose . As lie has already studied a longitudinal section plan of the ship , he ,knows his way about the sloping deck of . the wreck ; though he can see very little in the muddy water . His business is to select locations where" an explosive charge will do the most disruptive damage ; for there is no thought of salving any material . To burst the ship asunder , bit by bit , from end to end , so . that she will , splay open, flatten out, and cease to be a danger to future navigation' is the object.
Occasionally the diver comes to the surface to give fuller instructions than can be communicated by tugs on his life-line . Then he goes down finally , and takes his stand on the ships deck. From the motor-tender bags of gelignite are unerringly lowered to his very feet ; for on the lowering line there is a shackle, or bolted ring, and this slips down the rope which ends in the weight at the selected spot . The gelignite is in small packets placed in jute bags. Each bag contains enough explosive to make a heavy lift for one man . . Next there go down a pair of electric cables with detonators ready.
THE STUNNED FISH. His task finished , the diver comes up , The motor tender sheers off, leaving a smaller boat with the captain and two of the crew- to attend to the exploding of the charge . The electric cables are reeled out, and when the danger ring of buoys is passed the captain gives the order, " Fire !'' A sailor presses home the key of the battery. There is a rumble, and a heave of sea-water over the wreck . This is about to subside when up goes a huge black cloud, studded and scored by solid objects—planks, clothing, provisions . Sometimes there is a following burst, of orange-coloured vapour , which smells vilely as it bears down wind on to the small boat. That speaks of heavy artillery ammunition touched off . Then the sea is found to be dirty, and strewn like a neglected yard ashore . Planks are there, also cheese , butter , ham, and canvas . On the instant there is the gleam of silver through the muck. Dead sprats and other small fry are all about . In a few moments cod , haddocks , and other fish are to be found floating belly-uppermost on the surface . These fish are not dead . They have strength to try to elude capture , The salvagers' own boats cruise about lifting in some of them . Along come the motor fishing boats that have been hovering about in anticipation of the explosion and the greatest excitement prevails as the fishermen lean over the side of their craft with baskets baling in the fish, or yelling directions to the engineer-helmsman The salvage people are delighted with the success that has so far attended their efforts, and consider themselves lucky indeed in regard to the weather.
4.12.18 POSN 152DEGS, 5350FT [S 11DEG E MAG] FROM FIXED LT E ENTRANCE BURNTISLAND HBR. GIVES 560230N, 031315W. MASTS & FUNNELS SHOWING AT LW. (CINC ROSYTH). - FNM 739/18.
In 1921 it was stated that the wreck would be dispersed and by July 1921 the dispersal had been carried out reducing the wreckage to a depth of 6.5 fathoms and the wreck was no longer considered a danger to navigation and the wreck buoy was removed.
An interesting article about the dispersal:
The Scotsman - Friday 25 February 1921
OPERATIONS IN THE FORTH work has begun at the instance of the Northern Lighthouse Commissioners for the removal of the wreck of the Campania , from the fairway of the Firth of Forth During the war this [famous old Cunarder was used as a seaplane carrier and was sunk by accident off-Burntisland. She lies with her bow pointing up the Firth the tops of her masts showing arid with a heavy list to port. A : well-known English salvage ' contractor ,Mr. Thomas Round , Sunderland , a contractor to Trinity House for the ] removal of wrecks has been entrusted with the work.; Mr. Round is represented on the work by his elder son , Mr. George Lee Round, who directs operations, and Mr. John Round, who acts as leading diver , The latter has made a survey , of the-wreck as she lies and placed several heavy charge's of gelignite, by which the forepart of the vessel has been blown away. A salvage steamer , the St . Adrian with a large motor tender and small ; boats , comprise the flotilla engaged.
Aboard the motor tender the salvagers favoured by the exceptionally fine weather make daily trips to the ! scene of the wreck, which they have ringed round with a dozen danger buoy. Arrived over the wreck their vessel is moored ahead to one of the Campania's ' masts, and astern to one of the danger buoys, or to an anchor when a .. westerly breeze is blowing
THE DIVER AT WORK . Mr. John Round, an athletic young man of 24 , dons the diving dress and goes over-the side . Having reached the main deck of the sunken liner at a depth of 50 feet or so , he selects a place in which to stow a charge and marks it with a weight at the end of a rope , lowered for the purpose . As lie has already studied a longitudinal section plan of the ship , he ,knows his way about the sloping deck of . the wreck ; though he can see very little in the muddy water . His business is to select locations where" an explosive charge will do the most disruptive damage ; for there is no thought of salving any material . To burst the ship asunder , bit by bit , from end to end , so . that she will , splay open, flatten out, and cease to be a danger to future navigation' is the object.
Occasionally the diver comes to the surface to give fuller instructions than can be communicated by tugs on his life-line . Then he goes down finally , and takes his stand on the ships deck. From the motor-tender bags of gelignite are unerringly lowered to his very feet ; for on the lowering line there is a shackle, or bolted ring, and this slips down the rope which ends in the weight at the selected spot . The gelignite is in small packets placed in jute bags. Each bag contains enough explosive to make a heavy lift for one man . . Next there go down a pair of electric cables with detonators ready.
THE STUNNED FISH. His task finished , the diver comes up , The motor tender sheers off, leaving a smaller boat with the captain and two of the crew- to attend to the exploding of the charge . The electric cables are reeled out, and when the danger ring of buoys is passed the captain gives the order, " Fire !'' A sailor presses home the key of the battery. There is a rumble, and a heave of sea-water over the wreck . This is about to subside when up goes a huge black cloud, studded and scored by solid objects—planks, clothing, provisions . Sometimes there is a following burst, of orange-coloured vapour , which smells vilely as it bears down wind on to the small boat. That speaks of heavy artillery ammunition touched off . Then the sea is found to be dirty, and strewn like a neglected yard ashore . Planks are there, also cheese , butter , ham, and canvas . On the instant there is the gleam of silver through the muck. Dead sprats and other small fry are all about . In a few moments cod , haddocks , and other fish are to be found floating belly-uppermost on the surface . These fish are not dead . They have strength to try to elude capture , The salvagers' own boats cruise about lifting in some of them . Along come the motor fishing boats that have been hovering about in anticipation of the explosion and the greatest excitement prevails as the fishermen lean over the side of their craft with baskets baling in the fish, or yelling directions to the engineer-helmsman The salvage people are delighted with the success that has so far attended their efforts, and consider themselves lucky indeed in regard to the weather.
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1967 A survey conducted by HMS Myrmidon concluded the remains of the ship had broken into 3 parts.
In 1968 the wreck was sold to Metrec Engineering for salvage but a report in 1977 claimed that Metrec had not yet worked the wreck.
In 2001 the wreck of HMS Campania was protected by being designated as an historical wreck.
2013 the designation was revoked and was then protected as a Historic Marine Protected Area under the Marine Scotland Act 2010.
In 1968 the wreck was sold to Metrec Engineering for salvage but a report in 1977 claimed that Metrec had not yet worked the wreck.
In 2001 the wreck of HMS Campania was protected by being designated as an historical wreck.
2013 the designation was revoked and was then protected as a Historic Marine Protected Area under the Marine Scotland Act 2010.
Firth of Forth - Fisherrow to Port Edgar 1919 and 1929 UKHO
