As part of this study I am looking to identify the final location for each of the vessels sunk during the events of June 8th. These positions, if accurate, could ultimately be used to search for the wrecks and that generates many questions, concerns and topics for debate.
For the seafarers who have lost their lives at sea there is no marked grave and their final resting place is often unknown in a vast expanse of ocean.
In the not-so-distant past the bodies of sailors that were recovered from beaches or picked up by passing boats were often buried with the simple inscription “Known only to God” or “Unknown Sailor”. The sea not only robbed the relatives of the closure provided by a physical grave but also robed the sailor of their identity.
For a time I lived in Newfoundland, an island off the east Coast of Canada.
“The Rock”, as the locals called it, was home to proud fishermen and a fishing legacy that spanned half a Millenia. The Newfoundland fishermen who plied their trade on the Grand Banks and amongst the ice flows knew the risks . Countless fishing and sealing boats were lost along the Newfoundland and Labrador cost.
Most Newfoundland fishermen and sealers couldn’t swim, they didn’t want to prolong their suffering if they ended up in the frigid water – better to drown quickly than slowly succumb to the cold.
Yet despite this reality there were many instances of sailors, who for whatever reason had found themselves in the water, tying themselves to fishing floats or floating debris. This wasn’t an act of survival but to increase the likelihood that their bodies could be recovered for their families – closure. Without a body the families would be left wondering if they had made it ashore.
Working at sea is tough under normal circumstances and is made exponentially worse by conflict.
While the battlefields of the Bannockburn, Waterloo, Somme, Normandy Landings, Iwo Jima, Tumbledown and other famous battles can, for the most part, be visited and the sacrifices of forefathers reflected on, the graves of sailor are less accessible.
The shattered emplacements on the beaches of Normandy, the restored trenches of the Somme, the monastery at Monte Cassino, Pegasus Bridge are examples of echo’s from that remind us the cost, horror and lessons of war.
However, the names of the fallen from Trafalgar, Jutland, Guadalcanal, Leyte Gulf and numerous other sea battles are etched in memorials far from their graves or the events that took their lives.
Even today the land below the waves is mostly hidden with roughly 20% mapped to an appreciable resolution. The planet’s oceans is the resting place for millions and as hydrographic surveying technology improves the chances of detecting traces of lost vessels and tragic events is increasing.
Finding a historic wreck, either as part of an expedition or by accident, raises a lot of emotions and its vital that we discuss them as part of any project or mission to analyze a wreck. Often, the discovery of a wreck the final resting place of those who were lost changes from and ocean of unknown to a marked position on a chart. Finding the wreck affords it more legal protection but in some parts of the world exposes it to damage by unscrupulous salvage companies operating illegally.
Even if the wreck isn’t the actual physical location for the seafarers death it often becomes a focal point for the loss.
The discovery of a wreck may reveal important details of the ship and its crews final minutes and shed more light on the events surrounding its loss.
However, there are other instances where the discovery of a wreck generates more questions than answers or significantly alters or challenges the historic dialogue around the ship.
For some people the discovery of a historic wreck is a window into history and provides closure if a relative or loved one was lost on the wreck. For others the discovery and documentation of a wreck can be a troublesome time and bring raw emotions to the fore. Unlike the ‘sanitized’ battlefields on land, the deep ocean preserves the wrecks, often with very visible scars of war and loss.
HMS Glorious, Acasta and Ardent are war graves and as a result are afforded protection under the principle of Sovereign Immunity. For documenting the wrecks as part of a non-intrusive survey, Ministry of Defence permission is not required. However, I believe that any organizations or individuals that locate these wrecks either by accident or as part of a planned operation should notify or involve teh relevant organizations at the earliest stage. Participation and oversight by the relevant branches of the UK and Norwegian government is strongly advised.
Permission is only required in the event that any of the actions below occur:
a. Tampering with, damaging, moving, removing or unearthing the remains
b. Entering any hatch or other opening in the remains
c. Causing or permitting another to do any of these things.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Defence would also not permit the filming of any human remains, or personal possessions (including clothing).
Anyone operations near the site must be made aware that there are likely to be munitions in the vicinity of the wrecks.
The fact that these vessels were sunk off Norway (within there EEZ) and in relatively deep water affords them protection from a friendly government and from the complexities of deep water operations.
I personally believe that if/when the wrecks of June 8th are identified a comprehensive survey should be completed. This survey should be extensive enough that further expeditions to the wrecks are not required and that once documented, the wrecks can be left alone.
Ideally the survey would focus on all casualties of that day and all the crew and ships that paid the ultimate price: Oil Pioneer, Juniper, Orama, Ardent, Glorious and Acasta. We should also acknowledge the German sailors who perished although evidence of this in the battlespace would be sparse.