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Thistlegorm

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by Lord Ball (U1767246) on Wednesday, 24th August 2005

  Has anyone ever heard of the Merchant ship Thistlegorm? It was hit just outside of the Suez after it got blocked by a sunken ship. The Germans went after the Queen Mary but missed her by a couple of days. They attacked the largest ship they could see which was the Thistlegorm. Does anyone know what it was carrying?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Dirk Marinus (U1648073) on Wednesday, 24th August 2005

  Search engine Google has quite a bit of information on the ship.
  
  It did carry a number of troops.
  
  It is now a well known wreck for divers.

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  Posted by patto_chan (U1049107) on Wednesday, 24th August 2005

  The Thistlegorm was a merchant ship which was at anchor off Sinai awaiting transit through the Suez when it was bombed by German aircraft. It was carrying munitions which were detonated by the bombs and the stern was almost blown completely off.
  
  It was forgotten for many years until discovered by Cousteau in the 70s in 30m of water and in an upright condition and became a popular dive destination during the 90s. Its popularity is its downfall as with so many dive boats mooring to it everyday it is slowly being pulled apart.
  
  I dived it last month and it's a fun dive with rooling stock on the deck (and a locomotive blown off onto the seabed on one side) and trucks, motorbikes and small arms in the holds.
  
  A book has been written about it (haven't read it though):
  

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  Posted by dilligas (U1969642) on Saturday, 3rd September 2005

  The Thistlegorm was "discovered" by Cousteau in the mid-fifies athough local fishermen probably already knew about it. It's shown in "the Silent World". It was rediscovered in the early nineties but is very heavily dived and deteriorating fast.
  
  Cargo consisted of trucks, carriers, motor bikes, aircraft parts (eg Wellington wings), locomotives , ammunition, rifles, boots, etc.

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