A copy free feature
Before continuing Download a brief history of the SS 'Richard Montgomery' pdf
Issue: 9 Updated: 1st June 2022
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' the 'Doomsday Wreck'
Much has been written on the WWII liberty ship, this compilation brings together, newspaper pictures, a contemporary report along with our archive pictures
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' at anchor (1943)
Just a year old she'd anchored off Southend ready to join a convoy to Cherbourg, France
Line Drawing of a Liberty Ship
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' steaming (1943)
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' at speed (1944)
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' underway (1944)
Sketch of The SS 'Richard Montgomery' after going aground (1944)
Instructed by Thames Naval Control and the Kings Harbour Master to moor off the Northern edge of Sheerness Middle Sands
Generally trimmed to 28' but laden with 6,127 tons of munitions she drew 31', the Assistant Harbour Master recognising a serious error of judgment argued that at low tide of 30' therefore insufficient depth of water and refused the order unless in writing
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' (1944)
Early on Sunday the 20th August as the tide ebbed the 'SS Richard Montgomery' swung towards the shoal with a neap tide she settled on silty sand
With the noise of bucking plates the ship was abandoned, the next morning having offloaded some of the volatile cargo, plans to re float the ship failed when the ships holds flooded she broke her back
Holds 4 & 5 above water were cleared but the forward holds left with 1.500 tons of bombs
Previously published documentation click to view large images
Cargo Log Page 1 : Page 2 dated 8th August 1943 : Report dated 21st August 1944 : Rescue dated 21st August 1944 : Memorandum dated 1st September 1944 : Dry Dock dated 2nd September 1944
Wreck site
Easy read the wreck of the 'SS Richard Montgomery'
US Treasury Report
Salvage dated January 1945 : Lost Report dated 12th March 1945 : US Treasury : American Consul dated 10 June 1948
SS
'Richard Montgomery' Stern (1944) |
Naval
personnel wreck survey (1944) |
A personal account Page 1 : 2 : 3 : 4
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' cargo hold plan
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' by Colin Harvey (1950's)
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' thanks to Kent History Forum (1956)
The SS 'Richard Montgomery'in the 1960's
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' preparation to survey (1960's)
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' dive survey (1970's)
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' mast detail (1970's)
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' survey (1970's)
Wreck (1970's)
Wreck (1970's)
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' (1970's)
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' Dive Survey (1970's)
The SS
'Richard Montgomery' Survey Work (1970's)
Social Media: "I was one of the Admiralty Salvage Divers who cut the booms from her during a survey on the 70's, Portsmouth Bomb Disposal were with us taking samples for analysis" - David Worsfold
SS 'Richard Montgomery' Diver Survey (1981)
Previously published by Len King - Sheppey History and on Social Media, click on Photographs for large images
Wreck (1989)
Wreck (1989)
Wreck (1989)
Wreck (1989)
Contemporary Poster by Marvelous Murals
Sonar images (2002)
Archaeological Diving Unit, St Andrews University
New Scientist Report (21st August 2004)
Download Large Image of full article Page 36 : Page 37
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' mast detail (2004)
The SS 'Richard Montgomery' masts (2004)
Passing the wreck on a service visit to Red Sands (September 2005)
Sonar image by MCA (2006)
Wreck (7th August 2007)
Wreck (15th September 2007)
Taken on the way to the Red Sands Fort for the Whitstable Yacht Club Round Forts Race 2007
Wreck Buoy compliments of BBC.com (2015)
Mail on Sunday (3rd January 2016)
Sonar of wreck
SS 'Richard Montgomery' wreck September by Amanda Marie Gray (2017)
SS 'Richard Montgomery' with thanks The Guardian
SS 'Richard Montgomery' wreck (8th May 2022)
The masts are being reduced in height in June 2022 to see the full series of the wreck photographs and a recorded piece on the wreck 8th May 2022
Sons
of Alpha Centauri CD case front |
Sons
of Alpha Centauri CD case 3rd gatefold insert |
Audio |
|
Sons
of Alpha Centauri - SS Montgomery |
Sons of Alpha Centauri are an Instrumental Riff/Progressive/Alternative Rock Band from Swale (Kent)
The track SS 'Richard Montgomery' was recorded live at Sheerness Yacht Club
Their Album also called Sons of Centauri - SD006CD on Sound Devastation Records was released in the winter of 2007 and featured on Red Sands Radio in 2008
Further tracks from Sons of Centauri can be heard in Sealand Fire - Part 2 : Red Sands Radio - Part 15
Sister Liberty Ship to 'Montgomery' SS 'John W Brown' (Undated)
Picture by Will Robinson (Maryland Launch Pilot) shows the ship moored off the US Naval Academy, in the Annapolis Anchorage, Maryland
Sister Liberty Ship to 'Montgomery' SS 'John W Brown' by Jim Hoffman (2000)
The SS 'John W Brown' was built in Baltimore, launched on 7th September 1942 is moored at Pier C, 2220 S Clinton Street, Baltimore, Maryland being preserved and maintained by Project Liberty Ship
The other surviving vessels are SS 'Jeremiah' O'Brien' operational and a museum at Pier 45, San Francisco
SS 'Arthur M Huddell' transferred and renamed 'Hellas Liberty' a museum ship in Piraeus, Greece
SS 'Albert M Boe' the last Liberty ship built in private hands renamed 'Star of Kodiak' used for fish cannery ship and HQ of Trident Seafoods, Kodiak, Alaska
Many thanks to the contributions to this feature, we have where traceable credited photographs and finds
01/01/2011 - Particular interest in the 'Richard Montgomery' piece as I was Sheppey born and bred. I remember that the ship was always talked about and probably how dangerous it was with the cargo it had aboard. There used to be trips around the wreck, for what seemed a lot out of my pocket money, but by today's standard probably sounds a pittance - Mel Bayes
Social Media: "I've been past the wreck many time on my sand barge" - Ben Worsfold
Social Media: "We've anchored nearby many times" - Ian Blair
With grateful thanks to The New Scientist : The Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) : Mail on Sunday, Archaeological Diving Unit, St Andrews University, Nick Hannon and the Sons of Alpha Centauri, Len King of Sheppey History Archaeological Diving Unit, St Andrews University, Amanda Marie Gray, Will Robinson, Dave Wilky, Marvelous Murals and the Crews of 'Calaboose' and the 'X-Pilot'
More pictures of 'Montgomery'