A Royal Navy warship has been found by divers on the Scottish seabed – almost 105 years to the day it sank.
According to the Royal Navy, the destroyer, the HMS Jason, struck a mine and sank off the island of Coll in the Inner Hebrides in April 1917.
It lay there undiscovered until five years ago when a research team led by historians Wendy Sadler and Kevin Heath from Lost in Waters Deep, began surveying the area.
They eventually found the wreck of the Jason on sonar, and this was then confirmed by a team of divers who plunged 93 metres into the chilly waters.
Orkney-based SULA Diving led by Steve Mortimer and their support boat MV Clasina carried out the operation.
The warship was found to be in a surprisingly good condition, but minus her bow, blown off when she struck the mine, which reportedly happened on a minesweeping operation with HMS Circe.
The depth, weather and water conditions, the undulating seabed and the fact that dives are only possible at certain times of year have meant the wreck had not been found – despite Jason’s loss being accurately documented, even photographed, at the time.
Among the dive team was Royal Navy officer Lieutenant Jen Smith who works at the Fleet’s headquarters in Portsmouth.
She said: “There was excitement at finding the wreck, but that’s quickly tempered by the fact that it’s a war grave – 25 men died here.
“It’s incredibly moving to think that no-one has seen the ship since her stern disappeared 105 years ago. Families knew the fate of the ship, but now they will know where she is and that can bring closure.”
The war ship was sunk by a mine laid by German submarine U-78, part of a field intended to block the Minches.
She went down in little more than five minutes, enough time for three quarters of her crew to escape.
Twenty-five men were killed but only one body was recovered – that of 25-year-old Stoker James Blackman from Southsea.
Mr Mortimer added: “It was a privilege to help identify the remains of this vessel. 25 families can now take comfort that the location of their relatives’ ship is precisely known. We think that’s important.”
Steps will now be taken to ensure HMS Jason is protected under UK law as an official war grave, allowing divers to visit – but not touch – the wreck, while the team who discovered the site plan to return to document the warship more thoroughly.
“Documenting the ship, showing people what she’s like today is important to me,” said Lieutenant Smith, who has 25 years’ experience as a diver.
“Naval war graves are often forgotten, as it’s hard for people to remember what you can’t see. Whilst land battlefields and cemeteries such as those in Normandy or the Somme can be visited by anyone, only a few of us can visit a shipwreck.
"So the more we can show, explain what happened to her and her sailors, the better. It’s important to make sure those who served are not forgotten."
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