Hello Arie

ST. PAUL
Date of loss: 2 September 1914
Depth: 84m
Reference: 55 16’.021 N 000 46’.086 W
Location: 26.2-n.m. ENE from Blyth piers

The ST. PAUL (Official No.4599) was a 2,534-ton steel-hulled Swedish steam cargo ship that measured: 94.48m in length, a 13.41m-beam and 6.32m-draught. John Blumer & Co., at North Dock, Sunderland built and completed her as yard No.190 in May 1907; she was launched on March 10th 1906 for Ångfartygs A/B St. George, Göteborg, who was the owner at the time of loss; W. O. Wilson was the manager. The single screw was powered by a 271nhp, 3-cylinder triple expansion steam engine that used two boilers and gave 10.5-knots.
In 1913, Th. Willerding was the manager.

Final voyage:
The ST. PAUL was travelling in ballast and en-route from Göteborg to Sunderland when she detonated a German laid mine and sank on the September 2nd 1914, reported as in a position, 28-miles ENE from the Tyne, but no lives were lost. The crew was rescued by the 1,711-ton Norwegian steamer BRUSE (1911 - A/S Bonheur, Kristiania), which was en route from the Tyne to Stockholm with coal, however she returned to the Tyne and landed the men at North Shields.
(The 2,200-ton SMS ALBATROSS and light cruiser SMS STUTTGART had laid the barrier of 200 mines.)

Wreck-site is with in “The Graveyard”:
The wreck was identified after the bell was located by divers from the charterboat SPELLBINDER (Skipper/owner Allan Lopez) in 2006. The ST. PAUL is orientated in a NE to SW direction and lies on a seabed of mud, sand and shells, in a general depth of 84m (lowest astronomical tide). The wreck is very intact and upright, with some derricks fore and aft, but the superstructure is now collapsing. Lots of big fish and shoals of pout-whiting have been observed by divers.

Info: Starke Schell - Der Krieg in der Nordsee, vol. 1 -
Sjøforklaringer over norske skibes krigsforlis 1914-1919

Cheers Ron



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/2010 11:04AM by Wrecktec Ron.