Stretton scuba diver visits WW1 wreck

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A SCUBA diver from Stretton was part of a team who laid a wreath and raised a flag on the wreck of a First World War ship to remember the 250 crewmen who lost their lives.
Sophie Heptonstall, 34, a marketing manager and a member of Hartford Sub Aqua Club, was one of team of 10 British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) divers who took part in the September 5th commemorative dive on the wreck of HMS Pathfinder – the first ever ship to be sunk by a submarine-launched torpedo.
HMS Pathfinder was steaming off the east coast of Scotland, near St Abbs Head, on September 5, 1914, when the locomotive torpedo from German U-boat 21 slammed into her side and the ship went down.
The flash ignited the ship’s magazine, destroying the fore section of the ship and causing the foremast and number one funnel to collapse.
The majority of crew below decks had neither the time nor opportunity to escape and went down with the ship.
The aim of the dive was to take more photos and video footage of the wreck to ensure her story is recorded in more detail for future generations.
Sophie, a qualified First Class BSAC diver and National Instructor who has been diving for 22 years, says the technical dive proved to be a sombre and poignant occasion.
She said: “The weather was perfect, it really couldn’t have been kinder to us with the sea flat calm. Visibility was also good and it just proved to be a wonderful occasion. We were so glad to welcome John Magee, whose grandfather was the Master at Arms of the Pathfinder, and died in the disaster.
“John’s presence really drove it home to me that this was a human disaster, as all war is, and 250 men died when this one ship was sunk. We laid a wreath on the wreck and raised the Union flag above her. However, as per the terms of our Ministry of Defence license, we removed the Union flag at the end of the dive and brought it back to the surface where we presented it to John Magee.
“We held a simple service when we got back on the dive boat at the conclusion of the dive and Mr Magee gave a wonderful, touching eulogy to those that lost their lives on the Pathfinder. He then cast a wreath onto the surface of the sea as we BSAC divers did in memory of all those that died.”
She added: “The dive itself went so well and the wreck is still in very good condition. There are still guns, shells, magazines and torpedo tubes clearly visible. We even saw toilets still in place on the deck and quite a few smaller artefacts like crockery dinner plates. I think they bore the GR emblem.
“However, we would never disturb what is a war grave and everything was left exactly as we found it, nothing was removed or disturbed.
“Our task was to record the wreck, video and photograph her for future generations. I’m really pleased that we did that and were able to tell the families of relatives who died what we saw. There were a number of families on the quayside desperate to hear all we could tell them of the condition of the wreck and what it looks like now.”
BSAC is the national governing body for scuba diving and is made up of 120 dive centres and 1,000 plus family friendly and sociable clubs, run by volunteers, up and down the country and abroad.
It represents more than 30,000 scuba divers and snorkellers and welcomes new members from complete beginners upwards including those who have trained with other agencies.
BSAC National Diving Committee member and group leader for diving and coaching, Dave Lock, 63, of Felixstowe, Suffolk, led the HMS Pathfinder dive team.
He said: “The dive went really well and the conditions could not have been better. Visibility was excellent too. The day started so well as we were escorted from the harbour by a pod of dolphins which was just wonderful.
“The team worked together and supported each other both in the water and out for what was a fairly technical dive. We had just 25 minutes on the wreck of the Pathfinder and while the ascent, with decompression stops, took more than an hour.
“The wreck is in good condition although much of the superstructure is missing. There are still guns visible and shell cases. We laid a wreath on the wreck and raised the Union flag which we removed, as per our license, before we surfaced.”
Records show that the Cammel Laird Birkenhead-built HMS Pathfinder was struck by a single torpedo fired from U-21 as it patrolled the Scottish coast south of the Isle of May.
Launched on 16th July 1904, HMS Pathfinder was the lead ship of the Pathfinder class of cruisers.
Armed with nine 4-inch guns, she initially saw service with the Atlantic and channel fleet while at the start of the First World War she was part of the 8th destroyer flotilla based at Rosyth in the Firth of Forth.


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Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.

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