Depth : 32m
During the early 1900’s, an increasing amount of trade between Britain and Europe called for larger, more powerful ships and the Braunton was typical of the contemporary thinking in the ship building yards at that time. She entered service in 1911 and operated from Cardiff transporting general cargo in her four enormous holds. This huge carrying capacity made her an obvious choice for war service when hostilities broke out in 1914 and the Government forces needed vast amounts of stores transported quickly to France . Shipping records do not show why Braunton was returning from Boulogne , enroute to Newport , Wales with her holds full of munitions, although much of the cargo consisted of empty shell heads and separate components for assembling artillery shells. As she passed the notoriously dangerous stretch of Channel to the south of Beachy Head heading west, the German submarine UB29 lay in wait for its next victim. At approximately 7.30pm on the evening of April 7th 1916 , a single torpedo struck Braunton amidships dealing a fatal blow to the unarmed merchantman. All of the crew was saved but the 380ft ship, with her holds crammed full of 1,800 tons of shells and shell cases, sank quickly to the sandy sea bed some 30 metres below. Today the Braunton lies with her bow and stern still intact, but with a list of about 60 degrees to her port side. Here the bow rises up impressively at a very acute angle from the bottom to the proudest point of the wreck, some 10 metres above the sea bed. Heading aft from the bow, the hull is broken into large opening which allows penetration into the number one hold. Inside the hold it is still possible to see racks of cast iron 18 pound shell heads packed separately from their brass shell cases. The mid section of the ship is more submerged and well broken up following some extensive salvage work, although the holds are still accessible.This is an excellent wreck for those who wish to indulge in a penetration dive with lots to see in the accessible holds."