Depth : 40m
With the American troops fighting in the trenches of France , the great arms arsenals of the United States were being opened up to the Allies. The Carlisle Castle , built in Newcastle in 1913 with a gross tonnage of 4,325, a length of 400ft and a service speed of 10 knots, was perfect for the job of ferrying munitions to Britain . On February 14th 1918 , loaded with grain and shells, she was on the final leg of her journey from Portland , Maine to London . She was passing just north of the Royal Sovereign light vessel when Oberleutanant Lohs in German submarine UB-57 spotted her. Lohs launched just one torpedo, which struck her starboard side, killing one man in the engine room and sending her swiftly to the bottom. Given the mass of munitions that she was carrying it was nothing short of amazing that the whole ship did not blow up. Today the Ca rlisle sits upright in 40 metres of water and stands 14 metres proud in places. The bows point north-north east and there are reported to be munitions by the ton still inside her. An historic wreck with lots of opportunities for souvenir hunters.”