The SS Montgomery Wreck

The site of the visible wreck of the SS Montgomery.

Location: Thames off Sheerness

Description: This is where the American Liberty ship, the SS Richard Montgomery lies after being sunk in 1944. It was built during World War II to be one of the Allied Forces 2,710 cargo vessels.

It remains here because it went down with over 1,400 tonnes (1,500 short tons) of explosives on board:

286 2,000 lb (910 kg) high explosive Blockbuster bombs

4,439 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs of various types
1,925 500 lb (230 kg) bombs
2,815 fragmentation bombs and bomb clusters
Various explosive booster charges
Various smoke bombs, including white phosphorus bombs
Various pyrotechnic signals

This is just north of the Nore sandbank in the Thames Estuary, and is marked by it's three masts which are visible above the water and a warning buoy.

In 1973 it became the first wreck in the UK designated as dangerous under section 2 of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, and as such it has an exclusion zone around it monitored visually and by radar.

It is thought that if the cargo exploded that it would cause sever destruction to the surrounding area and flooding from a resulting wave.

Themes: River River Theme