The Mark IV Tank Landing Craft LCT-527 was launched from the MacClellan’s Glasgow yard in 1942. Hundreds of these utilitarian vessels were built for the Navy in preparation for the Normandy landings. The wartime record of the vessel is not recorded but, at the conclusion of the war, she became one of a fleet of these craft that were engaged in dumping tons of ammunition in the deep water off the west coast of Galloway.
Re-designated Ammunition Dumping Craft (ADC) 527 she departed from Silloth bound for Cairnryan under the command of John B Ross with a crew of eleven men in the evening of 7th January 1946. She had a cargo of 137 tons of unfused 75 millimetre shells and 59 tons of fuses. She set out in convoy with two other similar vessels ADC-523 and ADC-8080 escorted by a fourth vessel ML Richmond heading north towards the Mull of Galloway. Soon after they left Silloth the small convoy encountered a 60 knot gale and became separated in the poor visibility. ADC-523 and ADC-8080 headed towards the Isle of Man to take shelter but Ross in ADC-527 continued north. They were never seen again. It was later presumed she had foundered with the loss of all hands in the early morning hours of 8th January.
Following the disappearance a widespread search was mounted involving RAF aircraft and the Portpatrick and Kirkcudbright lifeboats but no sign of the vessel could be found. A day later a passing steamer reported some floating wreckage but it was only when bodies started to wash ashore on the Scottish Solway coast and as far away as the eastern Irish coast that the loss was completely confirmed. Eventually eleven bodies were covered over the following days.
The wreck of ADC-527 lies in position 54°39.492 N, 004°22.775W. She lies upside down oriented 096/276 degrees in 37 metres with a least depth clearance of 30 metres. Extensively dived by Newton Stewart SAC they report her lying on a shingle sloping seabed in area swept by strong tidal flows. Her bow is the shallowest part of the wreck and the hull raised off the seabed at the stern as she rests on the stern superstructure. Her propellers and propeller shafts are clearly visible.
We would like to thank Newton Stewart Sub Aqua Club (BSAC 1853) for kind permission to reproduce their ‘Wreck Tour’ image of the ADC-527 from their website. This and information on other shipwrecks in the Solway Firth area can be found here https://www.nsdivers.co.uk.