Exmouth

Built for the United States Shipping Board at the yard  of American International Shipbuilding Corporation (Yard No 1512) at Hog Island, Pennsylvania the steamship Colosse was laid down in 1919 but launched on 31st January 1920 as Blue Triangle.  She measured was 390.0′ x 54.2′ x 27.8′ and 4979 gross tons, 3068 net tons. In 1925 ownership transferred to the Export Shipping Corporation of New York and continued her career plying back and forth across the Atlantic predominantly serving routes between USA and Italy.  In 1928 her name was changed to Exmouth and she continued under this name when her ownership transferred again to America Export Lines Incorporated in 1938.

As the United States entered the war Exmouth was pressed into service ferrying vital supplies to various ports around the world in India, Ceylon, Africa, South America and Europe. Initially these voyages were unescorted but progressively as the war on shipping intensified she joined a number of convoys crossing the North Atlantic to Britain. In July 1944 she arrived in Southend on her latest Transatlantic trip and was ordered back to Methil in ballast en route back to the US to pick up another cargo. She left Southend in unescorted convoy FN 1433 on Saturday 29th July. The convoy consisted of thirteen ships in total. As she neared her destination the ship strayed into a British minefield and struck a mine which fatally damaged her. Thankfully the crew of 43 and 27 gunners who were aboard were uninjured and were safely evacuated from the sinking ship.

The wreck of the Exmouth lies in position 56° 25.554’N, 01° 38.466’W and is considered one of the best dives in the area as she was only discovered and identified in 2009 and remains mainly in tact although recent reports indicate that the stern area collapsed during recent storms.  The bridge and central area are still mainly in place.  The wreck lies in 53 metres oriented 075/255 degrees, upright with a slight list to starboard and is festooned with colourful sealife.  The starboard gun has fallen onto the seabed below. The bow section is broken slightly from the remainder of the wreck but the remainder of the hull is substantially in tact. As mentioned recent storms have affected the stern area as the defensive gun that was visible there has now fallen into the wreckage of the ship.

We would like to thank Simon Kay for giving us permission to use his excellent underwater photographs of the wreck in this article.

We would also like to thank Kieran Hatton for giving us permission to use his excellent underwater photographs of the wreck in this article.