Built at the yard of Cochrane and Sons Limited of Selby (Yard No 1227) HMS Flotta was a steel Isles Class minesweeper, launched on 13th February 1941. She measured 164.0′ x 27.5′ x 10.5′ and her tonnage was 545 displacement tons. She had a triple expansion steam engine by C D Holmes and Co Ltd., Hull delivering 850 nominal horse power.
HMS Flotta enters harbour
HMS Flotta was patrolling the waters off the Aberdeen coast on 29th October, 1941 under the command of Sub-Lieutenant A Smith RNVR when she ran aground near Buchan Ness. Flotta’s distress signals were answered by the Peterhead lifeboat Julia Park Barry which stood close by for hours until it was determined that the ship was in no danger. Fourteen crew members remained aboard hoping to refloat the ship at a suitable high tide. On 6th November she was pulled off and the tug Abielle IV took her in tow but, as they headed towards port, Flotta began to fill and founder. New distress calls brought the Julia Park Barry back to the ship which was now two miles east of Peterhead. However, by the time they reached the area, Flotta had sunk. The HM trawler Filey Bay picked up three men from the water (one of the three was dead) and the Abielle IV succeeded in recovering seven other crewmen but unfortunately a further four men had been lost as she went down three miles ESE of Buchan Ness Lighthouse.
Engine maker’s plate recovered from wreck
The wreck of the Flotta was known to local fishermen for many years and nicknamed the ‘Four Mile Wreck.’ She was dived and identified by a team of local divers in 2007 when they recovered the engine maker’s plate. This artefact was later gifted to the daughter of chief engineer George Barret who lost his life when she went down. The divers reported the wreck lying upright and in tact in the position noted above. Her graceful in tact bow faces NE. The central bridge and cabin structure were essentially complete at this date and on her rear section depth charges still sat in their cradles waiting to be fired with all the depth charge handling equipment easily identifiable. Her K-gun depth charge launchers were still in place. Her anti-aircraft gun has fallen from its cradle. She lies 63 metres in position 57°27.317’N, 001°41.365’W oriented 040°/220°.
We would also like to thank Naomi Watson for her permission to use her underwater photographs of the wreck on the site
