Warship · 1870–1875 · Dublin, Ireland
HMS Vanguard
Her own sister ship rammed her in fog. On 1 September 1875 HMS Vanguard, a 6,010-ton ironclad battleship, was making for Queenstown from Dublin when the underwater ram of HMS Iron Duke ripped into her hull close to the boilers. About 70 minutes later she was gone, yet not a single life was lost; her captain was never given command of a ship again.
She lies fifteen miles southeast of Dun Laoghaire and was found once more in 1985. The hull remains remarkably intact at 45-50 metres, heeled over to starboard and standing approximately 16 metres off the seabed, with the gun battery at its highest point and a spare iron propeller resting on deck.
The National Monuments Act protects the wreck, and nobody may dive on her without a licence, which the National Monuments Service issues.
- Type
- WarshipBritish
- Year built
- 1870Cammell-Laird, Birkenhead
- Lost
- September 1st, 1875Collision (rammed by sister ship)
- Casualties
- 0
- Length
- 85 m16 m beam
- Depth
- 32–50 m
- Location
- Dublin, IrelandIrish Sea
5 of 7 facts above are cited in Sources below.
Deeper than 149 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
- Depth: 50 m shown; range in sources 45–50 m. Other published figures exist (why sources disagree).
History and LossLost September 1st, 1875 · Collision (rammed by sister ship) · Dublin, Ireland.
On 1 September 1875, HMS Vanguard was travelling from Dublin (Kingstown) to Queenstown with three other battleships of the First Reserve Squadron when dense fog descended. HMS Iron Duke, sailing in formation, collided with Vanguard. Iron Duke's underwater ram tore open Vanguard's hull near the boilers, causing rapid flooding. Despite efforts to save the ship, she sank within approximately 70 minutes.
All crew were safely transferred to the other vessels. Captain Richard Dawkins was court-martialled but acquitted, though he never commanded another vessel at sea.
Built 1870 by Cammell-Laird, Birkenhead; 5 years in service. Lost September 1st, 1875, Collision (rammed by sister ship).
Condition of the WreckIntact, in 32–50 m.
Intactness
Remarkably intact. The hull is tilted to starboard on a sand and shale seabed, oriented north-south. The wreck rises approximately 16m from the seabed. The gun battery is clearly visible and is the highest point.
A spare iron propeller remains on deck. The original main propeller was salvaged in 1975. Open gun ports and hull damage from the ramming are evident.
Notable Features
- Gun battery visible — highest point of wreck
- Spare iron propeller on deck
- Rises ~16m from seabed
- Tilted to starboard
- Ram damage from HMS Iron Duke visible on hull
- Protected under National Monuments Act — licence required
- Original propeller salvaged 1975
Regulations and Restrictions
Protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).
Additional Details13 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Nationality
- British
- Flag
- United Kingdom
- Builder
- Cammell-Laird, Birkenhead
- Propulsion
- Steam
- Loss date
- September 1st, 1875
- Draught
- 8 m
- Latitude
- 53.21° N
- Longitude
- 5.77° W
- Water body
- Irish Sea
- War grave
- No
- Protected
- No
- Permit required
- No
- Condition
- Intact
Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.
- National Monuments Service — Wreck Inventory of Irelandassets.gov.ie · Official record5 facts
- Geological Survey Ireland / Marine Institute (INFOMAR)gsi.geodata.gov.ie · Official record4 facts
- dusac.orgdusac.org · Secondary source11 facts
- nuclearcompanion.comnuclearcompanion.com · Secondary source9 facts
- dawlishchronicles.comdawlishchronicles.com · Secondary source6 facts
- ouzelgalley.netouzelgalley.net · Secondary source6 facts
- thebluejackets.co.ukthebluejackets.co.uk · Secondary source4 facts
- irishtimes.comirishtimes.com · Secondary source3 facts
- scotsman.com (archived)scotsman.com · Secondary source3 facts
- ibiblio.orgibiblio.org · Secondary source2 facts
- huskyan.comhuskyan.com · Secondary source1 fact
- Scottish Shipwrecksscottishshipwrecks.com · Secondary source1 fact
- Irish Underwater Councildiving.ie · Club or operator1 fact
- Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · Background reading3 facts
Background reading is listed for context and is not counted as a citation for the facts above.
- INFOMAR Shipwrecks © Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- © Government of Ireland. National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
A further 3 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.
Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the HMS Vanguard?
HMS Vanguard is the wreck of a warship, off Dublin, Ireland, at 50 metres. HMS Vanguard sank after a collision in 1875.
How deep is the HMS Vanguard?
HMS Vanguard lies at 32 to 50 metres, ~15 miles SE of Dun Laoghaire, off Wicklow coast.
How did the HMS Vanguard sink?
HMS Vanguard sank after a collision on September 1st, 1875, off Dublin, Ireland. No lives were lost.
Is the HMS Vanguard protected?
Yes. HMS Vanguard is protected: protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).