Cargo vessel · 1908–1918 · West Sussex, United Kingdom
SS Gascony
Also known as Gascony.
The Gascony presents a puzzle that rewards patient exploration. Attacked by UC-75 on 18 January 1918, this armed cargo steamer broke in two and sank the following afternoon near Selsey Bill, coming to rest upside down on the edge of the Owers — a notorious shallow bank that has claimed countless vessels over the centuries.
Her inverted orientation makes navigation tricky: what should be the deck is buried, and you swim beneath the keel looking up at the hull plating. Among the scattered cargo, the wheels of army gun carriages poke through the wreckage, a reminder that she was doing war work when the torpedo found her.
- Type
- Cargo vesselBritish
- Year built
- 1908
- Lost
- January 19th, 1918Torpedo
- Depth
- 27–30 m
- Location
- West Sussex, United KingdomEnglish Channel
1 of 5 facts above is cited in Sources below.
Deeper than 88 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
- Depth: 30 m shown; range in sources 27–30 m. Other published figures exist (why sources disagree).
- Loss date: Sources give January 19th, 1918, 1918-01-19, 1918-01-06. Other published figures exist (why sources disagree).
History and LossLost January 19th, 1918 · Torpedo · World War I · West Sussex, United Kingdom.
Owned by David MacIver & Sons of Liverpool, the Gascony had army gun carriages in her holds among other cargo when UC-75 attacked her. She broke in two and went down at 13:45 on 19 January 1918 near Selsey Bill, on the edge of the Owers.
Built 1908; 10 years in service, also recorded as Gascony. Lost January 19th, 1918, torpedo during World War I.
Condition of the WreckBroken, lying upside down, in 27–30 m.
Intactness
Upside down after sinking. Wheels of army gun carriages visible among the cargo. Navigation requires care due to inverted orientation and deterioration.
Notable Features
- Inverted orientation
- Army gun carriage wheels visible in cargo
- WWI torpedo victim
Additional Details12 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Nationality
- British
- Flag
- United Kingdom
- Propulsion
- Steam
- Loss date
- January 19th, 1918
- Conflict / event
- World War I
- Location
- Near Selsey Bill, on the edge of the Owers, West Sussex
- Water body
- English Channel
- War grave
- No
- Protected
- No
- Permit required
- No
- Condition
- Broken
- Orientation
- Upside down
Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.
- UK Hydrographic Officedatahub.admiralty.co.uk · Official record6 facts
- scubago.comscubago.com · Secondary source3 facts
- destinationselsey.co.ukdestinationselsey.co.uk · Secondary source2 facts
- stormforcediving.comstormforcediving.com · Secondary source1 fact
- Divernetdivernet.com · Club or operator1 fact
- Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · Background reading5 facts
Background reading is listed for context and is not counted as a citation for the facts above.
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.
A further 4 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 SS Gascony?
SS Gascony is the wreck of a cargo vessel, off West Sussex, United Kingdom, at 30 metres. SS Gascony was torpedoed in 1918.
How deep is the SS Gascony?
SS Gascony lies at 27 to 30 metres, Near Selsey Bill, on the edge of the Owers, West Sussex.
How did the SS Gascony sink?
SS Gascony was torpedoed on January 19th, 1918 during World War I, off West Sussex, United Kingdom.