Location – 27.49.03 N, 33.55.14 E, Shaab Ali

minimum diving depth – 10m (bridge)

Maximum diving depth – 31m

Average visibility – 25-30m

SHIP

THISTLEGORM was built by Joseph Thompson & Sons in June 1940. The length of the ship 126,5 m, displacement 4898 tons. 3x cylinder steam engine giving 365 horsepower. The ship was one of the «Thistle», belonged to Albyn Line. Since the construction of the ship entered the hostilities. Unfortunately, except for a single picture during the descent of the ship, no more documentary images exist.

Despite the fact that the ship was positioned as a warship, and  his deck  was equipped with a special place for guns. Really, equipment was very small – the old 4.7 gun and one large-caliber gun

First trip THISTLEGORM traveled to the U.S. for the steel rails and aircraft, the second voyage was carried to the coast of South America for grain, while the third – to the shores of the West Indies  from where the ship returned with sugar and rum. Then the ship began to repair at shipyards  of Clyde, whence, and went to his last journey.

In May 1941 THISTLEGORM loaded in Glasgow  with military ammunition destined  to 8th British Army, baced in Egypt. There were mines, weapons, ammunition, armored cars, motorcycles, just cars, trucks, planes and spare parts to them, receivers, rubber boats and many other useful and necessary things  on board.

To save space, motorcycles have been invested in open truck. As a Commercial Company, Albyn line loaded also two trucks destined for the Egyptian Railways.

The vessel is classified as a carrier of military cargo and, therefore, Captain William Ellis took on board an additional team of nine naval officers. The ship joined a large convoy and went to the long road to Alexandria. The safest, albeit a long journey was  through South Africa. Refueled in Cape Town, THISTLEGORM joined light destroyer and went to the Red Sea.

It was the second half of September 1941 goal, when THISTLEGORM entered the Gulf of Suez. Then he was ordered to anchor and await further action. The chain was lowered, the machine stopped. The captain waited will resolve congestion in the Suez Canal, and will open a passage to Alexandria.

Passage of the Canal was dependent on many factors – the activity of enemy aircraft, the priority of cargo, the waiting time. At the moment the two ships literally dragged across the Channel and they are actually completely blocked the navigation. As a result THISTLEGORM was forced to lie at anchor for two weeks.

The ship was far enough south, which did not reach the enemy planes and did not reach the enemy ships. However, at this time the German intelligence service received a message that the Suez Canal is approaching ship (possibly Queen Mary) with 1200 military on board.

German planes, equipped with night vision devices, and stationed in Crete Heinkel He 111, were alerted and went to find the object. The order was to find and bomb. In 22-50 5th October 1941 two-engine Heinkel crossed the northern coastline of Egypt and heading towards the south-east, began to actively seek objective.

The night was moonlit. Aircraft aimlessly roamed over the sea. Fuel ending. Even turning on the base, one of the pilots noticed the ship, standing alone at anchor. The pilot turned around, reduced height, and passing nearly over the deck THISTLEGORM, dropped two bombs.

Explosions rocked the ship. Two locomotive soared. The ship quickly began to sink. The team left the ship in a hurry – people just jumped overboard. One wounded remained on the burning deck. Angus McLeay – wrapped his bare feet with pieces of rugs and ran on the hot deck to help. McLeay was subsequently for this feat was awarded a Medal for Bravery.

At 1-30 the night the 6th of October, all was over. Captain Ellisi and  the  rest of the crew  were picked up by destroyer and taken to Suez. Four people from 39  staff persons  and five of the nine Marine officers were killed

SHIP TODAY.

For many years, passing over the place of death THISTLEGORM British ships half-mast flags  in memory of the victims. Nevertheless, no one touched the ship until the bright day, when he was discovered by a team Cousteau. Since the ship had been raised several things, including a motorcycle, the captains  safe-box, and ships bell. The journal in 1956 National Gographic published photos of the ship and the rooms inside. All were still in their places. Prior to dive at him modern divers.

Nevertheless, the Cousteau does not have the exact coordinates of the location THISTLEGORM. And  the ship again for a time  was forgotten. That changed in the early  of 90s, when a group of divers, quite by chance found a wreck. It was the second open one of the best and by far the most visited wrecks worldwide

THISTLEGORM is available at depth in the warm waters with very good visibility, reach it from shore or at sea navigation is not difficult, the ship is in very good condition, probably seen almost all the decks to the cargo. And, of course, the story of a warship, which makes him a kind of immersion in the march to a military museum – all this is the set of factors through which divers from all over  the world come to dive at THISTLEGORM.

Unfortunately, the availability of the ship has another side – all that you can take with «just for memory» – taken away, motorcycle overturned in search of small parts, cars, twisted with the control panel, part of the ammunition pillaged. But still THISTLEGORM  is a  military cemetery

Great harm caused to the diving boats – up to two dozens of them tied ropes to favor parts of the wreck. Then the divers descend on the ropes – the flow in these places are usually very strong. Waves pump boats, and in a place with them swing and remains  of a  captive THISTLEGORM.