Archaeological remains associated with the loss of this vessel are not confirmed as present at this location, but may be in the vicinity.
The loss of the vessel was originally associated with UKHO 16125 but nothing was found on the seabed at that location. More recently, it has been linked with UKHO 16117 (NPRN 518237). It should be noted that the surveyed/recorded length of the seabed remains of the UKHO 16117 (as surveyed in 2015) are 61.5m, whereas the HOPEMOUNT was 101m in length
Event and Historical Information:
The HOPEMOUNT was a screw steamer built in 1904 by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend (Yard No. 713, Official No. 118641). It was 101m long, 14.9m wide, and 6.9m depth, steel construction, and powered by a 3-cylinder triple expansion steam engine. At the time of loss, the ship was owned by the Hopemount Shipping Co., Newcastle.
On 18 June 1915, the HOPEMOUNT was on passage from Cardiff to Alexandria when it was captured by German submarine and sunk 70 miles west by south of Lundy Island. A report printed in the Abergavenny Chronicle on 18 June, noted that 'The HOPEMOUNT left Cardiff on Saturday, and was attacked by a submarine on Sunday and sunk by shell fire. The captain and three of the crew are in hospital at Barry suffering from wounds caused by the shelling, and the remainder of the crew were landed there on Monday. Captain Robert Gibson, interviewed at Barry Hospital, said that the HOPEMOUNT, sighted the submarine about 6 o'clock on Sunday morning when about seventy miles west of Lundy Island. The submarine commenced to fire shells, several of which struck the ship, and fragments hit him (the captain) on the arms and neck. He and the crew took to the boat which had been flung out in readiness, and when they last saw the HOPEMOUNT she was settling down rapidly. After being in the boat for about twelve hours they were picked up by a Greek steamer. The HOPEMOUNT's men while in the boat saw the submarine attack and sink an unknown schooner. What became of the crew of the schooner they do not know. The submarine then returned and again shelled the HOPEMOUNT, apparently because it was not sinking quickly enough. The U-boat responsible was U-35 under the command of KptLt Waldemar Kophamel. The submarine would go on to be the most effective German U-boat of the Great War, sinking 226 ships.
Sources include:
Abergavenny Chronicle, 18 June 1915, p.3
HMSO, 1988, British Vessels Lost at Sea 1914-18 and 1939-45, pub Patrick Stephens Ltd, p.7
Great War at Sea: HOPEMOUNT sunk 13 June 1915, People's Collection Wales
Lloyd's Register Casualty Returns, 1 April - 30 June 1915, p.8 (i)
Photograph of the Crew of S.S. Hopemount, 1915, People's Collection Wales
UKHO ID 16117: Contains public sector information, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, from UK Hydrographic Office.
UKHO ID 16125: Contains public sector information, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, from UK Hydrographic Office.
U-Boat Project: Commemorating the War at Sea
Western Daily Press, 15 June 1915, p.5
https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?11347
J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, December 2023.
This record was enhanced in 2020 with funding from Lloyd's Register Foundation as part of the project ‘Making the Link: Lloyd's Register and the National Monuments Record of Wales’. Visit Lloyd’s Register Foundation Heritage and Education Centre for more resources.