The wreck is reported to lie within an area of uneven seabed, and has collapsed and scattered to form a 'butterfly' shape on the seabed. The area of debris covers 100m x 50m and is orientated 000/180 degrees.

For information on the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 Act and its administration with regard to vessels, please contact the Ministry of Defence, Wreck Section, Naval Personnel Secretariat, Room 125 Victory Building, HMNB Portsmouth, PO1 3LS.

Event and Historical Information:
HMS ARBUTUS was a Flower class sloop belonging to the Anchusa group. The sloop category of warship was re-introduced in World War I to counter the threats of mines and submarine warfare against merchant vessels. The `Flower? class of sloops were introduced initially as minesweepers, but proved equally effective for escort work. The Flower class has four sub-groups ? Acacia (24 ships), Arabis (48 ships), Anchusa (34 ships) and Aubretia (6 ships). HMS ARBUTUS was amongst 20 Anchusa class ships ordered on 21 February 1917 (see also HMS MAJORAM NPRN 240873). It was built by Armstrong Whitworth at Barrow-in-Furness, and launched on 8 September 1917. Technical and configuration specifications for the class are given as 1290 tons displacement; length 250ft (p/p), 262.25ft (overall); 35ft beam; draught 11ft 6in (mean) 12ft 6in -13ft 8in (deep); propulsion 1 screw, 4 cylinder triple expansion engine, 2 boilers, 2500 hp; speed 16knots; range 260tons coal; complement 93 men; armament = 2 x 12 pdr, 1 x 7.5in howitzer or 1 x 200lb stick bomb howitzer, 4 depth charge throwers.
On 15 December 1917, ARBUTUS was streaming in company with the American destroyer USS O'BRIEN when a warning was transmitted at 0930hrs that a U-boat had been spotted in the sector. ARBUTUS was detached to investigate and at 1500hrs the Admiralty trawler OKINO confirmed the wireless transmission that a U-boat was indeed prowling 16 miles WSW of the Smalls lighthouse. At 1600hrs, as ARBUTUS approached the location of the sighting 51 31N 5 55W, a torpedo detonated on her port side, flooding the boiler and engine rooms in minutes. With the ship still underway, a disturbance in the water was spotted and thought to be the submarine, Cdr Oxlade ordered that depth charges be dropped set for 80ft. There were cheers as a significant amount of oil was spotted on the surface following the detonation. But the ship was in no condition to give chase, 'abandon ship' was ordered. During this time, the American destroyer circled the stricken ARBUTUS protecting her from further torpedo attacks. Eyewitness testimony was given by Lt Aldred Eastley: 'It was the general opinion that the ship might crack in half at any time. The captain wished us to leave him and of course we vigorously protested. When the last of the men had been evacuated we insisted on standing by with the captain, or an alternative course persuade him to leave the ship with us. Ultimately it lay between the Navigator and myself as to who should remain with the captain and it was decided by the toss of a coin that the Navigator should remain. Previous to leaving I pointed out to the captain that there was no boat or raft left in the case of the ship sinking. I embarked in the gig leaving the captain and Lt Stewart along on the bridge (Source: ADM 137/3292). A short time later the ship broke up and sank, taking her captain and Lt Stewart with her. The full list of casualties were as follows: Bunker, Samuel, Stoker PO, 23 yrs; Croskery, John, Stoker PO, 25 yrs; Haliwell, Thurston, Steward, 2nd Class, 18yrs; Jones, George, Stoker 1st class; Oxlade, Charles Herbert (RD), Cdr; Phillips, William, Stoker 2nd class, 19 yrs; Pickett, George, Stoker, RNR, 20 yrs; Rowley, Wallter W J, Painter 2nd class, Stewart, Charles, Act/Temp Lt, RNR. A survivor from this class of naval vessels is HMS SAXIFRAGE. The ship is now used as a meeting/conference/dining venue on the Thames embankment named HMS PRESIDENT 1918.

Sources include:
Armstrong, P and Young, R, 2010, Silent Warriors: Submarine Wrecks of the United Kingdom, Vol 3, pg31-33
College, J J, 1986, Ships of the Royal Navy, vol 1 pg36
Hocking, C, 1986, Dictionary of Disasters at Sea in the Age of Steam, pg147-8
UK Hydrographic Office Wrecks and Obstructions Database. ? Crown Copyright and database rights. Reproduced by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office (www.ukho.gov.uk).

WWW resources:
http://www.hmspresident.com/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchusa_class_sloop
http://nationalhistoricships.org.uk/index.cfm/event/getVessel/vref/494

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, July 2019.