Archaeological remains associated with the loss of this vessel are not confirmed as present at this location, but may be in the vicinity.

Event and Historical Information:
The EXPRESS was a originally built as paddlesteamer by W Date and Sons, at Kingsbridge, in 1875. Sometime between 1900 and 1910, the vessel was converted to schooner according to listings in the Merchant Navy List. Technical and configuration specifications at time of loss are given as 115gt, 95nt; 102ft 6in length x 19ft breadth x 9ft 3in height; 1 deck; fastened with iron bolts; 3 masts; quarter deck 24ft; schooner rigged. Previous owners include William Rendell Beer of Kingsbridge and William King of Plymouth. The vessel was owned by J Westcott, Plymouth, and captained by J Smith. On 8 June 1915, the schooner was captured and scuttled by a German submarine 44 miles south-southwest, 0.5 miles west of the Smalls. The u-boat responsible was U35 under the command of KptLt Waldemar Kophamel, and would go on to be the most successful German u-boat of the Great War sinking 226 ships. The wreck of the EXPRESS was not located during a search of the area by HMS HERALD in 1977 nor by HMS FOX during a further area search in 1989.

Sources include:
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Lloyds List, 18 February 1755, issue number 2002
Merchant Navy List 1900, pg124
Merchant Navy List 1910, pg677
Merchant Navy List 1915, pg766
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:
EXPRESS, http://www.uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/2095.html
U35, http://www.uboat.net/wwi/boats/index.html?boat=35

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, September 2018.