Wreck of British Warship Cut in Two by Cruiser Found 118 Years Later
The wreck of a Royal Navy destroyer that sank after being cut in two by another warship during an exercise, killing 35 men, has been discovered some 118 years after the collision.
HMS Tiger sank in the English Channel in 1908, and her wreck has now been found at a depth of 60 meters, not far from the Isle of Wight.
Divers with ProjectXplore spent five years working through archival material in search of Tiger, the last missing British 30-knot torpedo boat destroyer. Having first identified the wreck site in 2025, the team was able to confirm it as the British warship in July after surveying it with sidescan sonar.
Tiger was a three-funnel, 30-knot torpedo boat destroyer (TBD) built at the Clydebank yard of J & G Thomson in 1901. The British built a fleet of TBDs to counter small, fast torpedo boats, which posed a serious threat. At 220 feet in length and 400 tonnes full load displacement, the TBDs were light by modern "destroyer" standards, but they served a similar escort mission for the fleet.
HMS Tiger (Royal Navy)
Through her years in service, Tiger endured repeated collisions and mechanical failures, returning to service each time. On the day of her loss, 12 destroyers including Tiger left Portsmouth Harbor to take part in exercises in the English Channel, south of the Isle of Wight. The destroyers were to practice night attacks against six battleships and cruisers.
During the evening, the destroyers were in position south of St. Catherine’s Point, proceeding without lights and attempting to close on the battleships and cruisers without being seen. The objective was to maneuver within striking distance for their attacks after dark.
A few minutes past eight, on a dark night with no moon, Tiger strayed into the path of the cruiser HMS Berwick while steaming at 20 to 21 knots. Though Berwick's captain gave orders to try to avoid a collision, there was no time for either ship to take evasive action. The 10,000-tonne cruiser struck the 400-tonne destroyer amidships, slicing her in two. The bow sank almost immediately, taking the captain and much of the crew with it; the stern stayed afloat only a few minutes longer. Of Tiger's 57-strong crew, only 22 survived.
“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to research, discover and document the wreck of HMS Tiger. We sincerely hope that our work will ensure that HMS Tiger, her story and the memory of those connected with her endure for future generations,” said Leo Fielding and Dan McMullen, co-organizers of ProjectXplore.
The find is significant because Tiger was the last missing 30-knot TBD sunk in the English Channel. The three others — Flirt, Myrmidon, and Bittern — had previously been located.
The discovery also comes as the UK government moves to strengthen protections for shipwrecks. The Armed Forces Bill, now before Parliament, would give newly found military wrecks “protected place” status from the moment of discovery, making it an offense to disturb or remove items from the site without permission. Current law does not provide such protection for ships lost before World Wr I.
“Protecting military wrecks helps to ensure they are preserved for future generations. This is beneficial for our rich maritime heritage and the diving community who keep the stories of our lost shipwrecks alive,” said Lieutenant Commander Jen Smith, the Royal Navy’s Deputy Fleet Wreck Officer.
South Australia Sinks Historic Grab Dredger as Artificial Reef
A 64-year-old vessel that supported artificial reef installations in Australian waters is preparing to be sunk to become an artificial reef and a recreational dive site, part of a program to restore biodiversity.
The MV Andrew Wilson, a 40-meter grab hopper dredger built in 1962, is set to be turned into an artificial reef in shallow water about six kilometers off the coast of Brighton in Gulf St Vincent. She will be the first vessel scuttled in South Australian waters in more than two decades.
For over six decades, the vessel, owned by the Australian company Maritime Constructions, was a workhorse in South Australian waters and was engaged in dredging, salvage operations, dive support, pile installation, navigation aids, and reef construction. At one point she was converted to a specialized commercial fishing vessel operating from Port Lincoln.
The Andrew Wilson is also remembered for playing a pivotal role in the salvage mission following the Whyalla Airlines tragedy in May 2000. The plane suffered a dual-engine failure and crashed into Spencer Gulf off the coast of South Australia, killing all eight people on board.
Currently docked at Port Adelaide, the vessel is preparing to make her final voyage as part of an US$116.5 million biodiversity restoration initiative.
Work is under way to strip hazardous materials from the vessel, including cutting access holes into the hull to allow safe entry for scuba divers. Once that is complete, the ship will be towed to the designated scuttling site, where she will be sunk upright on the seafloor. The vessel’s crane will remain in place to serve as an underwater landmark.
The Andrew Wilson becomes the first ship purposely sunk in South Australia since the decommissioned Royal Australian Navy guided-missile destroyer HMAS Hobart in 2002. The 134-meter warship was scuttled in Yankalilla Bay, South Australia, using controlled explosions to become a protected artificial reef and dive site.
“The MV Andrew Wilson has served the state for decades, and this next chapter will see it transform into a thriving artificial reef, supporting both the marine ecosystem and tourism industry,” said Joe Szakacs, South Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.
Famous Museum Ship USS New Jersey Gets $24M in Upgrades
More than 80,000 people visit the battleship USS New Jersey each year, and her namesake state is investing $24 million in a redevelopment project designed to make that experience better.
The Iowa-class New Jersey is one of the most decorated battleships in U.S. Navy history, having earned distinctions in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and conflicts in the Middle East. She was launched on the first anniversary of Pearl Harbor and went on to steam more miles, fight in more battles, and fire more shells in combat than any other battleship in history. In and out of commissioned service over the years, the ship was decommissioned (for the fourth time) in February 1991 and has since served as a living museum and memorial in Camden.
Two years ago, the warship went into drydock for major maintenance, repair, and repainting at a cost of $10 million. A new project has now been unveiled to preserve the battleship’s legacy and strengthen its standing among the most treasured historic destinations in New Jersey, where it has served as a cultural landmark and educational destination since 2001. The redevelopment is designed to transform the visitor experience, address critical infrastructure aboard the ship, and strengthen its role as an anchor of the Camden waterfront.
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority is funding the project with a $24 million investment, backed by up to $20 million in tax credits. The largest share, $9.5 million, will go toward the building of a new three-floor visitor center adjacent to the battleship. Some $6 million has been allocated for improvements aboard the battleship, while $5.5 million will go toward a parking structure. Work is slated to begin in the middle of next year and will take about two years to complete.
“This project will fundamentally change how visitors arrive, how they experience the ship, and how we sustain this national treasure over the long term. It is the culmination of years of planning and partnership, and it gives us the opportunity to match the greatness of the ship with the visitor experience she deserves,” said Marshall Spevak, CEO of the Battleship New Jersey Museum & Memorial.
“As a Navy veteran, I know Battleship New Jersey stands as an enduring testament to the service and sacrifice of generations of Americans,” said New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill. “This investment will preserve that legacy and strengthen one of New Jersey’s most treasured historic destinations.”
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