South Shields, Nyula

HER Number:
12954

District:
S Tyneside

Site Name:
South Shields, Nyula

Place:
South Shields

Map Sheet:
NZ36NE

Class:
Maritime Craft

Site Type: Broad:
Naval Support Vessel

Site Type: Specific:
Boom Defence Vessel

General Period:
Modern

Specific Period:
C20

Form of Evidence:
Wreckage

Description:
A harbour defence vessel which sank on 2nd May 1941 after a collision. N55 00 32 W001 26 38 (Collings). Steel, 52 ton (two entries for this ship on Spokes database, one states weight as 48T) also recorded British steam yacht, approx 24m long, hired by the Admiralty as a harbour defence patrol craft. Built in 1936, her single propeller (possibly bronze) was powered by a three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine which used one boiler. On 2 May 1941 the Nyula foundered and was lost off the mouth of the River Tyne, following a collision with another, unnamed, vessel. Not a lot is known about this wreck-site, except that the remains are reported to be broken up somewhat and not surprisingly she is fairly difficult to locate. Her small boiler and engine block are still there, along with a few copper pipes surrounded by a mound of steel plates, framework a small winch and lots of debris. The Spokes database gives the wreck a depth of 18m although another source used to compile the information suggests the wreck lies 2 miles east of South Shields pier in 26m of water. The NMR has 2 entries for the wreck (NZ 46 NW 7 and NE 46 NE 109).

Easting:
3566

Northing:
6839

Grid Reference:
NZ35666839

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Peter Collings, 1991, The New Divers Guide to the North-East Coast, page 31; Young, R. (2001) Comprehensive guide to Shipwrecks of the North East Coast (The): Volume Two p149; Richard and Bridget Larn 1997 Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 3. The east coast of England : Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, County Durham, Northumberland Section 6, County Durham (CF); 1988 British vessels lost at sea 1914-18 and 1939-45 Section IIII Page(s)15; J J Colledge 1989 Ships of the Royal Navy, volume 2: navy-built trawlers, drifters, tugs and requisitioned ships from the fifteenth century to the present Page(s)163; National Monuments Record (908744 & 1369803); Hydrographic Office wreck index 09-MAR-1993; Dave Shaw and Barry Winfield 1988 Dive north east : a Diver guide Page(s)53