“We must plant the sea and herd its animals using the sea as farmers instead of hunters. That is what civilization is all about - farming replacing hunting.”
Jacques-Yves Cousteau

SS Breda - Oban   


SS Breda was requisitioned for war duties from the Royal Netherlands Steamship Company.  On the 12th of December 1940 she left London with a crew of 42.  She reached Oban eight days later with a valuable cargo including 3 Hawker Biplanes, 30 De Havilland Moths, military vehicles and an assortment of general cargo.

On the 23rd two German Heinkel 111 bombers appeared overhead and before anyone could open fire on them they dropped a stick of bombs that straddled the Breda.  Although there wasn't a hit there may just have been as the concussion of the explosions either side caused serious damage to her inlet pipe and she started taking on water heavily which killed the engines and the electrics. 

Captain Fooy tried to beach the ship on the east shore of Ardmucknish Bay and was assisted by an Admiralty tug and made it only just.  She was beached with her stern awash and in the morning the salvage of her cargo started but the Scottish weather rose up and had the last word.

Today she lies with her bows at 24 meters and the stern at 30 and is an easy dive but a big wreck.  The Royal Navy wire swept the wreck to a depth of 28 feet but her massive cargo holds are still yielding artifacts.  This wreck is owned by Puffin Divers so any recoveries have to be declared to them. 

Here is some video that I took of the wreck.

 

     
Side scan sonar images of the wreck today


           
Click on the thumbnail for a larger view