BRITISH INVENTOR (BOW SECTION)

The MV British Inventor was a motor tanker built in 1926 for the British Tanker Company, a key part of Britain's merchant navy. When World War II began, she was tasked with the perilous duty of transporting vital fuel supplies across hostile seas to keep the war effort going.

On June 13, 1940, while en route from Abadan, Persia, to the Hamble with a full cargo of fuel oil, she struck a German mine off St. Alban's Head. The powerful explosion tore a huge hole in her forward section. In a desperate attempt to save the ship and her valuable cargo, she was beached on Lulworth Banks. The damage was too great, however, and the vessel broke in two. In a remarkable feat of wartime salvage, the entire stern section was refloated and towed to port, where it was later fitted with a brand new bow and re-entered service as the 'British Vindicator'. The original, severed bow was abandoned.

This wreck site is that original bow section, which now rests in just 19 metres of water. It's an excellent and highly accessible dive, perfect for all levels of diver. The bow lies on its side, and its sheer size is impressive up close. Divers can explore the foredeck, peer into the chain locker, and examine the twisted, torn metal where the mine detonated, a fascinating and tangible piece of WWII history.