BRUNHILDA

The SS Brunhilda was a British steamship built in 1901 by the renowned William Gray & Co. shipyard in West Hartlepool. For over a decade, she served as a typical merchant freighter of her time, powered by a triple-expansion steam engine and transporting goods across the seas. When World War I broke out, she, like thousands of other civilian vessels, was pressed into the vital service of keeping Britain supplied, operating under the constant threat of German naval power.

Her service came to a violent end on July 11, 1917. While on passage from Falmouth, she was targeted by the German submarine UC-47. Struck by a torpedo, the Brunhilda sank beneath the waves, becoming another victim of Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare campaign which aimed to cripple the Allied war effort by starving them of resources.

Resting at a depth of 56 meters, the Brunhilda is now a classic deep wreck dive for experienced technical divers. She sits upright and is largely intact, offering a spectacular sight as she emerges from the gloom. Divers can explore her superstructure, peer into the cargo holds, and marvel at the two large boilers and the impressive triple-expansion engine, which stands proud amidships. The depth and conditions make this a challenging dive, but one that rewards with a perfectly preserved piece of World War I history.