CAMBRIAN

Before her military career, HMS Cambrian began life in 1924 as the steam trawler Lord Derby, built by Cochrane & Sons in Selby. She served in the fishing fleets under several different names, including Ocean Knight and Stella Procyon. With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, she was requisitioned by the Admiralty for naval service, armed, and commissioned as HMS Cambrian, tasked with the vital role of a boom defence vessel.

Her naval career was short-lived. On May 30, 1940, while on patrol, HMS Cambrian struck a German-laid mine. The explosion was catastrophic, and the vessel sank quickly, becoming an early casualty of the war at sea. Her loss highlighted the constant danger faced by even the smallest support vessels of the Royal Navy.

Today, the wreck of HMS Cambrian rests in just 4 metres of water, making it a fantastic and highly accessible dive for all experience levels. The shallow depth ensures excellent light and long bottom times. While the mine explosion and subsequent years underwater have left the wreck well broken, divers can easily identify key features like her boiler, parts of the triple-expansion engine, and scattered hull plating. It's a perfect site for a relaxed second dive, underwater photography, or for new divers to experience their first wreck.