HMS Opal Wreck Dive Find

[kc]

BBC reported that divers had found a ring belonging to a sailor who was lost on HMS Opal when it ran aground off the Orkneys in WW1. Quite a story about retracing the relatives, and one to give hope to all those who visit this site looking for info on their relatives!

Here is the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7098429.stm

[Batstiger]

There are a few more pictures of her and the Narborough here.

Bob.

http://www.kbrady.com/opalimages.html

[jbryce1437]

HMS Opal, along with several of her class, was built by William Doxford and Son at their Sunderland shipyard in September 1915. Whilst she was wrecked in the Orkneys in 1918, the wreck was later sold in August 1932.
These photographs show her under construction at the Pallion shipyard, steaming at Jutland and with her G19 pennant number on the bow.
You can read more about the sinking here:
http://www.gwpda.org/naval/opalnarb.htm

[tim lewin]

I beleive it was the famour sea stories teller "Taffrail" who wrote a dramatised account of this event based on interviews at the time with the sole survivor. I have the book and story somewhere if anyone would be interested?
Tim

[tim lewin]

It wasn't Taffrail, it was "Bartimeus" and the story, only several pages, was entitled "The Survivor". It was reprinted in Peter Smith's excellent book "Destroyer Action". I would be happy to copy it for anyone interested. Better still, find the book via the net, its full of excellent RN destroyer stories.
tim