Maritime record MWX2112 - British Inventor

Remains of English steam driven oil tanker, 13 June 1940.

The BRITISH INVENTOR struck a mine 5 miles off St Albans Head and was beached on Lulworth Banks where she sank. Ship broke in two 30- JUN after which the stern section was towed to Portland and moored in the harbour, later transferred to Southampton where it arrived 31- JUL where she was sold for scrap and broken up. Salvage of the forward section was considered impracticable and was left lying two miles from White Nose. Year Built: 1926 Builder: Palmer and Co. Engine HP: 567 Boilers: 3 Propulsion: Screw driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion engine. Owner: British Tanker Co. Ltd. Crew: 40 Construction: P.deck 103ft.; b.deck 32ft.; f.castle 47ft.; 2 x decks Machinery: aft. Date of Loss Qualifier: A (2) Surveying History: (1) 19-AUG-1940 Sunk in 50 35 20N, 02 18 30W. 15-FEB-1941 Completely submerged in 50 35 28N, 02 18 28W. 06-NOV-1942 position now reported as 50 35 20N, 02 18 30W. 07-MAR-1947 Chain sweep after dispersal. Clear at 46 feet 22-FEB-1968 Cargo of oil insured by MOT. Hull by UK Mutual War Risks Ltd. 10-FEB-1969 Reported to be broken up. 03-FEB-1975 Depth was 58 in general depth 70 feet. Wreckage consists of twisted plate scattered over area 200 x 150 feet orientated N/S. No obvious scour in rocky seabed. May have, in the past been used as a target - some shell cases seen in the immediate area. No large items of wreckage, such as engine parts or winches seen. 20-NOV-1990 Least echo sounder depth 17.1 In general depth 19m. No scour. Side scan sonar height 1.3M. Very broken wreckage covering area 50 x 30m, approximately, orientated 090/270 deg. Isolated wreckage lies 30m away in 50 35 23.7N, 02 18 26W. (1) Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index: LCWLR.1939-45 p84; GPCS. p54; DD. p120; Wreck and Rescue on the Dorset Coast Farr 1971 p57; LR 1939 40 No 21345(B). Gross tonnage Position 50 35.40 N 2 18.37W taken from (7)

Record last edited

Sep 14 2023 7:39PM