Maritime record MWX2229 - Valentine Tank

Remains of Valentine Tank, 1944

Lost while carrying out trials during WWII. 06-JUN-1985 Valentine tank located in 50 40.05N 001 54.52W. (1) … Upright and virtually complete, albeit very rusty...part of a flotilla of Valentines which, in 1942, were fitted experimentally with canvas screens in order to make them float in the sea. Much of the development of this secret weapon took place in Poole Bay... (2) Recovered objects on droit list include shaving brush, razor, toothbrush, wrench, radio telephone and makers plate. (Droit A/093).(5) Recovered items on droit list include a radiator manifold, a piece of hydraulic piping, and a microphone, found in Poole Bay. (Droit A/1125).(5) Reported by the Poole Bay Archaeological Research Group. (6) Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains: Horizontal Datum: OGB (1)(8) Vertical Datum: 116 (1); LAT (8) Method of Fix: Decca (1)(8) Charted as foul in 50 39.467N 001 53.267W (OSGB); 50 39.501N 001 53.349W (WGS 84), in 13m general depth. (8) 06-JUN-1985: Valentine tank located in 50 39.28N 001 53.16W. (1)(8) . . . Upright and virtually complete, albeit very rusty . . . The tanks in Poole Bay all lie at around 9 metres . . . situated in flat, sandy terrain and consequently form havens for many fish, conger eels, crabs and lobsters . . . (2)(4)(6) This appears most likely to be the Valentine tank listed as No.6 under the heading No.272, "Valentine Tanks", in position 50 39.47N 001 53.41W. (4) The following droits are not attributed to any particular Valentine tank, and are therefore cross-referenced between them all: Recovered objects on droit list include shaving brush, razor, toothbrush, wrench, radio telephone and maker's plate. (Droit A/093). (5) Recovered items on droit list include a radiator manifold, a piece of hydraulic piping, and a microphone, found in Poole Bay. (Droit A/1125). (5) A door catch recovered in Poole Bay from unspecified Valentine tank. (Droit A/2450). (5) The tanks now sit upright on the seabed and were complete up to 1987 when the Royal Navy blew five of them up, the remaining two are still complete. (7) Seen to be located approximately 2.5 miles SE of the entrance to Poole Harbour. (9) … part of a flotilla of Valentines which, in 1942, were fitted experimentally with canvas screens in order to make them float in the sea. Much of the development of this secret weapon took place in Poole Bay and it is not surprising that a few Valentines succumbed to rough conditions and sank. Although the development of the screen system (which could be raised or lowered pneumatically) was carried out on the Valentines, it was used eventually during the Normandy landings on Sherman tanks, a much heavier-bodied vehicle . . . The Valentines were powered by a duplex drive system which enabled the engines to turn large propellers mounted at the rear when the tanks were in the water. (2)(4)(6) A Vickers tank offered to the War Ministry on the 14-FEB-1939, therefore called Valentine, started operation during 1940. During the course of the war it was developed into many special purpose vehicles, one of these being the amphibious 'DD' Duplex Drive. Seven were lost during the last major exercise before D-Day with the loss of six men. (7) Crew Lost: 6 overall in incident, actual tanks unspecified (7) Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

Record last edited

Apr 5 2024 8:44AM