LE POULMIC

Le Poulmic was a French transport ship from World War II today is lying on a rocky seabed south of Plymouth Breakwater. The 350-ton vessel had a length of 121.5 feet, a beam of 26.5 feet and a depth of 10 feet, had a 540-horsepower diesel engine that could move the ship at up to 12 knots.

On the 3 July 1940 the Royal Navy seized the French personnel carrier Le Poulmic, after the collapse and surrender of the French forces. The ship was officially handed back to the Free French Naval Forces (Les Forces Navales Francaises Libres, FNFL) on 11 August 1940 under the command of Admiral Emile Muselier under Charles de Gaulle. After serving as a patrol vessel under captain Paul Vibert, Poulmic was used as a minesweeper operating out of Plymouth. On 6th October 1940, whilst carrying out routine minesweeping off Penlee Point, Le Poulmic struck what was thought to be a German parachute mine and quickly sank south of Plymouth Breakwater, 11 crew were lost and 7 rescued at which time Vibert was severely wounded. Le Poulmic was the first ship loss for the FNFL.

The biggest piece of this wreck is the boilers and the engine which stand about 5m above the sea bed. The rest is just scattered pieces of metal ribs such was the destructive force of the mine. You will also see parts of the wooded hull. These pieces are widely scattered and diving the area you might not realise that you are actually diving a wreck site. As you explore the gullies you notice that the area is littered with shells, the type that can go bang. They are either lying around singly, or in lumps of three or four. Please note this is all still ‘live’ ammunition and badly corroded. There are also one or two large projectiles lying around, so leave well alone, they are explosive shells. that being said the wreck site makes a good second dive. This is a rummage dive with not a lot to see of the original wreck which is at a depth of 23m.

Slack water on site is 3 hours before and after high water Devonport with the maximum current at full flow of 1kt on a spring tide and 0.5kt on neaps. Visibility varies from 1 to 10m and is best after a long period without any rain. Winter and spring dives would be ideal for the Poulmic site as the seaweed will have died back and it will be easier to identify parts of the shipwreck.

Information from 1989