SS KYARRA

The Kyarra was a 126m passenger & cargo liner. In October 1914 the British government requisitioned the Kyarra. She was painted white, had red crosses painted onto her hull and fitted out as a hospital ship. This is a fact but not the truth for in 1917 the Kyarra had been converted to an armed casualty clearing ship with the mounting of a 4.7in quick-firing gun on her stern to defend herself against U-boats. which became her death warrant. Also at this time the Kyarra was not painted white and did not have a red cross where the fatal torpedo struck. This is why you won't find the U boat commander Johann Lohs named as a war criminal for sinking a hospital ship.

Captain William Smith of the Kyarra with the code number 115755 TWSC was instructed to pick up 1,000 war wounded Australian troops who would never fight again with other sick Australian troops plus a general cargo bound for Australia. The cargo had already been loaded and the Kyarra was then heading for Devonport, Plymouth to pick up the Australian troops bound for Sydney.

On Thursday 23rd May reports came in that HMS Moldavia, a converted armed merchant cruiser had been sunk in the English channel. Records also show the loss of 56 US troops. This had been sunk by the UB 57 commanded by Oberleutnant Johann Lohs who had achieved being an ace with the sinking of HMS Moldavia his then total was 100,000 tons of Allied shipping sent to the bottom.

Then on the Sunday 26th May 1918 in the early morning the Kyarra was passing Anvil Point when the UB 57 commanded by Oberleutnant Johann Lohs had the Kyarra in his sight. He fired one torpedo which slammed into the port side Mid ships causing the death of six crew. who were in the boiler room at the time of the explosion. These are confirmed and the names can be seen listed at the Tower Hill Memorial they are: Fireman. Duncan. Mackenzie aged 52. Fireman. J. Brown aged 33, Fireman. James Abbott Nanles aged 28, Stewards Boy. Laurence Albert Mcphun aged 16. Trimmer. Henry Garnet Warmlington Morley, aged 28. Fifth Engineer Officer William Small.

Captain William Smith and the remaining crew took to the lifeboats, seven minutes later the Kyarra dived to the bottom to its present location. Had they taken the 1,000 war wounded the on board they would have no doubt have gone down with the ship. Oberleutnant Johann Lohs then made his way to his home port of Zeebrugge arriving 1st June 1918.

What of UB-57 and her crew? The UB 57 is reported to have struck a mine some three months later on August 14th. The bodies of Johann Lohs and several crew members were washed ashore on August 22nd 1918.

The Kyarra is is a very popular wreck which lies in about 30 metres of water, two miles off Anvil Point. There are many brass portholes, and the holds still contain rolls of cloth, rolls of lino, sticks of red sealing wax, medical supplies. Rubber over shoes, perfume, Champaign and vinegar bottles. Gold and silver watches have even been found by some divers.

I have retrieved quite a few bottles of Champagne from the Kyarra and still have one (undrinkable) also some rubber overshoes along with many plates and cups that I have retrieved over the years. I dived this wreck in the early days when wet suits were standard with horse collar ABLJs and the standard kit was lump hammers and chisels when men were men and the girls were quite Ard as well.

The Kyarra is reached from Swanage and must be dived during slack water, one hour before and six hours after Dover high water. Please remember that people did lose their lives on that Sunday 26th May 1918 so please treat the wreck with respect especially around the boiler room.

The captain of UB-57, Oberleutnant Johann Lohs, died at sea, aged 29. Lohs sailed from Zeebrugge on 3 August 1918. The last contact he made with base was on the evening of the 14 August 1918. At the time UB-57 was homeward bound. She was believed to be in the area of the Sandiette Bank, east of the Straits of Dover It is thought UB-57 hit a mine. The bodies of Lohs and several crew members were washed ashore on August 22nd, today Oberleutnant Johann Lohs is buried in the Ysselsteyn German cemetery, Netherlands.

If you ever dive this wreck keep a watch out for Greek oil tankers who can't read sea charts and leave the wheel house on auto pilot. In my time of diving the Kyarra this has happened twice, the last being so close we could have painted the hull. The first time I tried contacting via our marine radio while holding a warning flare.

Location: 1 mile off Anvil Point (Swanage)

Description: 6953 ton Australian steamer

Length: 126 metres

Depth: 21 metres to top of wreck, 30 metres to seabed.