Valentines lost at sea
 

Any info on Valentines lost at sea especially in Gulf of St.Lawerance? :no4:

Dear "ramtank2",

Please use your full name on this forum.
Thanks in advance!

Hanno Spoelstra
MLU Forum Moderator

Can't give you too much detail but I did come across some correspondence on the recovery of sunk tanks (I thought it was Halifax harbour) and the debate over who was responsible for the recovery costs as well as the refurbishment. The arguments were based on the contracts which saw liability move from Canada to the recipient nation (in this case UK who was supplying USSR) once the tanks were "on-board". Just goes to show you that wars are really fought by bean-counters.

I believe Sea Hunters ran a show on that particular sinking several years ago. The ship is actually lying on it's side in the St. Lawrence River, facing downstream, somewhere between Quebec City and Bay Comeau.

Very little diving has been done on the wreck because the currents at that location are extremely strong. From the limited visit the divers were able to spend with the wreck, it appeared the cargo of tanks were in very good condition, their biggest saving grace being they are in a predominantly cold freshwater environment.

I seem to recall another 'lost tanks in Canada' show on CBC a number of years back involving either Valentines or Rams. I think just two were involved and the location was somewhere in a river near Petawawa. They either went through the ice crossing a river in winter, or were trying to ford the river in the wrong location.

Just checked with some friends and they could not confirm the type of tank but believe the incident took place at Borden.

David

Off the Caroline Coast I think
 

A friend of mine who is a diver, explosive expert, retired fireman, military restorer, etc. dove on a Liberty ship that had exploded, I've got a video of the dive somewhere. Long story short it shows Valentine Tanks as part of the cargo. Now I'll have to dig out the video and see if I can lift some pictures.

I'll give him a call to get the name of the ship then I can give you a more specific location.

Please do, sir... we here have depended upon our honesty with one another for 10 years now, and have never run into trouble because of it; instead, we have made many fast friendships because of it rather than in spite of it. As the Forum owner and creator, I insist we know whom we're speaking to... else your posting access to MLU will be ultimately restricted. Please do join our community in full! It's what makes us different than all the rest... :teach:

Geoff Winnington-Ball
MAPLE LEAF UP

underwater tanks
 

A friend of mine also said that a video was on tv about a year ago confirming a load of tanks ,probably Valentines, were strapped down in a ship in the St. Lawrence. Also, there is a load of M3 Lees off the coast of north Carolina, I think, which divers can see as the wreck is not too deep. I read somewhere that the first batch of Lees destined for North Africa were lost to the U-boats,maybe this is the same wreck.

Greek ships Mount Pindus and Mount Taygetos sunk Sept 7 42, by u-517, each ship carry's 8 tanks as deck cargo, Rams or Vals?
Ships were part of convoy QS-33, sunk 48.50N 63.40W.