HMS Victory (1737) - Royal Navy ship lost for 300 years

[@D33pUK]

If you enjoyed this *deep wreck diving video* then check out my other ones 👉www.youtube.com/@D33pUK 🙏

[@Triumph-Tiger-90-Com]

I was one of the volunteer divers on the Mary Rose in 1979, navigation on the wreck was helped by road signs in specific locations and a site map we copied to plastic boards in marker pen.

[@D33pUK]

@@Triumph-Tiger-90-Com It must have been an awesome experience to have been involved with the Mary Rose project. The museum is awesome

[@breakthroughmadeinusa9184]

I could never understand why the effort isn’t made to recover as much of the wreck as possible to preserve for posterity instead of leaving it to slowly rot away or to be salvaged by treasure hunters.

[@D33pUK]

Too difficult and expensive, I reckon

[@Cdr_Mansfield_Cumming]

We have many such wrecks in the English Channel. I can go diving on a day boat from Plymouth and dive on two to three wrecks in a day.

[@Crocs4cats]

@@Cdr_Mansfield_Cumming Are they all really old or modern? My interest has been piqued!🤓

[@tristanjames6304]

Don't forget these are graves. Sometimes it's more respectful to leave then where they lie

[@Crocs4cats]

@ Ah, I didn’t even consider that😣 and I watched Caitlin Doughtys video about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@ryanznamierowski214]

Another awesome video. Scooter camera setup seemed to work pretty well!

[@D33pUK]

@@ryanznamierowski214 Absolutely, I've used it on other dives so it will make a reappearance in future videos as well!

[@KeyaanMZ]

From a quick google, I found that in 2011 a Dutch salvage company was caught with an illegally salvaged cannon from the wreck, perhaps the lifting points were from the same company or others trying to loot it.

[@D33pUK]

@@KeyaanMZ That would be my guess as well 👍

[@jackjosh1981]

wow nice one

[@vsvnrg3263]

keyaanmz, these lumps of metal are so desirable. its bloody obvious that the cannons and everything else needs to be on-shore in a museum. picking up these cannons looks like a real easy job compared to some salvage operations. spending effort digging for hidden stuff can be considered later.

[@whitemark84]

thanks for the video, didn't realise she existed so yeah your right there thay definitely kept that quiet

[@gullybull5568]

So what

[@Willard05]

Another incredible video. Thank you for posting this video and for documenting this wreck

[@D33pUK]

@Willard05 My pleasure and glad you enjoyed it!

[@gerryjamesedwards1227]

I'm pretty sure you're right about the large copper cauldron, it looks like a galley copper for a large mess. Bronze cannon would explain why some one obviously went to a lot of effort to try and recover them, probably with the scrap value rather than the archaeological value in mind sadly. There's no telling how many they managed to retrieve.

[@D33pUK]

There's still loads down there so hopefully not that many!

[@SDE1994]

theft for private collectors

[@mrclicky6826]

Great video really enjoyed it and the commentary.

[@D33pUK]

@@mrclicky6826 Thanks, appreciate the feedback 👍

[@kevinperryman9149]

perfect dive with the scooter and camera set up amazing marine life and how silent down there using CCR scuba is so noisy compared to it ,must make it more tranquil when on a wreck like this and respect to those lost,thanks again for a great video.

[@D33pUK]

@@kevinperryman9149 My pleasure, I did remove the noise of the scooter from the video as it's a horrible racket 😂

[@donlaight5943]

Even in cases where wrecks are protected war graves, you only have to read about the wrecks of Exeter, Prince of Wales and Repulse which are rapidly dissapearing

[@raymarshall6721]

Or the USS Houston which is completely gone now from Chinese salvage vessels

[@ryanbluer6098]

The difference is with the Prince of Wales wreck and the others, they are in waters to far for our people to monitor, where this is in the English Channel. But with such clear indication of attempted theft of artefacts from it something should be done. Recover and preserve are the only options for me before it’s to late to do anything just like with those wrecks plundered by Chinese salvage companies

[@darrenhawken9766]

Thanks for the ride along, very interesting, thanks for sharing your adventures 👍

[@jackjosh1981]

great video, I believe the guns are paired and tethered ready for lifting because a Dutch salvage company were in the process of trying to salvage them but got removed from the site about 10 years ago, I guess they were getting them all set up for a quick getaway yeah I read it on Google too mate

[@seeker1432]

Not salvage. Theft

[@jackjosh1981]

@seeker1432 it was salvage just unlawful,,,,, but yea

[@seeker1432]

@@jackjosh1981 Its no doubt left as a War grave. Otherwise we would of collected from it. So to take from a War grave is theft

[@shaynewheeler9249]

😢😢😢😢

[@ryanbluer6098]

If there is a danger of these historical artefacts being looted, then surely the government should raise and preserve them and send them to the various war museums. It’s terrible that this wonderful wreck with its history is just left to be ignored and possibly stolen and the memory of those sailors who died on it forgotten forever. I don’t think you should have mentioned anything about gold being on it because even more nefarious people will dive on it .

[@gitfoad8032]

I would have zero faith in the 'authorities', even if this was on their doorstep.

[@rovhalt6650]

Sadly, with leftist/communist governments in power, they tend to wish history to be destroyed and forgotten rather than memorized.

[@paulslater9061]

The gold will be long gone you don't think the government would leave that do you not a prayer

[@ryanbluer6098]

@ That part I believe unless the ship broke up very quickly and it could have fallen anywhere. There’s definitely been no mention of gold ever being found in connection with that wreck .

[@johnmartin2079]

@@ryanbluer6098 life's about the money, diving just comes along with it

[@topdiveribiza1]

Thank you again...another brilliant video

[@D33pUK]

Thanks - glad you enhoyed this one as well!

[@topdiveribiza1]

@D33pUK love your editing and professional approach to dives...Best online...miss the dives alot and especially my tech end...your videos bring back the memories...thanks again....be safe

[@stephenwelch339]

Lovely dive great shots and excellent narrator 😊 thank you keep safe mate.

[@D33pUK]

Thank you, I will

[@vsvnrg3263]

great video. people always say there is gold in old shipwrecks. as for moving the cannons, trawler are a possibility (they call such things 'mini minors') but trawler nets dont have lifting slings on them. i reckon they were lifted then dumped when the thief's radar indicated a fast moving boat headed in their direction. no time to remove slings. the slings indicate the importance of storing these cannons in a safe dry museum.

[@FrankenstienArchive]

Fabulous video! It would be great to see an official project being launched similar to the Mary Rose to see the ship recovered and preserved for the nation.

[@D33pUK]

Thank you although I'm not sure HMS Victory's hull exists in the same way that the Mary Rose's did so I don't think that is an option

[@rednissan001]

Another cracking video. Sure you have seen already but dive talk used one of your videos where your scrubber flooded. They had nothing but good words about your video and how you handled everything. They even went as far as saying they’d like you as an instructor in the uk on their dive go unit.

[@D33pUK]

Thanks and yes I thought Gus and Woody were pretty gentle on me 😂

[@tyroneridler8963]

These are the best diving videos on you tube. Brilliant, how deep how deep?

[@D33pUK]

@@tyroneridler8963 Thanks, really appreciate the feedback. HMS Victory is 78 metres to the seabed

[@jesstreloar7706]

A little over 255 feet for us Americans

[@offdeadeye88]

@@jesstreloar7706what’s that in BPE? (Burgers per eagle)

[@brianhorrocks4450]

Great video. There has been many salvage companies over the years looking for this wreck. There was a lot of rumours flying around in 2005-2007 that it had been located. When Odyssey Marine Exploration plotted the wreckage ( around 2014-2015) & I wonder if when they visited the wreck, they noticed the lifting strops on the cannons. Or have they appeared since ?

[@D33pUK]

@@brianhorrocks4450 I believe Odyssey did lift some of the guns which are the ones in the museum in Portsmouth. My dives on the wreck were in 2019 and 2022

[@vivid-diver]

The Odyssey survey results are publically available. No stops or any cannons off the site in 2012

[@ianlloyd1182]

The loss of life was tragic but think too of the families who newer knew what had happened. Perhaps no income and eventual poverty. Life was very tough and often cruel back then.

[@D33pUK]

@@ianlloyd1182 Couldn't agree more, an event like this would have been catastrophic for a much wider group of people

[@grantlandking4361]

Awesome footage mate! Greetings from North Carolina, USA

[@D33pUK]

@grantlandking4361 Thank you very much. My next video is about our discovery of one of your ships, the USS Jacob Jones (DD-61) torpedoed in 1917!

[@blackbird5634]

I was diving off Bermuda in the 80's and on display, in the dive shop where I filled my tanks was an oil lamp with a dagger through it. All of it rusty and broken and dented. What was noticeable was the sand-rubbing on the glass, smoothing the edges that along with the coral, cemented the two objects together. They'd been in the ocean a long time. 😉

[@rade6063]

Great video, Im enjoying the videos a lot.

[@D33pUK]

Thanks for the feedback and pleased to hear it!

[@michaeltroster9059]

From the appearance of the cannon, they don’t look like typical ordnance of the Royal Navy of that era . They look like guns of an earlier time.

[@D33pUK]

@@michaeltroster9059 There isn't an argument over dating the guns, you can see one in the NMRN ultimaproject.org/2020/08/06/a-42-pounder-bronze-gun-from-hms-victory-1737/

[@sekainiheiwa3650]

Get those cannons out, clean it and put in your garden , excellent bench

[@JihadBunnydick]

Go back & get them

[@keithjohnson7677]

The crown should get these cannons back home before the France get them our some one gets them for sale.

[@ddmp1703]

Great video thanks

[@D33pUK]

@@ddmp1703 My pleasure, glad you enjoyed it

[@paulb5377]

Really enjoyed your video, why is a site as important as this not protected, it seems ridiculous.The cannons were likely targetted for monitory value rather than archaeological value, hopefully not many have been removed. Such a shame some WW11 war grave ship wrecks in the Pacific Ocean have disappeared, just pure greed with no thought or respect for the brave people that perished. Keep up the great work.

[@southerneruk]

The WWII wreaks in the Pacific are being removed for a reason, they are poisoning the marine life, which is causing cancer to the local people and countries like the USA, UK will not pay for the damage that is being cause or to compensate those who getting ill and dying because they ate local fish, nor will these countries will make them safe and removing the toxic stuff, so the local government have removed all protection of WWII war graves ships with in their 200-mile economic zone

[@RandomTorok]

I suspect it might be a case of allocating limited resources, if you declare a site, a protected site then you will need to patrol that site to ensure it remains protected. If every ship that ever sank was declared a protected site then they wouldn't be able to patrol them all.

[@Johnx961]

Excellent vid as usual, cannons galore what can you say I`d love to grab one.

[@D33pUK]

They're incredibly beautiful things, especially when you consider how old they are!

[@coolstorybrooooo7643]

This is insane

[@Crocs4cats]

This is fascinating! I’m dying to see what else is down there under the sand!

[@D33pUK]

Me too but I can't imagine we'll ever know 😥

[@EAMONS-R.C.-CHANNEL]

Fantastic video, thank you. It's very sad that nothing is being done to save the history of this ship and its men. Under that Mound or hill is all the answers to this ship. Sadly it is one big graveyard.

[@D33pUK]

I couldn't agree more

[@johnbruce2868]

If you either remove legal protection under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, or do not grant it, I would think this wreck is ripe for looting. If it's ripe for looting, why aren't British maritime museum organisations undertaking it? I'm sadden to learn of this wanton indifference to our maritime heritage, leaving the site open to Dutch salvage speculators. What's an 18th. century British cannon worth on the antiquities market? What's 50 of them worth? Free money. I'm appalled.

[@roadweary5252]

Amazing video

[@davidthomas6859]

Hi ,really interesting video as this HMS Victory .Admiral Sir John Balchin is related to my wife on her mother’s side ,her 6th or 7th grandfather .Thx for showing great video ❤

[@D33pUK]

Glad that you enjoyed it and what a fascinating link you have to the wreck.

[@davidthomas6859]

@ Very much so ,my wife was fascinated with this video 🙏🙏

[@theduder2617]

Even if it is in a bicycle crash, those who die while in service of their nation and it's people should always be remembered, honored, and their final resting place(s) protected. Sadly, the mindsets which tend to make it into positions of power and influence focus on personal gain/profit more than honor, respect, and in some cases even basic human decency. You did it perfectly. Take only photos, videos, and life experience. Leave only footprints. Or in your case, a small and temporary water disturbance. Rest well to all who went down with her.

[@markwoods1504]

Thoroughly agree with you , HMS Victory 1744 should be protected , I know there are underwater camera's that could be left down there to record any untoward activity . HMS Victory should be thought of just like HMS Mary Rose, RIP to all those Officers and Sailors who died. Brilliant Video my friend.

[@D33pUK]

Thanks, I know that they've tried to put cameras on wrecks like HMS Scylla but it's not been very successful and they're not their any more

[@murraymclean9072]

It's a significant piece of English history, attach to that the loss of life, and it's quite unbelievable that there aren't any orders attached to it.

[@piersp38]

Thanks from Italy. All really intersting.

[@D33pUK]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@TheGeezzer]

I hope those cannons get raised as its a shame just to let em rot on the seabed. I mean they are beautiful works of bronze with ornate royal crests on them and they should be in a museum.

[@D33pUK]

I agree!

[@TheGeezzer]

@@D33pUK Fabulous history just rotting there! To be honest I was getting annoyed!!

[@ericvadekro8334]

Great video…. Impressive diving as usual

[@D33pUK]

@@ericvadekro8334 Thanks!

[@brutus4013]

Interesting .Like many people, Ive never heard of the first HMS Victory, its tragic ending and the massive loss of life of the sailors on board .Very strange .

[@D33pUK]

@brutus4013 Yes I'm surprised it isn't better known, I'm trying to do my bit to address that!

[@missterspoon]

so beautifully alan partrige love the whole thing

[@D33pUK]

Thanks .... I think 🤣

[@missterspoon]

@@D33pUK absolutly love it im now an avid watcher :)

[@robertwrightson6455]

The War of the Spanish Succession was not also known as The War of Jenkins Earl which was known in Spain as The War of the Agreement. The War of the Spanish Succession was 1701 to 1714, Jenkins Ear was decades later. Great video well done.

[@D33pUK]

You're correct and my mistake! It was the War of Austrian Succession ...... but thank you for taking the time to listen to my commentary 🤣

[@jupite1888]

Great video and amazed that amazing history and heritage is left there unprotected for anyone who has bad intent to dive and pick up pieces or destroy whats left of her .

[@D33pUK]

Yes, very sad indeed

[@hawk68686]

Wow, I knew that they reused ship names over and over. But, I thought that the HMS Victory at the port was the first named Victory in it’s entirety. I really didn’t know that there was 2 of them. That was very informative and a very cool dive. I wish to I was able to dive. Thank you so much for sharing this video with all of us. I don’t understand why people would go and disturb and take stuff from war graves. (And yes, I agree with you that this site should be a war grave) Just like what is happening in the Pacific Ocean where people are destroying the war graves there..

[@D33pUK]

Thanks for taking the time to comment, my understanding is that this was about the 4th or 5th ship in the Royal Navy to have the name HMS Victory!

[@julianmetcalfe1070]

The lifting strops will have a name possible safety tags of last inspection

[@andrewjones5513]

The cannons on the victory in Portsmouth aren’t iron, they’re fibreglass, yes the original ones were iron, but the ones that are there now are lighter to save stress on the ship

[@D33pUK]

@@andrewjones5513 I think you might mean Portsmouth? Original ones were definitely iron 😂

[@pbysome]

​@@D33pUKhe said Portsmouth, read it again.

[@thecaptainjones]

There was one iron cannon left on Nelson's Victory when I was last aboard her in 2014, cheers

[@daneelolivaw602]

There are at least two iron guns on Victory in portsmouth, one of them is a 24 pounder, it is close to the galley on the middle gun deck

[@willbbwluvr]

The original guns are in preservation, stored in the bilge/ballast spaces of the victory, at least they were as of my last visit, 2013

[@pirateracingnz9846]

I am trying to find the original HMS St George (1622-1697). Was my ancestors flagship and he died onboard 1657. Sunk in 1697 off Sheppey as a hulk. The charts I have seen don’t name the known wrecks and it may now be underground. This ship helped smash the Dutch and Spanish and a fair few pirates and was commanded by one of the best admirals never known and even Nelson studied from Blake. I hope to find it next year.

[@D33pUK]

Finding old wooden vessels is really challenging so good luck 👍

[@Sublette217]

She is the oldest commissioned warship in the world but she has been in drydock since 1922.

[@oneamericanpatriot108]

I do agree that the wreck should be protected as a world heritage site, BUT I don't think there is a real need for some kind ofceremony or statues, or anything else.

[@paulrobertssydneyscubadive91]

Excellent video thanks very much. It takes a special kind of scum bag to remove items off a war grave for personal profit.

[@johnmorrison1180]

Sorry the current Victory is not still afloat, its sitting in a dry dock, high and dry, and I'm an Australian!

[@D33pUK]

Of course you're correct, describing it as afloat was a slip of the tongue!

[@Steve-Cross]

This is obviously an incredibly important Maritime archaeological site. It should be protected and surveyed properly. Thank you for giving us a glimpse of her. 👍

[@johnmartin2079]

One would consider looting from a wreck, with as many present I would consider salvaging a cannon is a part of the history

[@D33pUK]

Realistically no-one is lifting one without some serious equipment! Like you though I'd prefer to see far more ashore.

[@Eagle1538]

@ the 7:08 mark. When you put the camera down to pull the brass piece out of the sand. I believe that's a gold tooth on the sand.

[@D33pUK]

It does look as though it could be a tooth, equally could also be some sort of shell or rock!

[@MrFluffyalan]

As I understand it, skeletons or bodies don't remain in salt water for very long, flesh will be a food for fish and sharks etc, bones however are calcium and don't survive for long in sea water, that's why no remains have every been found on the Titanic. If you have found human remains then I suggest you inform the authorities because these would be from a more recently deceased person. The only way a body could remain intact or even bones would have to be in a watertight compartment with no sea water touching the body parts.

[@D33pUK]

Thousands of skeletal remains were found on the Mary Rose (maryrose.org/skeletal-remains/) which sank approximately 200 years before HMS Victory. My belief is that the remains we found on Victory were buried but have been disturbed in recent years by human activity.

[@stephanielloyd4053]

That was my thought! If there were remains found, I'd be pretty certain they'd be recent!

[@D33pUK]

@@stephanielloyd4053 and @MrFluffyalan Human remains have been found on far older wrecks, the Mary Rose is probably the best known example. They just need to be buried so they don't decompose.

[@charliekill88]

mustve been actually mind blowing to dive there. very jealous

[@D33pUK]

Yes, I feel very privileged .... to have done it twice (this was my second dive!)

[@Gundus1000]

To remember the dead is important. Sometimes I get the feeling they should have had more of this positive attention when they were still alive.

[@D33pUK]

I'm an ex-serviceman so am very familiar with this!

[@dianeknight4839]

Fascinating, thank you so much for showing this. Why is it not a designated Naval Grave.

[@D33pUK]

No idea at all, I suspect it is 'too difficult' to be managed so government would prefer to forget about it!

[@WeerensOutdoorWorld-dg8uo]

Love the video. How is your location being tracked underwater?

[@D33pUK]

@@WeerensOutdoorWorld-dg8uo I carried a beacon that transmitted a signal to the surface. The equipment on the dive boat was able to track me and overlay it on the multi beam

[@chaz4172]

Thank you

[@markclifton14]

It looks an amazing wreck to dive. With all those Conga eels around, would they attack you if you got too close to them. Good clear camera work. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@D33pUK]

@@markclifton14 I've never had a problem with them but then I don't tend to get too close!

[@garybrindle6715]

Conger eels do attack if you poke them when in their homes, A Navy diver who ignored my advice needed 8 stitches from a Plymouth wreck dive.

[@andrewvanness2101]

I’m guessing that there’s a particular camaraderie that develops with the other divers/explorers, making for fun community get-togethers at the pub end of day? I mean, if I could do what you’re doing, with an appreciation and zeal for the preservation of amazing historical artifacts, yeah, I would quickly sign for membership in that club.

[@andrewvanness2101]

Remiss to not mention above your heartfelt respect for the dead sailors. They’d be honorary members of the club.

[@AbenteuerSchatzsuche]

Am i tripping or do i see remains or the tip of a heavy boot/shoe at 06:41 right below the crab in the crack?! Awesome footage dude!❤

[@D33pUK]

Thanks and it's possible, there are all sorts of things down there. Some original and some more recent!

[@senianns9522]

As soon as I saw those cannon on the introduction to this program, I knew things wouldn't remain the same. In 2009 after announcing the discovery, all the treasure divers around would be trying to remove them!! Concretion removed by hawsers trying to lift them?? Scoundrels!

[@D33pUK]

I don't think it was divers who fitted the strops, this was done on an industrial scale so more likely to be a commercial enterprise.

[@senianns9522]

@@D33pUK Agree: ROV and Sat divers off a large 'commercial' vessel. Maybe they got disturbed by authorities? Good they still there!

[@drfill9210]

The timbers are parallel which gives you an idea

[@AdreamX]

you can see this site has been looted

[@drfill9210]

15:20- the femur is still there pretty much as you left it, also a little later on there is a jaw bone lying on the sea floor, or at least it looks like one

[@WardenWolf]

My guess is the first salvage attempt failed, and they decided against it because, by this time, bronze cannon were obsolete.

[@ringo196]

I remember the programme and the odyssey mentioned £1b in gold and the fact it was a war grave

[@bigbang7897]

Because the Navy don't class the site as a war grave does that mean anyone can dive and plunder the site.

[@D33pUK]

The Royal Navy gave the wreck away to the Maritime Heritage Foundation in 2014 ....

[@tomriley5790]

Found in Portsmouth dockyard.... (Joking :-)!) Out of interest how did you do the dive - presumably trimix on rebreathers? What tech did you use to track your progress on the multibeam image? Love diving wrecks, gave me a real connection to British history that you don't get any other way, alows you to pay your respects to people from another time. The also atract lots of marine life to a habitat. Must have been hornedous for the people when she sank.

[@D33pUK]

Yes, closed circuit rebreathers with trimix diluent. These days that's what everyone uses for deeper diving due to cost/bottom time benefits. For tracking I was carrying a beacon that was followed by someone on the surface who then overlaid it on the multi-beam image.

[@Cdr_Mansfield_Cumming]

At 70m+ I would do it on my CCR. I haven't used open circuit trimix for years now.

[@frankd5871]

Thank you for making the video. Didn't know there were two ships of the same name. What was the brass thing you moved?

[@D33pUK]

Unfortunately I don't know but would love to hear from someone who does!

[@tomcaine226]

The British government is an absolute disgrace when it comes to Royal Navy ships, either lost at sea, or as a result of battle. Such is the case of HMS Renown, and HMS Prince of Wales, sunk by the Imperial Japanese air force, during world war two, off the East coast of Malaya. Both ships are listed as war graves, and both ships have been virtually destroyed by illegal salvage operators, with no comment, or effort by the British government to protect the last resting place of so many brave men of the Royal Navy, this is quite typical of British governments over the many decades, a case of out of sight, out of mind. I suppose it costs too much to protect, and honour our fallen, and after all, politicians do need to have their little luxuries, and have plenty of tax payers money to be able to pour down the drain, and waste on themselves, and they wonder why they are having trouble recruiting. I guess they have been outed for what they are, and after so many centuries of dishonouring our fallen Navy personnel lost in battle, they had to be exposed some time.

[@D33pUK]

Couldn't agree more!

[@richardshal]

On these old wrecks first thing is decide where the bow and stern is //// seen any rudder pintals or figure head or bow stuff

[@D33pUK]

I didn't see anything like that on either dive which is surprising, especially as it must have had lots of massive anchors.

[@richardshal]

Do you think she is lying up right or are there more guns on one side

[@D33pUK]

@richardshal Sadly I have no idea, sorry

[@wazza33racer]

Inside the walls of the Kremlin in Moscow, against the wall of a structure, is a large stack of Napoleonic cannons left behind in 1812. The stack has about 300 canons.

[@thomaswilliams9431]

We are losing our history.

[@PeterMatthess]

Is the current victory still 'afloat'? I was under the impression that the HMS Trincomalee in Hartlepool is the only one of that era that still actually floats in salt water. (built in 1816 and over 50% of the hull is original)

[@D33pUK]

@@PeterMatthess Sorry for my slip of the tongue! You're absolutely correct that HMS Victory in Portsmouth is in dry dock so isn't actually afloat!

[@PeterMatthess]

@@D33pUK really enjoyed your video, I watch Dive Talk yt channel, I have no experience in diving at all but am fascinated at it, will sub and watch your stuff, im uk myself and interested to know more about UK and Eu diving stuff as opposed to American dive sites.

[@gordonfrickers5592]

Victory, 6th with this name in the Royal Navy, was afloat until 1921 when she was seriously damaged by an old dreadnought that broke free while being towed away for scrap. Victory was saved, her hull found in many places to be in poor condition. She was then dry docked. The story made national news which in turn inspired her preservation for the nation.

[@Jaysqualityparts]

A solid bronze canon would be worth a ton even as scrap metal. Unfortunately probably scrappers trying to get em to melt em down.

[@D33pUK]

You're not wrong but how sad would that be 😭

[@jabezhane]

Hmm it's interesting because I wonder if there is a market from pre 1945 bronze like there is for pre 1945 steel and lead? Not sure of the industrial/scientific use of bronze if any.

[@charlesmaurer6214]

May have been dove on while fresh to recover military hardware to explain moved cannon laid side by side. Later with settling and rotting wood it would become both harder to find and metal slipping down as decks rotted out.

[@zapfanzapfan]

Fish making a home in a bronze cave... 🙂

[@mikemyshka1472]

Wow the cannons have all three decks of guns seating next to each other. That big one on the lower deck has the second deck gun right next to it sticking out with the first next to it with a swivel gun all to the left of it and that pattern going the length of the side as you went forward.

[@travellerstoryteller]

they should take out the remains out of the water to be placed in a museum for everyone to enjoy and see

[@D33pUK]

Couldn't agree more

[@chowd.a.d.8309]

Well done. This vid could be much more interesting if you add the info on the ship!. Was this "HMS Victory" the original of the one in Porthsmouth, or another design, how did it look originally?. Info about the cannons?. It is very easy to identify old cannons, especially in this nice conditions. By using the "Cannon code" 1-2-3-4-5-6 measurements you will have all the data to verify the cannons. I see on the video that several cannons have a clear and visible "heraldic decoration" and this is very interesting to hear about. Over all a nice dive video, but all the interesting facts are sadly neglected. Brgds.

[@D33pUK]

Thanks very much and you're right I should have put more history in, definitely an area to improve in future videos 👍

[@richardelley1086]

What a terrific video. What a collection of artefacts. Why the blazes isn't the whole wreck cared for and protected from looters and souvenir hunters? , There is a lot of talk about protecting our heritage. Sadly not here by the look of it.

[@D33pUK]

@richardelley1086 Thanks for commenting and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I think the reason that nothing has been done is due to a combination of apathy and also the practical challenges involved in protecting/preserving a wreck like this. Even something like HMS London which is far shallower, much closer and arguably more significant is being left to wash away.

[@richardelley1086]

@@D33pUK Absolutely. I further believe the there is a need to include some more earnest education of our heritage however significant it might be In fact all aspects of our so very rich heritage is so important to all of us young and old.

[@billt6116]

6:15 Heavy concretions of marine life on one side of an artifact sometimes indicates that it has been disturbed in some way From its original position.

[@D33pUK]

There's no doubt in my mind that is what has happened!

[@tomcaine226]

My apologies, in a comment I wrote a few hours ago, I named two battleships lost off the East coast of Malaya, the name of one was incorrect, I named HMS Renown, when I should have named HMS Repulse.

[@UpTheClock]

How did you produce your "snail trail" ? Some kind of tracker?

[@D33pUK]

Yes, I had a beacon attached to me and there was a reciver on the boat on the surface

[@vivid-diver]

Amazing video. How much decompression did you need after this?

[@D33pUK]

Just over 2 hours, first stop at about 40 metres, you can see a screenshot of the deco profile towards the end of the video (31:10)👍

[@dragdragon23]

they might of been after the cannons, in my hometown we used to have two very rare civil war cannons that was stolen 12 years ago from an old cemetery. of course, moving the cannons from the shipwreck could also be them trying to find any gold. has there been any sonar or x-ray of the site?

[@WesleyHarcourtSTEAMandMORE]

I could imagine a clandestine salvage operation daisy chaining the cannons together and suspending them below their vessel. Possibly towing in-situ to another location for final loading. So as to not raise as much suspicion.

[@XOsubmariner]

Quick correction HMS victory is not still a afloat it's in a dry dock basin look forward to seeing your videos

[@D33pUK]

@@XOsubmariner You're obviously correct - thanks 👍

[@reYouMad]

I think people tried to salvage the cannon. Thank you for sharing your dive 💪

[@D33pUK]

@reYouMad No problems at all and glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@andrewnorgrove6487]

I thought they did an archaeological thing just after it was found But i doubt they would be moving cannons ! That looks like a Navy thing maybe

[@D33pUK]

@@andrewnorgrove6487 At least two guns were lifted by Odyssey and are in a museum in Portsmouth

[@Glenn-em3hv]

Why hasn't it been salvaged??? What a waste leaving those cannon down there!!

[@vipertwenty249]

The site is the grave of over a thousand people. If the guns were to be recovered at all that should be done under the auspices of the Royal Navy for display in a dedicated museum situation. Anyone caught stealing from the site should be stripped of ALL of their assets and jailed until the stolen items are returned - if that is longer than the thieves lifetimes because items have been melted down that's entirely their problem.

[@markrainford1219]

Don't forget the flogging Baldrick.

[@southerneruk]

The cannons would have been lifted by the navy for records checking and then drop back, also there are more than one wreck in that location, HMS Victory VI in Portsmouth is a (104 cannons) 100 cannon ship of the line vessel, the one you dive on was HMS Victory III a (96 cannons) 100 cannon ship of the line, That brass block that you did not know what it is or for, it was a breech block for a breech block cannon there would be four of these at lest, 4 on the castle deck and 4 on the poop deck. The reason why barnacles and other marine life fall off cannons easy is because of the copper content, like all that wood that is left, would once have copper plating nailed to planks for the reason to stop marine life growing on the bottom of the ship, the copper more likely have rotted away by now, but much of the copper chemical make up would have leach into the wood over time. When ships sink, they will spread a wreckage track over a large area, cannons falling off the ship would have gone straight down, while parts that were attached to items that want to float would travel with the current and could be miles away from the spot of the first parts of wreckage, the current in the English Channel travels Celtic Sea to Dover Straights, all that sand is started only a hundred years ago, it was gravel that had been slowly moving along the Channel and ending up at places like Chesil Beach, The shingles, Selsey Bill Dungeness

[@nameother6213]

Interesting video. About those lifting ropes. Back in 2015, a British diver jailed for two years for illegally salvaging and selling three bronze cannon from the HMS London. Probably somebody else is trying to get some money this way. 🤷‍♂

[@D33pUK]

@@nameother6213 Yes I'm aware of that case although I think this has been done on a more industrial level so I believe it is beyond the capacity of a single diver.

[@timcase2494]

Some of those timbers almost look blackened like they were burned. Could that be part of the reason why they are preserved. Also, were it not for the straps, i would have suggested that the lighter guns being found further away from the main wreck site may have been from when the ship was sinking, perhaps it tipped over and the lighter guns up top fell off the ship (particularly if the top portion was burned down before it sank). Then as the bulk of the ship sank and settled, it settled further away from the where first guns that fell off settled. Are there any theories as to how the ship sank, other than it was caught in a storm? Fire was certainly always a concern on the wooden ships of the age.

[@Willard05]

That’s what I thought too in relation to the guns that are to the west of the wreck mound. If it’s true it must have sank very quickly after capsizing.

[@D33pUK]

Timbers that have been underwater always look as though they've been burned. Not sure why but assume it is something to do with decomposition

[@markbragg4656]

Sadly no,, English oak has a habit of blackening as it rots.

[@keefymckeefface8330]

no- those guns not fallen off while ship capsizes. If they had would not be lined up in groups of 2 or 3 neatly in rows, would be more random scatter

[@D33pUK]

@@keefymckeefface8330 I couldn't agree more!

[@paulorchard7960]

The cannon out of place of the wreck mound could have been dumped by crew during the storm to increase stability! Recreational divers could have attempted recovery with lift bags that just were not good enough to lift them more than a few metres explains the lift straps!.

[@D33pUK]

I doubt very much that this has been done by anyone other than a commercial salvage company. Moving even one would be a massive challenge for divers like myself.