HMS Audacious (Wreck)

 ship, First World War 1914-1918, shipwreck, battleship, interesting place, draw only border

HMS Audacious was a King George V class battleship that became the first British battleship to be sunk during the First World War. At the time of her sinking she was only one year old, having been completed in May 1913 and was the third newest battleship in the British fleet (behind HMS Iron Duke and HMS Marlborough). The Audacious had served in the Second Battle Squadron of the Home Fleet from her time of commission until August 1914, when she became part of the Grand Fleet.

On 27 October 1914 she was sailing off the northern coast of Ireland, when she struck mines off Lough Swilly. This was a newly laid minefield across the main route from American to Liverpool, and had claimed the outbound steamer Manchester Commerce on the previous day.

The Audacious was not seriously damaged by the mines, but some of the damage was outside the central armoured box, and that lightly protected area began to flood. Efforts were made to tow the Audacious to safety, but the flooding made her increasingly hard to handle, and she floundered in increasingly rough weather.