Book Review: The Forgotten Shipwreck by Nick Lyon
The Forgotten Shipwreck – Solving the Mystery of the Darlwyne by Nick Lyon and with a Foreword by Miranda Krestovnikoff.
‘The Forgotten Shipwreck is the true story of the boat which sank the day after England won the World Cup. It spans so many facets, from a village numbed, with whole families wiped out, to angry exchanges in the House of Commons and law courts. There is intrigue, chicanery, deceit, incompetence and greed. It had far-reaching ramifications and yet, for all that, the Darlwyne tragedy lacked an ending.’
As with all Nick’s books, this is well written and extremely well researched. Nick tells a good story with realism and when appropriate, a touch of humour. The Darlwyne story is indeed a tragic one and Nick’s meticulous fact finding takes the reader fully into the lives and circumstances of those who were involved on that ominous day.
Wrecks can be sad places to dive at the best of times, especially when there has been loss of life. The difference with the Darlwyne is that she is a lost wreck and although bits of her were found at the time, her final resting place has been a mystery. The disaster was never really well publicised and has slipped away from us in the passing of time even though it occurred well within living memory.
What remained of the boat would by now have been smashed and strewn about the sea bed by storms and shifting sands. Yet there should still be a few items of her to be found where she sank. Heavy items like the engine or her ballast. With a team of divers and cameramen Nick takes us on a fascinating journey to find the lost wreck and try finally to give the surviving family and friends some closure.
The Forgotten Shipwreck is available now in paperback and e-book | RRP £19.95 | Available from Divedup.com, online and from retailers. ISBN 978-1-909455-31-3 | 176 pages | 234 x 156 mm.
