News
Wreck of SMS Grosser Kurfürst & memorial granted protection
The wreck of a pre-First World War German battleship, SMS Grosser Kurfürst, which sank off the Kent coast in 1878 and a Folkestone memorial which pays tribute to the 284 men who lost their lives, have been granted protection by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England.
The wreck has been scheduled and added to the National Heritage List for England. Scheduling means that recreational divers have permission to dive the wreck but its contents are given a level of protection. The associated war memorial at Cheriton Road Cemetery in Folkestone has been listed at Grade II.
In May 1878, while preparing for annual summer training sessions in the English Channel, SMS Grosser Kurfürst was accidently rammed by another German warship Konig Wilhelm while it was turning to avoid colliding with a pair of sailing ships. The Konig Wilhelm’s strengthened ram bow, designed to sink enemy ships ripped away armour plating and gouged a huge hole in the side of SMS Grosser Kurfürst. It sank rapidly with the loss of 284 men.
Many of the recovered bodies were interred in Cheriton Road Cemetery in Folkestone. The large memorial there is in honour of those who lost their lives on board the ship which has been protected today.
Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “The listing of the SMS Grosser Kurfürst and the memorial plaque is a fitting tribute to the 284 men who died when the ship sank more than 130 years ago. I hope that the increased protection for both sites will ensure that the ingenuity of the early ironclad ships and their influence on modern navy vessels is not forgotten.”
Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England said: “This historic shipwreck tells the story of Germany’s increasing naval strength in the late-19th century at a time when Britain and Germany were on friendly terms. The SMS Grosser Kurfürst is important as the only non-Royal Naval warship recorded as wrecked in English waters for the period 1860 – 1913. The listing of the associated memorial in Folkestone with its German inscription is a poignant reminder of the loss of nearly 300 crewmen on board. It is right that we continue to remember them.”
Damian Collins, MP for Folkestone and Hythe said: “I was happy to support the application of the Memorial to the crew of the SMS Grosser Kurfürst for the National Heritage List for England, and am very pleased that it has been successful. The Memorial pays tribute to the hundreds of German sailors who lost their lives off the coast of Folkestone on 31 May 1878, but also to the heroism of the Folkstonians who were able to rescue around 300 seamen. Folkestone would go on to play an important role in the First World War, as a port of passage for many soldiers travelling to and from the trenches in France and Belgium, which I have worked to commemorate as Chairman of the Step Short charity. In that spirit, I believe the monument is an important reminder of Anglo-German friendship and solidarity in times of disaster, to be remembered as well as times of enmity.”
SMS Grosser Kurfürst was one of only three Preussen-class ironclad warships authorised under the naval programme of 1867, which had been approved by the Reichstag to strengthen the North German Federal Navy. This happened in the wake of the Second Schleswig War (February to October 1864) involving the weak then-Prussian Navy which had been unable to break the blockade imposed by the Danish Navy.
As an ‘ironclad’, the ship was built during an experimental period in naval warfare when they moved from wooden to armoured ships and which also saw the brief return of the ancient ram, used to cause damage to enemy ships, but ended with the dominance of armour-plated warships that had large calibre-heavy guns.
Originally designed to carry armaments, the Grosser Kurfürst was modified during construction to mount a pair of revolving twin-gun turrets. Divers surveying the Grosser Kurfürst have confirmed that it lies on the seabed upside-down, which is the way that it sank.
For more information about Historic England visit their website by clicking here.
Blogs
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News
Santa Divers take the Plunge for Charity
Ho Ho Ho! Vobster Quay’s recording-breaking charity Santa diving event returns on Sunday 15th December 2024 for another round of festive fundraising frivolities. Run in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Help For Heroes, this ever-popular annual fundraising event aims to raise sack-loads of cash for these two very deserving charities.
Divers of all levels are invited to grab their Santa outfits – and as much festive cheer as they can muster – and head down to Vobster Quay near Mells, Somerset for a mass sponsored Santa dive in aid of charity. In previous years, the event has attracted divers from the far corners of the UK to join in the festive merriment for a final festive dive before the Christmas and New Year break. Back in 2015, the event smashed the world record for the most Santa divers with 188 divers taking to the waters donning their festive finery – a record that remains unbeaten to this day!
Vobster Santas isn’t just about setting records – it’s also about raising some serious cash for charity. Vobster Quay encourages all divers to get into the spirit of the season to raise much-needed funds for two very deserving charities – the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Help For Heroes.
Through individual sponsorship and online donations, divers can invite their friends, family and work colleagues to sponsor them to plunge into the balmy waters of Vobster Quay dressed in full festive finery. Since the very first Santa dive in 2007, the event has raised over £52,000 for charity. “It’s been over 17 years since the very first charity Santa dive took place at Vobster Quay and every year the event just keeps getting bigger and better” enthused Vobster Quay owner, Amy Stanton.
“Vobster Santas is a great way for divers to say a massive thank you to the both the RNLI and Help For Heroes – two very deserving charities close to our hearts. We’re immensely proud of all that Vobster Santas has achieved and hope that even more divers will join this year’s event on Sunday 15th December. I’m confident that we can make Vobster Santas 2024 the biggest yet!”.
Divers wishing to participate can get involved by simply registering their attendance at
www.vobster.com/event-vobstersantas.php.
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