AUSTRALIER was sailing in convoy under escort when an explosion occured under No.1 hold, caused by a torpedo fired by the German submarine UB-57. Some of the crew got away in a boat, the remainder of the survivors being picked up out of the sea by a boat belonging to an armed escort. The ship sank in four minutes at 4.39am having been attacked at 4.35am. The survivors were landed at Portsmouth, those killed being the donkeyman, carpenter, boatswain and two firemen. The ship's code books and confidential papers were sunk by the master. Position of attack given at the time was 6 miles 214 degrees (magnetic), Dungeness Lighthouse. Year Built: 1906 Builder: Bartram and Sons Engine HP: 315 Machinery: J Dickinson and Sons Ltd., Sunderland Propulsion: Screw, 3 cylinder triple expansion Boilers: 2 Construction: 1 x deck; p.deck 31ft.; b.deck 88ft.; f.castle 37ft Armament: 1 x 4ins. gun Owner: Anglier SS Co. Ltd. Master: Lewis Crew: 34 Crew Lost: 5 Passengers: 0 Date of Loss Qualifier: A Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index: PRO.Kew.Adm.137/2964; LR.1915-16 No.84(supp)(A); BMS.1914-18 p31; BVLS.1914-18 p88; LCWLR.1914-18 p214; MOD(N).Hyd.Wk.No.013703365

Vertical Datum: LAT Orientation: 130310 15-SEP-1989 Large wreck located in 50 46 04N 000 53 00E. Lies on port side on a very steep bank with bow heading 130deg. Has beam approx 60ft. Not extensively dived due to depth and poor visability. 11-DEC-1989 Located again in 50 46 17.5N 000 52 38.5E. Lies on edge of a trough, running approx NW/SE, with greatest depth 59m. Depth obtained over wreck was 42m and that over crest of adjacent bank was 37m. Could be wreck of Belgian SS "AUSTRALIER" - See 50 50 48N 000 53 30E. (2)

Vertical Datum: LAT Torpedoed and sunk by German submarine UB57. 21-AUG-1970 Wreck stands 28ft high in general depth 18 fathoms, probably HMS GHURKA. 15-DEC-1970 Examined in 50 50 50N, 000 53 33E depth 25.5 in a general depth 34m, no appreciable scour. Known locally as the "bottle ship" - large numbers washed ashore after she sank, length about 350ft, lying NE/SW. Possibly either HMS GHURKA or SS AUSTRALIER. 25-MAR-1975 Examined in 50 50 48N, 000 53 30E depth 26.2 in general depth 33m. No scour length 140ft. 30-JUL-1976 Depth 25.3 in general depth 33m. length about 90m, lies 051/231 deg, very prominent wreck on flat seabed. 26-JUN-1978 Dived on, stands 25 to 30ft high, in 110ft, with slight list to starboard. Stern collapsed - propellor inaccessible, engine room very silted up, believed to have been previously subject to salvage work. (E Giles) 18-FEB-1983 HMS GHURKA identified as wreck in 50 50 20N, 000 53 11E. (H Kennard, Telecon) 17-FEB-1983 Consider this now possibly the AUSTRALIER. ESMSMR 1022 gives Hydrographic Office number as 013703365 (1992 version) and alternative location as 50 49.06N 00 55.30E. (2)

<1> United Kingdom shipwreck index, Page Nos. N/a (Bibliographic reference). SKE6340.

<2> Hydrographic Office wreck index, Extracted 20-01-1993 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6339.