Charted as LURAY VICTORY, 'partial wreck' in the Marine zone.
Vessel structure:
Lies in position 51°11.06N, 001°31.54E in a general depth of 17m.
Sonar dimensions: 80 x 20 x 14m. Orientation: 90°. Scour depth 2m.
'Intact, scour to East side.'
An examination of the wreck in August 2010 revealed that she was lying '050/230 degrees with bows SW. Probably
only one section of two visible. Section appears to be relatively intact with a mast evident which may be shallower than
the least depth. Retain as charted.' (1, 17.8.10)
'Two masts of the wreck still show above the surface on the South Goodwin Sand, one about 9ft above high water, the
other, some 16ft. the wreck itself is completely filled with sand.'
Documentary evidence:
'Grounded in heavy seas during the early morning. Re-floating attempts proved abortive, the wind reaching gale force
causing the vessel to list and break up. A lifeboat was unable to get alongside due to the strong ebb tide and surging.
And made 49 individual runs past the bow taking a single crewman off a rope ladder at each pass. The two parts of
the ship finally became submerged and she became a total loss. The LURAY VICTORY was lost on this corner of
Kent coast along with a number of other US vessels due to a directive issued in January in 1946 by the Administrator
for ship operations, which said that the use of pilots in these waters was disapproved. Many American ship captains
had no knowledge of the area, and many American charts failed to show the Goodwin Sands as a danger area, some
charts not even indicating the lightships around the Sands.'
Source 3 describes the rescue of the crew by the Walmer lifeboat, and the circumstances of her loss due to a
combination of mechanical failure, near gale-force winds, and a complete ignorance of the American crew of the
dangers of the Goodwin Sands. According to the American War Shipping Administration the English Channel was'relatively free of dangers.'
Sources 3, 4 and 5 show photographs of the stranded vessel and during failed attempts to tow her off the sand bank
before she broke in two.
Built: 1944
Builder: California Shipping Company. ; Engines by Joshua Hendy Iron Works, California.
Ship design: VC2-S-AP3
Where built: Los Angeles ; Terminal Island
LBD: 138.7 x 18.9 x 11.6m ; Source 2 gives the vessel's depth (draught) as 8.53m.
Tonnage: 7612 grt
Propulsion: Screw-driven single-shaft steam engine.
Hp: 8500
Speed: 16.5 knots
Boilers: 2
Crew: 49 ; 62
Complement: 28
Owner: War Shipping Administrations (WSA, US Shipping Controller)