History

History of the H.M.S. Majestic Wreck

The HMS Majestic, a Majestic-class pre-dreadnought battleship, was built by the Naval Construction & Armaments Co. of Barrow at the Portsmouth Dockyards. She carried out her first duty as the flagship of the Channel Fleet, which protected the southern coasts of England. In 1912, her wireless and weapons systems were upgraded. While the operation to the Dardanelles was being planned, Churchill argued that the ship was now too old. However, as they believed they would easily pass through the Dardanelles and capture Istanbul in a short time, the HMS Majestic was included in the naval fleet and dispatched off the Dardanelles on February 1, 1915.

Arriving at the Strait on February 25, 1915, the HMS Majestic's first mission—to be carried out on February 26, 1915, just one day after her arrival—was to support the minesweeping operations by destroying the Dardanos and Baykuş batteries. The ship participated in the attacks organized to cross the Strait on March 1 and 4, 1915, and finally served within the British Second Naval Division during the Dardanelles Naval Operations conducted on March 18, 1915.

The HMS Majestic was assigned to provide support to other naval vessels during the Gallipoli Campaign. However, once it became clear that the war could not be won by sea, British and French forces launched the land campaign. Following the landings that began on April 25, 1915, the HMS Majestic continued her duties in Gallipoli to show the soldiers on land that the navy had not abandoned them and to provide moral support. On May 26, 1915, she was carrying the flag of Rear Admiral Nicol, the fleet commander, as the flagship of the naval fleet stationed off Gallipoli.

The HMS Majestic was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-21 on May 27, 1915, at around 06:30. In order to avoid sharing the same fate as the HMS Triumph, which had been sunk by the same submarine two days prior, the ship's commander, Thomas Lavrie Shelford, anchored the vessel as close to the shore as possible and surrounded her with torpedo nets. However, after a challenging journey of nearly a month filled with uncertainties, she could not escape becoming U-21's target.

Holding the title of the first submarine in military history to sink an enemy battleship using a torpedo, the U-21 achieved significant success by sinking two battleships within a short period during her time in Gallipoli.

Today, the HMS Majestic lies at a depth of 18–23 meters. Although she has lost her ship guns, she largely preserves her general form.

"On May 27, the battleship Majestic was torpedoed and sank off Cape Helles. A naval officer said that the Majestic lay in six fathoms of water, like a capsized whale, with her keel pointing upwards. According to him, the German submarine U-21 had aimed her torpedo very skillfully at the Majestic, which was surrounded by fully laden cargo ships and transport vessels."

— Ian Hamilton

What You Will See During the Dive:

Numerous unexploded artillery shells of various sizes on the surface of the wreck. Cordite (gunpowder in the form of cords) capable of burning underwater. The fore and aft turrets. The conning tower, which broke off during the sinking. The twin funnels, which are a characteristic feature of Majestic-class ships and the reason she was targeted by the U-21. The diversity of flora and fauna (marine species) on and around the ship.

Dive Equipment Information

The equipment used for diving includes basic scuba gear. A 3-5mm wet neoprene wetsuit can be worn from April to October, while a 7mm wet neoprene, semi-dry, or drysuit is suitable from November to March.

Footage from the Shipwreck

Diving Points