| Summary : Remains of 1944 wreck of British Type A-1 Phoenix Unit section of Mulberry Harbour, located approximately 2.3 miles or 3.56km ESE of the entrance to Pagham Harbour.
This craft had been scuttled in this location by flooding its ballast tanks, "parking" it until required for towing from the south coast of England for the Normandy landing beaches on or immediately after D-Day on 6th June 1944. When the tanks were blown to raise the craft, the tugs were not in place for towing and it was rescuttled, breaking its back when settling into its own previous scour. It is likely to have been lost by 18th June, by which time the Mulberry Harbours had been completed on the French side. It was then used for target practice by the RAF in 1945.
The wreck site, known locally as the 'Far Mulberry' represents an example of a concrete Type A-1 section, with steel reinforcing rods, which was built in 1943.
The remains of an Intermediate Pierhead Pontoon, known as the 'Near Mulberry' are recorded 0.5 mile SE of Pagham (767427; National Heritage List for England 1453065). The Far Mulberry site is approximately 271 metres due east of the Cuckoo site (911244) and 597 metres due north of the landing craft mechanised (1566986). South of the present site and the Cuckoo wreck, and north of the landing craft, there are two reported obstructions (911239 and 911241), which, if not natural features, may also represent archaeology of this or another period, or be variant accounts of this site and the Cuckoo site.
This site is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (date first listed: 31-May-2019; National Heritage List for England 1452912).
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| More information : Scheduled Monument:
List Entry Number: 1452912
Date first listed: 31 May 2019 (10)
Location:
3.5km SE of Pagham Harbour, West Sussex
National Grid Reference: SZ9155394811 (10)
Summary:
The asset comprises a rare type of steel reinforced concrete caisson unit, code-named Phoenix, built as part of the artificial Mulberry Harbours that were assembled as part of the follow-up to the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944. (10)
Reasons for Designation:
The Phoenix caisson (also known as Outer or Far Mulberry) is scheduled primarliy for its rarity - it is the only confirmed surviving A-1 type of Phoenix Caisson Unit anywhere in the UK. It is a material record to the engineering achievements and logistical preparations around England's coast for the largest amphibious invasion ever undertaken, on 6th June 1944. It forms a primary source of evidence relating to the ingenuity of the wartime Allies in creating, and building, artificial harbours for use in the Normady invasion. (10)
Site Description:
Constructed of steel reinforced concrete, the steel reinforcement is subject to saltwater corrosion, although the rate of corrosion is unknown. However, the structure does not seem to have been particularly affected by decay and appears to be in an apparently stable condition.
The Unit lies in an upright position, roughly N-S, with a coherent structure, although it is damaged at the southern end, most likely as a result of the 1945 target strafing. The extreme southern end is broken with features hard to distinguish amongst the rubble of concrete and steel.
The northern end is the most coherent and in good condition. Overall, the structure still retains its original shape and recognisable features such as internal compartments and bollards on top of the wall. (10)
Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains:
Method of Fix: EDM
21-DEC-1944: Visible at all states of the tide. Position 054 degrees 3.5 miles from Mixon beacon or 50 44 45.0N, 000 42 15.0W approximately.
11-SEP-1947: No longer visible at all states of the tide. Fixed 130.5 degrees 2.25 miles from Pagham church or 50 44 41.0N, 000 42 06.0W.
25-JUN-1958: Drying wreck not visible.
16-SEP-1975: Phoenix Unit fixed in 50 44.42N 000 42.06W. Wreck awash. General depth of seabed 6.9m. Charted position corresponds to centre of wreck. No longer marked by beacon.
01-DEC-1975: Wreck identified as a WW 2 landing craft by the BSAC (Billingshurst Branch). Wreck dived on; lies upright, is about 46ft long, 13ft 10 inches wide. Ramp in down position, 2 x 6 cylinder oil engines in stern section. Request to purchase.
18-MAY-1976: Examined. Reported by Kingston Sub-Aqua Club to be definitely section of Mulberry. Lying at an angle to the seabed. The northern end the shoalest at 0.1m.
06-NOV-1979: Application made to purchase this feature and declare it a national underwater nature reserve.
27-FEB-1980: Confirmed as concrete structure. Reported to be just visible at low water springs. Recommended to be either demolished or marked by a pile beacon.
04-JUL-1980: Proposed sale to U.C.S can be approved if purchasers erect pile beacon to mark wreck.
29-JAN-1987: Unable to locate feature when attempting to mark it with a beacon in SEP-1986.
25-JUN-1987: Located in 50 44 42.9N, 000 42 07W. (1)(2)(3)
23-APR-1999: This is a 6,044-ton Type A-1 Mulberry Unit, built 1943, concrete with steel reinforcing rods. Egg-box construction of 22 compartments, part of pre-fab D-Day harbours being towed by tugs to Normandy. Bofors gun amidships. After being raised in 1944, settled again and broke back across hole that was former 'parking place'. Showed 40ft until used for RAF rocket target. Known as the FAR MULBERRY. Now very broken, partly buried under sand and shingle. South end is weed-covered, towing bollards in place on east side.
30-NOV-2002: Examined in 50 44.742N 000 42.223W (WGS 84). Least echosounder depth 0.1m in general depth 7m. No scour. Length 60m, width 25m, DCS3 height 4m. Lies 000/180 degrees. Moderate magnetic anomaly. (2)(3)
Seen to be located approximately 2.3 miles/2.03 nautical miles ESE of the entrance to Pagham Harbour, or 2.16 miles south of Aldwick, Bognor Regis. (3)(4)
The FAR MULBERRY site lies in 10-15m and is orientated east-west in position 50 44.38N 000 42.19W, forming a reef 60ft long by 17m wide, well-visited by marine life. The concrete is degrading, exposing the steel spikes, which pose a danger. It lies close to a landing craft in 50 34.37N 002 24.90W. (5)
FAR MULBERRY in 50 44.38N 00 42.19W, A1 type, 204ft x 56ft x 60ft, with a draught of 20ft, displacing 6,044 tons. (6)(7)
It is difficult to tell the orientation of the vessel since the shape of both ends is the same, but originally her bows are likely to have been to the south if she was intended to be towed to France. The northern end or 'stern' is the best preserved area, lying in shingle with some rocks, with a pair of towing bollards and two sluice valve outlets visible on the eastern side. 15m after the turn from the northern side the structure on the eastern side has collapsed. By the southern or 'bow' end the concrete is in a much more collapsed state with heavy weed growth suggesting more solid structure underneath. On the western side some of the broken compartments are exposed, with part of the upper from the unit, containing a towing bollard and two mooring bollards, having collapsed alongside. The exposed steel rods are a danger to visiting divers. (6)(7)
The FAR MULBERRY is located in 50.7457N, -0.703716 (WGS84). It is a recognised marine Site of Nature Conservation Importance on account of its wildlife and natural features. The structure is orientated approximately N-S. The unit is constructed of concrete reinforced with steel, and measures approximately 60m long by 17m wide, with sides as high as 8m at the northern end. The northern side is well preserved, with the network of inner rectangular compartments that would have provided the buoyancy still recognisable. The southern side has collapsed. Several bollards are visible across the wreck site. There is no trace of the gun mount superstructure or the 40mm AA gun that was fitted to some Phoenix units. The site has been identified as an A-1 Phoenix unit on the basis of its size. Its northern wall is too wide for it to be a B, C or D unit, and it is too tall to be an A-2 unit. The specific number of the unit is not known. (8)
According to the Southsea Sub Aqua Club report, published 2015, the Far Mulberry - Phoenix A1 unit - is permanently marked with a yellow buoy. The site is more than 60m long by approx 20m wide and in its complete state would have stood 19m high, another 10m above the current highest point. The north wall is just the bottom section of the A1 unit, the rest has been dispersed. On the underside of the north wall there are growing communities of jewel anemone. Maximum depth 9.3 metres. (9)
Wreck Event and Documentary Evidence:
The site comprises a Phoenix Unit of 60m and 6,044 tons displacement, designed to be sunk to form a pier. Their dimensions as manufactured were 60ft high, 204ft long, 62ft wide. They mounted Bofors anti-aircraft guns amidships.
They were sunk by flooding in key locations in preparation for D-Day. This particular unit was thus 'parked' by flooding it until it rested on the seabed and the ballast tanks were blown to refloat it for the invasion. The tugs were not ready so the flooding valves were reopened to rescuttle the craft. It swung in the tide and broke its back after settling in the scour of its previous 'parking place'.
The RAF then used the unit as a bombing target in early 1945. (5)
Contemporary sources noted that "the vessel swung round while afloat and was allowed to sit down diagonally over the depression it had already made on the seabed. It immediately twisted as much as 2ft 6in, and was wrecked beyond hope of repair." (6)
However, reference is also made to records noting a Phoenix unit at Selsey which did not make it across the Channel. "A small tug rammed and sank a unit just as it was being taken over for the cross-Channel tow." (6)(7)
It appears that in June 1944 the Unit was 'parked' off Pagham awaiting passage to Normandy. Its ballast tanks were pumped out to re-float it, but as its tug was not ready, the Unit was re-sunk. In the process, it swung in the tide and settled across its own previous scour in the seabed, where it has remained since.
The Unit was first charted in 1944 when it was noted to be 'visible at all states of the tides; though three years later it was noted as no longer being visible. Anecdotal evidence suggests that at some point in 1945 the Unit was used for target practice by Hawker Typhoons from RAF Selsey. (10)
Built: 1943 (2)(3)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Approximate date of loss
Additional sources cited by source (2):
Diver Magazine, April 1999 [not found by compiler in this issue despite careful search]
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