SS Thistlegorm: A Maritime Legacy Estimated Current Value: $3.027 million*
Disappeared Year: 1941
Year Found: 1956, Early Nineties
The SS Thistlegorm was an armed Merchant Navy vessel constructed by Joseph Thompson & Sons, costing over $3 million to build in 1940. Before her tragic sinking by German bombers in 1941, the Thistlegorm had completed several successful voyages and had recently undergone substantial refurbishment in Glasgow.
The SS Thistlegorm: A WWII Cargo Ship Image Credit: ©Cigdem Shutterstock/SSean Cooper
When the SS Thistlegorm sank, her cargo was vital for the WWII effort in Egypt, including radio equipment, Bren guns, ammunition, and armored cars. The ship was attacked by two Luftwaffe planes, which bombed her from above, resulting in the destruction of the vessel and the tragic loss of nine crew members.
In the 1950s and 1990s, renowned explorer Jacques Cousteau and others made significant discoveries about the shipwreck, uncovering the remnants of its storied past and the important cargo it carried.
