HMS Goliath Warship Wreck:
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HMS Goliath's construction started in 4th of January 1897 in Catham, and finished in 27th of March 1900. She has been constructed specially for use in Suez Channel in Chinese station. She stayed there until 1903. In 1900, the ship was sent to China until 1903. The vessel joined the Mediterranean Fleet in May 1905 and then was transferred to the Channel Fleet in December of the same year, and remained there until March 1907. Goliath was sent to Sheerness as a part of the Fourth Fleet. In 1913, she was mothballed and joined the Third Fleet also known as the Pembroke Reserve. During World War I, on August 1914 she joined the battle squadron operating out of Devonport and was later sent to Loch Ewe to defend the Grand Fleet anchorage. In September 1914, Goliath was dispatched to the East Indies for escort duty against German warships in the area. In November 1914 she took part in the blockade operation against the SMS Konigsberg in the Rufiji River during which crew-member Commander Henry Peel Ritchie won the Victoria Cross. HMS Goliath took damage from bomb shells in 25th of April and 2nd of May 1915. In 13th of May 1915, she sunked with all of her 570 crew with captain Shelford because of a torpedo send from Turkish Torpedo Boat Muavenet while she was anchored in Morto Bay with HMS Cornwallis and five destroyers screening around. Under heavy fog in night, Muavenet went south from the straits and approached to HMS Goliath with her engines stopped, undetected by the patrolling ships (Two of them was HMS Beagle and HMS Bulldog). Just in the time she was noticed, she fired three torpedoes to HMS Goliath and she escaped from where se came from. In 1915 the patrol boat, Muavenet-i Milliye, for the enemy submarines in Sea of Marmara, has been called to Canakkale in 10th of May. The ship's captain Kd Lt Ahmet Saffet has been given a top secret mission. They had only a few days for getting ready to the attack that could change the way of the war. For three months, English and French navy was holding the Turkish war lines in Ariburnu and Seddulbahir under heavy bombardment. Especially two ships of the the English Navy, HMS Goliath and Cornwallis were turning th war zones to hell for The Turkish troops who were attacking the enemy. The secret mission was about the attack that would be done against these two ships in the night of 12nd 13th of May. Goliath that were bombing death to Turks from the beginning of the war, was become the target now. The wish was he sound of her bombs would cut with this attack. Muavenet-i Milliye was a small torpedo ship that weighs 620 tons and 72.1 meters long with two torpedo tubes, completed in 1909 in Germany. A great plan has been made for such a small ship to destroy the 13000 tons huge war ship. Captain planned the attack to be done in midnight so that both the soldiers on the shift and other who have finished their shift needed a sleep. Germain Lt Firley has been given under the command of the captain as torpedo expert. After everything has been ready after a little of the midnight of the 12th of May, they started moving out of the straits with 8 miles speed. All of the boilers has been closed in order not to let sparks or mist to come out of her chimneys. At aproximately one o'clock the scouts saw the two warships in front of them, turned their sides to the Eskihisarlik bay. Also there we two ships that was patrolling the area. Just at that time on one of the ships , a light have been sawn. It obvious that they have seen the ghost ship coming directly to them. Muavenet was having hard time. Captain ordered his lightman to signal as the same way as they did. This was something like answering the question with the same question. They have asked for the sign and also Muavenet asked them the sign. Captain was hoping that he would have enough time by confusing them. There was left only 300-400 meters between them.Captain Ahmet ordered to fire all the three torpedos. Then "full ahead". While Muavenet was leaving the area, an incredible explosion cut out the silence of the night. And another, Later another. All the torpedos found their target and With her 570 crew, HMS Goliath took her eternal place in the Morto Bay in 70 meters depth. After this event, none of the allied ships thaught they were anchored safely even if they were in their teritories. The ships who have torpedo nets, placed her nets every night. The Wrecks' Condition:HMS Goliath was lying in the 40° 02' 22"N, 26° 12' 23"E coordinates, just in the traffic of the Straits. Special allowance must be get to dive to the wreck, because of the traffic. But the wreck isn't in a good condition. She has been torn apart and in a bad conditon. She is lying in a mud layer. Because she sunk in upside down position there is nothing much to be viewed and until today only some of her outher shell and her propeller has been viewed. 
HMS CANOPUS CLASS SISTER SHIPS: HMS ALBION 21 June 1898 Sold in 11 December 1919 HMS CANOPUS 12 October 1897 Sold in 28 January 1920 HMS GLORY 11 March 1899 Sold in 19 December 1922 HMS OCEAN 5 June 1898 Strucked to a mine in 18 March 1915. HMS VENGEANCE 25 June 1899 Sold in 1 December 1921 
Crew of Goliath Second in the Back Row is Ernest Alfred Morris 
Thomas Lawrie Shelford Captain of Goliath 
Three of the Crew of Goliath 
Goliath Photos from National Geographic BACK |
