Maritime record MWX2388 - Sona

Remains of the 1942 wreck of a British armed yacht, which foundered at Poole Quay after being bombed by German aircraft. She was subsequently raised and dumped at Handfast Point, along with the remains of the PRINSES JULIANA (904669) and the ABEL TASMAN (904670). Status: Site

HMS SONA, a yacht purchased by the Admiralty as an anti-submarine vessel in SEP-1939, converted to an accommodation ship SEP-1940, sunk during an air attack by German aircraft on Poole Harbour. Built: 1922 Owner: Royal Navy Date of Loss Qualifier: A (3) Propulsion: Screw driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion. (2)

11-DEC-1946 ABEL TASMAN and PRINSES JULIANA, formerly in 50 40 15N, 01 55 52W and 50 39 57N, 01 55 43W, respectively, later deposited in Studland Bay alongside HMS SONA in 50 38 37N, 01 55 38W by the admiralty salvage service. Area marked by danger line.

09-MAY-1947 3 Portions of wreckage in dangerous area, visible at all states of the tide. Heights above mhws 12 feet;4 feet; and 2 feet respectively.

22-JUN-1953. Clear at 3 feet, foul at 4 feet in general depth 9 feet; clear at 3 feet, foul at 4 feet in general depth 8 feet; and clear at 2 feet, foul at 3 feet in general depth 9 feet. Smaller pieces of wreck around obstruction within radius of 150 feet. A large amount of weed is growing up to 4 feet from the bottom in certain areas. 18-AUG-1954 General depth of seabed 7-12 feet. Seabed sand and rock. 17-FEB-1992 Nothing found during intensive echo sounder search. Local divers state remains of 2 of the wrecks - believed to be engine blocks - lies within 15m of each other. (1)

Position 50 38.58 N 1 55.41 W taken from (5)

gross tonnage

'On the night of 3/4 June 1942 SONA was tied up alongside Poole Quay when an air raid was mounted by the Luftwaffe. About 90 German bombers flew over the town and it was estimated 77 bombed their respective targets. When the raid was over, SONA, which had been hit and suffered very extensive damage, sank at her moorings, resting on the soft mud of the harbour bottom. The wreck was obstructing the quay and she was later raised by salvage vessels and taken out to Handfast Point, where her remains were dumped in the same area as those of the PRINSES JULIANA and ABEL TASMAN. The general area where the wreckage was dumped is known as the Yards. It is shallow, not more than 4 or 5m deep, and any remaining wreckage is likely to be heavily encrusted with marine growth. (5)

Built: 1922 (4)
Builder: Camper & Nicholson Ltd (5)
Where built: Southampton (5)
Owner: Royal Navy (4)
Propulsion: Screw driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion. (2) 2 oil engines, 2 stroke cycle single acting (5)

Ownership history:
1922-1927: Earl of Dunraven
1927-1930: Sir William Berry
1930-1939: Baron Camrose
1939: Taken in to Admiralty service (5)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

<1> United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, 1992, Hydrographic Office wreck index (Index). SWX4837.

<2> Larn, Richard, 1992, United Kingdom shipwreck index, Extracted 23 November 1992 (Index). SWX5030.

<3> Ships of the Royal Navy (Vol 2), p207 (Monograph). SWX4848.

<4> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<5> Wendes, D, 2006, South Coast Shipwrecks off East Dorset & Wight 1870 - 1979 (Monograph). SDO10496.

<6> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Shipwreck 149 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 904668 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 31 2024 9:54AM