On the morning of September 5, 1942 while anchored off Bell Island, Conception Bay, Newfoundland the ore carrier SS Lord Strathcona was torpedoed and sunk.  She was the second ship to meet her fate on this day at the hands of U-513, which had sunk the SS Saganaga only minutes before.  Fortunately for the crew of the Lord Strathcona, they knew what was coming and took advantage of a few precious minutes to abandon ship, resulting in no loss of life.

The German submarine U-513, commanded by Fritz Rolf Ruggeberg, was also spared this day as, in it’s haste to sink the SS Saganaga and to maneuver for another kill, struck the stern of the Lord Strathcona, damaging it’s own conning tower.  Quickly recovering from this almost fatal blow, U-513 fired two torpedoes from its stern tubes and brought the Lord Strathcona down.  U-513 was to meet its fate on July 19, 1943 off Santos, where she was depth charged and sunk by U.S. Naval Aircraft.

Interestingly, it’s well worth noting that prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Germany was the principal consumer for the iron ore produced at the Bell Island mines.  It may well have been the same ore which was used to produce the U-boats and torpedoes that were to bring down these ships and cause such havoc on this day.  The German High Command was very familiar with the Bell Island Anchorage and its strategic value in the war effort.

Diving on the S.S. Lord Strathcona, one is amazed by the abundance of flowering sea anemones that now decorate her decks and rails.  This once proud ship is now the home to numerous sea dwellers that have taken over as crew!  Similar in structure and size to the SS Rose Castle, which lies nearby, the Lord Strathcona presents the diver with the opportunity of diving on one of the most spectacular wrecks in Atlantic waters.  Photographers and videographers always appreciate what she has to offer.