Description
Diving holiday El Gouna Egypt ROSALIE MOLLER The Loss of the Rosalie Moller: In July 1941, under command of Australian Captain James Byrne, the Rosalie Moller was ordered to sail independently for Alexandria via South Africa. She called at Durban and sailed again on 11 September. After another brief stop at Aden she finally entered the Red Sea. On reaching the Gulf of Suez, she was assigned to “Safe Anchorage H” to await further instructions. In the early hours of 6 October 1941, the Thistlegorm was bombed and sunk. 48 hours later the Rosalie Moller suffered the same fate. Two bombs were released by the German aircraft with one penetrating No 3 hold causing sufficient damage for the vessel to sink. Two members of crew were lost in the attack. Diving the Rosalie Moller: This is a magnificent shipwreck which is virtually intact. She sits upright on the seabed at a maximum depth of 45-50m. Almost everything is still in place including both masts - as far as the crosstrees. The decks are at 39m. At the bows, the starboard anchor is deployed and the port anchor tight against the hawse pipe. Railings are largely intact as are the accommodations blocks, winches, hawsers and other paraphernalia. Cargo hatches are gone revealing the cargo still in place. All the portholes are present. The Bridge, however, has been stripped and the Captain’s safe lies forced open on the floor. For almost 60 years the tall funnel with it’s magnificent copper steam whistle remained upright. In early 2001, however, a rope was deliberately tied to the steam whistle in order to pull it free. In so doing the funnel was pulled over causing considerable damage.
