Three World War 1 sunk UK warships discovered off Estonia coast
By ANIMonday, August 23, 2010
LONDON - An Estonian naval vessel has found the wrecks of three British warships that were sunk by the Germans after the end of World War One.
The damaged HMS Cassandra, HMS Gentian and HMS Myrtle were found near the island of Saaremaa about 90 miles south-west of Estonian capital Tallinn.
According to The Scotsman, the three vessels were part of a British squadron sent to the Baltic in 1918-19 to deliver arms to Estonia, which was fighting for independence against both Bolsheviks and German troops.
The Cassandra sank on December 6, 1918 after hitting a mine, killing ten sailors. The remaining crew of 400 was evacuated. Minesweepers Gentian and Myrtle both sank on July 15, 1919, while on routine missions, with the loss of nine sailors.
The wrecks lie at depths of up to 300feet. The Estonian navy said the wrecks legally belong to Britain. (ANI)
