A shattered, 126-metre wreck lies beneath the Dorset waves—a First World War time capsule that never completed her final voyage.
On a spring morning in 1918, a torpedo sank the SS Kyarra and killed six crew members.
Today, this Leviathan rests on the seabed just off Anvil Point, near Swanage, having transformed from a tragic wartime casualty into one of the UK's most popular wreck sites for divers to explore. It stands as a haunting reminder of modern warfare right on our doorstep.
Built by W Denny and Brothers in Dumbarton, Scotland, in 1903, the Kyarra was an Edwardian engineering feat.
For 10 years, the luxury liner carried wealthy passengers and cargo around the Australian coast.
Brass featured throughout the ship, including the cut-out letters spelling Kyarra at her bow.
The First World War changed her course: as HMAT A55 Kyarra, she carried Anzac troops to Egypt and the Dardanelles, evacuated wounded soldiers from Gallipoli, served as a 1,640-bed hospital ship and troop transport, and later became a casualty clearing ship, with a 4.7-inch quick-firing gun mounted on her stern in 1917 to deter U-boat attacks.
The Kyarra was sunk on May 26, 1918.
As the Kyarra sailed past wartime Swanage, she was spotted by the enemy submarine UB-57 and struck by a torpedo while bound for Plymouth to take about 1,000 wounded Australian servicemen home, before they had boarded.
Earlier reports said she stayed afloat for 20 minutes, but historical records say she sank in just 10.
Six people died as the ship sank.
The wreck was largely forgotten for nearly 50 years before divers rediscovered it in the 1960s.
Divers have recovered perfume bottles, watches, false teeth and other personal items from the wreck.
One of the most evocative finds was a brass instrument from the early 1900s, believed to be a euphonium.
The owner's identity is unknown, but they may have used it to rally troops or play a comforting song from home.
Do you have stories of wartime Poole or local combat? Share them in the comments or email ian.crump@dailyecho.co.uk .
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