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For Eight Decades, the SS Richard Montgomery Has Rested in the Thames Loaded with Explosives, Keeping Alive the Fear of a Devastating Explosion in the United Kingdom
The SS Richard Montgomery has remained submerged in the Thames estuary, off the coast of the United Kingdom, for eight decades. Despite thousands of shipwrecks scattered around the world, few evoke as much respect and dread.
The reason is simple: the ship carries about 1,400 tons of explosives in its hold, a legacy of World War II that keeps authorities on constant alert.
Brief Trajectory to the Bottom of the Sea
Built in the early 1940s in Jacksonville, Florida, the ship was part of the Liberty class, designed to support the U.S. Navy.
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In 1943, it was already sailing, and in August 1944, it departed on its final mission: to transport over 6,000 tons of ammunition to Cherbourg, Normandy, with a stop in the United Kingdom.
The destination changed quickly. Before completing the journey, the SS Richard Montgomery — measuring over 130 meters in length and named after a U.S. Revolutionary War officer — ran aground in the Thames estuary. There was no enemy attack, just a series of coincidences and mistakes.
How It All Happened
Upon arriving in the area, the crew was ordered to anchor in the Great Nore anchorage, off the port city of Sheerness.
The location was shallow for the weight the ship was carrying. When the tide went out, the anchor dragged and the vessel ran aground on a sandbank, east of Grain Island.
It was August 1944. Soon the hull began to break apart and the ship started to sink. Three days after its arrival, teams were hired to remove the cargo. However, on September 8, the hull completely ruptured.
Dangerous Cargo and Incomplete Rescue
The ship was carrying 6,127 tons of ammunition. Authorities acted quickly, but the forward holds were flooding, complicating access.
The adverse weather and disagreements over risk pay for workers also delayed the process.
The operation removed about 2,945 tons of material from the aft holds. However, about 1,400 tons of liquid explosives remained, primarily in the front.
Thus, the SS Richard Montgomery sank permanently, with its masts still visible above the water.
Constant Monitoring of the Shipwreck
Since then, the wreck has remained in the same location. The British government maintains signage on nautical charts, exclusion zones, hazard warnings, and 24-hour radar surveillance.
Studies with sonar and divers monitor its condition to detect changes.
The most recent report, from 2023, indicated greater leaning of the bow and the beginning of the collapse of parts of the structure. There are plans to cut the masts to prevent them from falling onto the deck and the cargo.
Renewed Interest and New Finds
The media continues to cover the case. In 2024, the BBC revealed the discovery of 18 new metal objects around the ship, which further delayed the removal of the masts. Now, the forecast is for 2025, after delays in 2020 and 2022.
Impact Calculations of the Shipwreck
In 1972, the Explosives Research and Development Institute estimated that an explosion would destroy windows in Sheerness and toss mud and metals to great heights.
New Scientist classified the scenario as one of the largest possible non-nuclear explosions, with increased risk due to the proximity of a natural gas terminal and supertanker traffic.
A “Small Tsunami”?
The expression reached the British Parliament and the BBC, which cited the possibility of a local tidal wave. Some outlets referred to the case as “the shipwreck of the end of the world.”
Professor David Alexander from University College London advocated for the removal of the explosives but warned: extreme caution would be necessary, as the ship’s structure is deteriorating rapidly.
Even after 80 years, the SS Richard Montgomery in the Thames remains a silent reminder of the dangers of war and the consequences that linger long after conflicts end.
With information from Xataka.
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