H M S Hermes 9 - Scuba Dive Site - Batticaloa

The H M S Hermes 9, the ninth in its series, was the Royal British Navy's first purpose-built aircraft carrier. Weighing 10,850 tons, she was heavily armed with anti-aircraft guns and more, ready for battle.

On April 9, 1942, however, the Japanese Imperial Navy's Hōshō, the world’s first aircraft carrier, proved victorious. Led by Vice Admiral Chūichi Nagumo, the same commander of the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japanese delivered the most accurate bombing campaign of the Second World War.

At 9 AM, Hermes began taking fire, and her fate was sealed. Captain R.J.F. Onslow, 19 officers, and 288 sailors lost their lives. Today, the wreck lies off the coast of Batticaloa, a solemn memorial.

Mark Powell writes, “The wreck is home to an extraordinary variety of marine life. Large tuna, grouper, and jacks swarm the site, along with a wide array of fish. Some of these are impressively large, including a grouper bigger than me.” The wreck, covered in coral, teems with more life than most reefs.

A daughter of one of the fallen sailors reflects, "The abundance of life here is Mother Nature’s way of remembering those who perished in the Second World War."

The Hermes was accompanied by the H M A S Vampire and R.F.A. tanker SS British Sergeant.

For more information on this fascinating wreck, visit Dharshana Jayawardena’s site.

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