Salvage of the Century

Wednesday 8 November, 7:30pm
ship

About the event

RUSSIAN GOLD FROM THE DEEP - Operation Greyhound

A talk by Mike Stewart (Chandos 62) in the Music Room at Stowe, recounting his most challenging project with the Royal Navy, recovering 5 tonnes of gold from the wreck of the Cruiser, HMS Edinburgh. Tickets are free of charge, email oldstoic@stowe.co.uk to register your attendance. 

Mike worked in and on the oceans of the world for over fifty years. He held a Short Service Commission in the Royal Navy, specialising in diving and bomb & mine disposal and went on to manage diving operations globally, from the North Sea to New Zealand and the Atlantic to the Pacific.

His most challenging project, right on the edge of diving technology in 1982, was
masterminding and leading the British expedition that year which recovered five tons
of gold from the wreck of the Cruiser, H.M.S.Edinburgh (sister ship HMS Belfast, moored
in the Thames), lost on the Arctic Convoys during World War II.

The consignment left Murmansk in Northern USSR, destined to pay the Allies for war
materials when the Flag Ship was torpedoed by “U” Boat 456 and sank in over 800 ft
in the Barents Sea on 2nd May 1942.

Once located and surveyed, divers penetrated deep into the hull and recovered four
hundred and thirty five gold ingots stowed in her fully loaded bomb room. This created
a world record in human subsea endeavour which remains to this day.