HMS Port Napier

The 498 feet long 9,600 tons Port Napier was under construction in June 1940 for the well established Port Line when she was requisitioned and taken over by the Ministry of War transport.

Her original design was modified to convert her to a minelayer.  The area where her holds were situated was completely decked over and narrow gauge railways for transporting mine trolleys were laid internally connecting all her holds.   These railways ended at her stern where 4 minelaying doorways were cut.  

When deploying her cargo of 550 mines the whole trolley and mine on top were just pushed out these doors.  The trolley acted as an anchor and the mine was attached by a cable of the right length to ensure that the mine was set at the correct depth from the surface.

On the night of 27 November 1940, not long after her completion and incorporation into the 1st Minelaying Squadron HMS Port Napier was tied up at the pier at Kyle of Lochalsh.  She had just been loaded with her full complement of mines and ammunition when a fire broke out.  At first frantic efforts were made to extinguish the flames but without success.  The fire spread uncontrollably.  

It was feared that the fire might detonate her deadly cargo of mines.  If that happened the resulting explosion would flatten Kyle of Lochalsh.   Accordingly she was taken in tow and towed across Loch Alsh towards Skye.  Whilst under tow the fires continued to intensify and accordingly she was cut loose.

Shortly afterwards there was a loud explosion and a flash that lit up the night sky momentarily and pieces of the bridge were blown the 300 yards or so to Skye itself.  None of the mines however had exploded.  Port Napier heeled over onto her starboard side and sank in shallow water of 20 metres.   Her beam was greater than this depth of water and accordingly her uppermost port side showed at most states of the tide.  In 1955/6 the Royal Navy cut away her uppermost plating and rigged a lifting system and retreived most - but not all - of the mines.   A few still remain today.

The history, sinking and dive details of the Port Napier are described in much greater detail in the book Dive Scotland's Greatest Shipwrecks.