The British loyalty: Addu’s enduring wartime legacy

Launched on September 26, 1927 from Palmers and Company’s Jarrow yard in Newcastle upon Tyne, the British Loyalty was a proud member of the “British Advocate” class. Owned by the British Tanker Company, her 134.3-metre frame and Sulzer diesel engine powered her across oceans, transporting vital fuel. Her maiden voyage in January 1928 to Iran’s Abadan refinery marked the beginning of a storied career. Here in the Maldives, where our lives revolve around the sea, the British Loyalty’s maritime endurance mirrors the spirit of our dhoanis and odis braving the Indian Ocean.

When World War II broke out in 1939, the British Loyalty was requisitioned as a Ministry of War Transport vessel, joining Britain’s 500-strong tanker fleet to fuel the Allied effort. Her role would soon bring her to Addu atoll, a strategic wartime hub, forever entwining her fate with our islands.

The British Loyalty’s wartime journey began with a harrowing encounter on February 3, 1940, off Scotland’s coast near Arbroath. A German Heinkel bomber unleashed a barrage of bombs and machine-gun fire, damaging her steering and peppering her superstructure with bullets. Remarkably, her crew escaped unharmed, and the ship sailed on. For us in the Maldives, this tale of survival resonates, echoing our own resilience against the sea’s challenges.

Her most dramatic chapter unfolded in May 1942 at Diego Suarez, Madagascar. Anchored near the battleship HMS Ramillies, the British Loyalty was bunkering Allied ships when Japanese midget submarines from the 8th Submarine Flotilla infiltrated the harbour. On May 30, a torpedo struck Ramillies, narrowly missing the British Loyalty’s stern. At 21:20 hours, a second torpedo slammed into the tanker’s engine room, sending her to the harbour floor. The crew’s courage shone – Second Officer Main, blown to another deck by the blast, heroically rescued the unconscious Chief Engineer, though five men perished. This story of bravery feels deeply personal in the Maldives, where community and sacrifice are woven into our island life.

Salvaged by December 1942, the British Loyalty was repaired and, by October 1943, arrived in Addu atoll – likely under her own power – to serve as a fuel storage hulk. Her presence in our lagoon marked a new role, supporting the British Eastern Fleet.

On March 9, 1944, the British Loyalty faced her last wartime trial. Anchored off Viligili near Gan’s channel, she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-183. The blast breached her fuel tanks, causing a heavy list, but Captain R.M. Anderson’s quick order to flood a port tank righted the ship. No lives were lost, and repairs ensured she remained afloat. Local tales sometimes misattribute this attack to a Japanese submarine, a confusion stemming from her 1942 sinking. Records, including Captain Anderson’s 1944 report, confirm U-183 as the attacker, tying our atoll to the war’s global reach.

The British Loyalty remained in Addu as an oil storage vessel until 1946. On 15 January, she was towed southeast of Hithadhoo and scuttled, possibly after Royal Navy target practice. The oil leakage that followed polluted our lagoon for years, a stark reminder of war’s environmental toll on our pristine waters.

Today, the British Loyalty rests on her starboard side in 33 metres of water, at coordinates 73°07'E and 0°38'S, as noted on Admiralty Chart 2067. For Maldivians, she is a heritage site, a tangible link to Addu’s wartime role as an Allied base. Her story, preserved in archives and local lore, honours the sacrifices of her crew and the global conflict that reached our shores. She stands as a monument to resilience – a vessel that withstood relentless assaults to serve until the war’s end.

For divers, the British Loyalty is a world-renowned site, a mesmerising underwater tapestry of marine life. Her hull, encrusted with vibrant hard and soft corals, teems with biodiversity. Schools of fusiliers and trevally weave through her rusted framework, while moray eels peer from crevices. Large green turtles glide gracefully around her deck, and occasional sightings of reef sharks add a thrill. The phosphor bronze propeller, at 23 metres, is adorned with lush black coral trees, a striking blend of history and nature. Two large holes – one in the deck, another in the keel – likely from scuttling or target practice, invite divers to explore her interior, where light filters through, illuminating a cathedral-like space. The wreck’s accessibility makes it a must-visit for those exploring Addu’s heritage and marine splendour.

The British Loyalty’s transformation into a thriving reef underscores the Maldives’ role as a steward of marine ecosystems. Her fauna, from delicate sea fans to vibrant anemones hosting clownfish, offers a living lesson in nature’s resilience, mirroring the ship’s own defiance against destruction.

The British Loyalty bridges Addu’s past and present. As a heritage site, she reminds us of the global forces that shaped our atoll, from wartime operations to the merchant navy’s sacrifices. As a dive site, her breathtaking marine life highlights our commitment to preserving our oceans. Yet, challenges remain – oil pollution from her scuttling lingered for a decade, and divers have occasionally removed propeller fragments for scrap, underscoring the need to protect this site.

Sources:

- Butler, Mike. “The British Loyalty.” 

- Rohwer, Jürgen. Axis Submarine Successes of WW2, 1939–1945.