The recent recovery of a bell from a Second World War ship that sank off the coast of the United Kingdom has a University of Guelph historian concerned that the discovery could encourage future grave robbing.
The bell was taken from the HMCS Trentonian, a Canadian ship that was torpedoed in February 1945, killing six.
“This ship was their grave,” says Dr. Alex Souchen, a war historian in the Department of History. “What this diver did was essentially rob it.”
Souchen studies the history of warfare, science and technology and is the author of War Junk: Munitions Disposal and Postwar Reconstruction in Canada.
While the bell from the Trentonian will be returned to the Canadian Navy, Souchen says other divers may decide to keep recovered items rather than returning them to their home country. He also worries about the safety risks for divers exploring wartime shipwrecks.
“There are hundreds of war wrecks all over the world, and depending on their depth, cargo, position and conditions they can pose a range of hazards,” he says. “There have been many cases of ships being looted or torn apart by divers and companies seeking trophies and scrap metals, especially low background steel.”
While there are laws against taking souvenirs from wartime shipwrecks, Souchen says the laws need to be applied to each specific case. He hopes the Trentonian discovery will encourage a discussion about how to protect these types of wrecks.
“There needs to be a greater debate about what transpired, its legality and morality – as well as the issues with disturbing a site with ammunition, fuels and damaged wreckage.”
Souchen is available for interviews.
Contact:
Dr. Alex Souchen
asouchen@uoguelph.ca