The Thistlegorm was built by Joseph Thompson & Sons of Sunderland and launched in June 1940. She was 126.5 meters (415 feet) in length and displaced 4,898 gross tons, powered by a triple-expansion, 3 cylinder steam engine that generated a very comfortable 365 nominal horsepower. She was one of a number of "Thistle" ships owned and operated by the Albyn Line. Actually her name means "Blue Thistle". With her construction being partly funded by the British Government, however, she was destined for war duties from the moment she was launched. She was classified as an armed freighter.

The Thistlegorm was part of operation "Crusader" in World War II, an important operation designed to maintain the supply of materials to the British Forces in North Africa. The goal of the British 8^th army in 1941 was to stop Rommel's onward march and to push the Germans back to the west. Tobruk had been besieged since April 1941 and the British Forces aimed to halt the German tanks, conquer the Cyrenaika, and push forward to Tripoli. The British Desert Air Force consisted of more than 650 planes and supplies were in great demand for a force of this size. The supplies and equipment that were on board the Thistlegorm and the other similar vessels that were turned into military ships on the route from England to Egypt were most important.

Two heavily armed German Heinkel He-111 bombers based in Crete were ordered to the area. The order for the two planes was to locate British supply vessels and sink them. For this task both planes were carrying two sophisticated bombs. Each bomb was developed for attacking sea targets and was about 2,000 kilograms with high explosives.

It was late at night and the moon was bright, leaving a silvery shine of the water of the Red Sea as the two bombers searched in vain. The planes were reaching their maximum flight range and were forced to return home. One plane was flying along the mainland's coast and the other was heading directly home. The crew suddenly discovered some British vessels, freighters, and other cargo ships. The largest ship; Thistlegorm, was immediately attacked. The air raid was a complete surprise. Most of the crewmen were already asleep.

Two bombs were released directly ahead of the target and at least one hit the ship's side. The explosion blew a huge hole into the hull. The following blaze and explosions were to be heard from the Egyptian mainland to the nearby mountains of Sinai. The explosion had two serious consequences. First, the vessel's engine which was still under steam exploded. Then about ten minutes after the attack, most of the ammunition went off.

The Thistlegorm sits mast and funnel above all others shipwrecks. This single vessel attracts more divers than any other underwater site; anywhere in the entire world! Since being re-discovered in the early nineties, the Thistlegorm has consistently remained "The World’s Foremost Diving Attraction". To this day, the ship still remains in the entrance of the Gulf of Suez, an easy few hours by boat from Sharm El Sheikh. It is a very famous dive site because of its history and because of the fact that majority of its supplies is still there at a possible depth. This shipwreck is an underwater military museum.

Facts:
Name: Thistlegorm
GPS Position: N 27° 48,849' E 33° 55,222'
Length: 126.50 meters (415 feet)
Breadth: 17.70 meters (58 feet)
Draft: 7.45 meters (24.5 feet)
Displacement: 4.898 BRT
Type: Freighter
Engine: Steam engine with 2 boilers
Maximum Speed: 10.5 Knots
Date of Launch: April 9^th, 1940
Shipyard: Joseph Thompson & Sons
Building Number: 599
Building Place: Sunderland (near Newcastle, Scotland)
Country: Great Britain
Shipping Company: Albyn Line, Sunderland
Cargo: Two locomotives with tenders and water tank wagons, ammunition, tanks, vehicles, motorbikes, parts for planes, general supply goods, and spares of all kind
Crew: 39
Passengers: None
Date and Time of Sinking: October 6^th, 1941 at 1:39AM
Place: Shaab Ali - Red Sea - Egypt
Reason: Bomb attack by German Air Force
Casualties: 9 Persons, among them 5 navy-gunners
Miscellaneous: Sunk by a German Heinkel HE-111 bomber from KG 26 (Kampfgeschwader 26). The bombs were specially made for attacking ships and other heavy armored targets. Among the 39 crewmen were 9 Navy gunners in charge of handling and maintaining the two guns