SMS Gneisenau (1879)
The crew attempted to drop the starboard anchor, but it did not catch in the stony ground. "Gneisenau" was driven into the mole repeatedly, striking it with her stern twice before being turned and pushed bow-first on the starboard side, forcing her aground. A merchant ship attempted to come to the crew's aid, but they were unable to connect a line between the two ships before "Gneisenau" began to list 35 degrees. A boat from shore also attempted to rescue the crew, but it too was forced ashore in the heavy seas. Wave action quickly smashed "Gneisenau"s hull against the mole, and part of her crew attempted to find safety by climbing the rigging. The ship rolled over onto her side, and the surviving crewmen reached shore with a line. Forty-one men were killed in the accident, including Kretschmann and the ship's first officer. "Charlotte" and the British ironclad were sent to aid the wounded. Those killed in the sinking were buried in Málaga's cemetery, and the survivors returned to Germany aboard the HAPAG steamship on 2 January 1901.
List of shipwrecks of England
Ship Flag Sunk date Notes Coordinates RMS Alaunia United Kingdom 19 October 1916 Struck a mine off Hastings. Amsterdam 26 January 1749 A Dutch East India Company ship that ran aground near Hastings. The wreck site is protected. 52°22′21.00″N 4°54′51.48″E HMS Ariadne Royal Navy 26 July 1917 A Diadem-class cruiser torpedoed off Beachy Head by German submarine UC-65. 50.655°N 0.291°E HMS Holland 5 Royal Navy 8 August 1912 A Holland-class submarine that foundered off Beachy Head while under tow to be scrapped. 50.729°N 0.248°E RMS Moldavia United Kingdom 23 May 1918 An armed merchantman torpedoed off Beachy Head by UB-57. 50°23.13′N 0°28.72′W MV Nyon Switzerland 15 June 1962 A Swiss cargo ship that ran aground at Berwickshire in 1958, but was salvaged and repaired. It sank for the final time off Beachy Head, following a collision. MT Sitakund Norway 20 October 1968 A Norwegian motor tanker that exploded off the coast of Eastbourne. 50.719°N 0.240°E SS Storaa United Kingdom 3 November 1943 A British coaster sunk by a German torpedo near Hastings. U-40 Kriegsmarine 13 October 1939 A German submarine sunk by a mine off Eastbourne. 50°42′N 0°15′E U-413 Kriegsmarine 20 August 1944 A German submarine sunk by a mine 15 nautical miles (28 km) south of Brighton. 50°21′N 00°01′W UC-65 Kaiserliche Marine 3 November 1917 A German minelaying submarine torpedoed by HMS C15 off Eastbourne. 50°31′N 00°27′E MV Wittering United Kingdom 25 February 1976 A British Cargo Ship sunk after a collision, 11.5 nautical miles (21.3 km) off Beachy Head. Attended by Hastings Lifeboat. 50°43′N 00°37′W