The Thistlegorm was built by Joseph Thompson & Sons of Sunderland and launched in June 1940. She was 126.5m in length and displaced 4,898 gross tons. The Thistlegorm was powered by a triple-expansion, 3 cylinder steam engine that generated a very comfortable 365 nominal horsepower. She was one of a number of "Thistles" ships owned and operated by the Albyn Line. With her construction being part funded by the British Government, however, she was destined for "War" duties from the moment she was launched. In May 1941, theThistlegorm was in her home port of Glasgow loading supplies essential for the 8th Army and the relief of Tobruk. Thus it was that on 2nd June 1941 Captain Ellis ordered the mooring lines slipped before easing his ship out of Glasgow. The ship spent weeks at sea until they rounded South Africa and entered the Indian Ocean and points north. Waiting its turn to enter the Suez Canal, the Thistlegorm awaited its fate. Heinkel He 111's from II/Kg26 (No 2 Group 26th Kampf Squadron) based in Crete were alerted that a troop transport ship possible the Queen Mary was present in the area. Their task was to seek and destroy. At 2250 hours on 5th October 1941 two twin-engine Heinkels crossed the north Egyptian coast heading south-east in search of this prize. Aided by a clear moonlit night, they searched in vain for the big ship until fuel levels became critical. Then, just as they were on the point of returning home empty handed, one of the pilots spotted a ship at anchor. Turning away in order to put his aircraft in the best possible attacking position, the pilot turned again as he continued to lose altitude. He came in low over the sea and, as he approached the bows of the Thistlegorm, he released two bombs right over her bridge. The vessel began to sink and the crew quickly abandoned ship. The SS Thistlegorm sits mast and funnel above all others shipwrecks. Such is the pulling power of this single vessel that she 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". This unique card provides detailed depiction of the Wreck. Each waterproof card is printed on both sides, made of durable PVC plastic and is designed to be taken on the dive. They are also 3-hole punched to fit in standard log books.