Tiberia
Overview
Tiberia was a 4,880-ton Anchor Line steamship sailing from Glasgow to New York with general cargo when German submarine U-19 torpedoed her off Black Head on 26 February 1918. All aboard survived. The accurately placed wreck is upright in 57 metres, rising 13 metres, with collapsed bridge, upright masts and the builder's plate confirming its identity.
The vessel and voyage
Built in 1913 as Frimley, the 4,880-ton steamship was bought by Anchor Line and renamed Tiberia in 1916. She left Glasgow for New York with general cargo during the First World War.
How it was lost
U-19 torpedoed Tiberia about a mile and a half east of Black Head on 26 February 1918. The ship sank upright after the attack, while fast help from shore supported the escape from the vessel.
Deaths and survival
All hands survived by taking to the lifeboats and receiving quick local help. The wreck is therefore not a war grave, but the successful escape remains a central part of the event rather than a side note.
What remains
Tiberia stands upright and largely intact in about 57 metres, rising around 13 metres. The bridge has collapsed but masts remain upright, with scour pits and fishing nets nearby. A recovered builder's plate confirms the name.
Why it mattered
The wreck combines a proven submarine attack with a complete survival story and a strongly identified hull. It shows both the danger to Clyde-New York trade and the difference that lifeboats and quick shore help made.
History checked 2026-08-15 against the named sources below.
A wreck point does not grant permission to dive, disturb the site or recover anything. Check current law and local conditions first.