Dive into shipwreck tales at Littlehampton Museum

The Perils of the Sea display tells the tale of more than 30 ships sunk mere miles away from Littlehampton’s beaches during both the First and Second World Wars.

On show are a series of recently discovered photographs and items recovered by local divers over a 30-year period.

Archives and exhibitions officer at the museum, Lucy Ashby, said: “It’s truly fascinating how many ships have been sunk off Littlehampton’s coast. This is a little part of the town’s war-time history that sometimes goes amiss.

“It’s simply an essential part of the town’s maritime history and we’re just grateful to all the local divers who have helped us gather all our items.”

Many of the treasures on display were recovered from ships sunk after being blasted by German torpedoes, while some of the older ships shown fell foul of bad weather conditions.

Ray Lee, 80, of Saxon Close, East Preston, helped to set up the museum’s latest exhibition. He said: “Each time I discovered a wreck, there was a great sense of elation. It was like uncovering your own little piece of history.

“I just want to share our discoveries with everybody else because very often people don’t realise what’s on their doorstep.”

The exhibition includes a map pinpointing the location of all the shipwrecks off the Littlehampton coast.

There is also a section dedicated to the discovering the secrets behind the mysterious Bottle Wreck, which Ray and other divers have been excavating for more than 30 years.

Entrance is free and the exhibition is open until June 10.