Echoes of Tragedy: The Discovery of the SS Arcadian

The Unsinkable Thomas Threlfall and Captain Willats

Among the survivors of the SS Arcadian was crewman Thomas Threlfall, a man whose life seemed marked by prolific maritime disasters. Remarkably, Threlfall had also survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic five years earlier to the day, on April 15, 1912. His survival of two of the most infamous shipwrecks in history is a testament to both his resilience and the capricious nature of fate.

Threlfall’s experiences must have been harrowing. Surviving the Titanic’s icy demise in the North Atlantic only to face death again in the warmer waters of the Aegean left an indelible mark. He later stated: “It was the same day of the week, and the same date of the month that the Titanic went down…and I have come safely out of both affairs.”

When asked which of the two sinkings was worse, he stated:

“Well, the Titanic stopped afloat for a couple of hours, and we had time to turn around, but of course you could not live in the water that night. This time we had calm sea and warm weather, and you had a chance, but with the Titanic you died in the water almost as soon as you got in.”

His remarkable story is a poignant reminder of the human capacity to endure, even in the face of unimaginable adversity.

Equally compelling is the story of Captain Charles L. Willats, the steadfast commander of the SS Arcadian. In his 23 years with the Royal Mail Line, Captain Willats had already faced the perils of the sea multiple times. On November 5, 1915, as captain of the ocean liner Pembrokeshire, he ran aground on a reef in the Canary Islands. Less than two years later, on January 7, 1917, while aboard the cargo ship Radnorshire in the South Atlantic, his vessel was sunk by the German auxiliary cruiser Moewe. Captain Willats and his crew were captured and held until they were disembarked in Brazil. They then boarded the troop ship Drina to return to England, only for the Drina to be sunk by the German submarine UC-65 near the British coast on March 1. Despite these harrowing experiences, Captain Willats survived all three shipwrecks.

Rediscovery

The recent discovery of the SS Arcadian’s well-preserved wreck southeast of Sifnos island has brought this forgotten chapter of history back into the public eye. Led by Kostas Thoktaridis, a renowned Greek diver and explorer, the research team embarked on an ambitious mission to locate the ship. Their success, at a depth of 163 meters, marks a significant achievement.

Thoktaridis and his team faced numerous challenges in their quest. The depth of the wreckage, coupled with the strong underwater currents of the Aegean, made the search both physically demanding and technically complex. Advanced sonar technology and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) played crucial roles in locating and documenting the wreck.

“The quality of the metallic alloys used in the shipbuilding of the Arcadian is a major factor in the preservation of the wreck up to this day,” Thoktaridis told the Athens Macedonia News Agency (AMNA).

“It appears that the bow of the Arcadian initially landed on the bottom of the Aegean, with the result that the deformations of the plates are visible. Due to the length of the ship (152.4m) and the depth of the sea area, which is only 163 meters, since the bow crashed first while the stern was still sinking, this helped the wreckage to stay aligned and upright till today,” he added.

The rediscovery of the SS Arcadian is more than just a remarkable archaeological achievement; it is a poignant reminder of the human cost of war, underscoring the sacrifices made by so many during World War I. The ship’s tragic sinking on April 15, 1917, coupled with the tales of survival like those of Thomas Threlfall and Captain Willats, weaves a narrative that is both heart-wrenching and inspiring.

In the depths of the Aegean, the wreck of the Arcadian rests as a silent witness to the tragedies of war and the resilience of the human spirit. By carefully exploring and preserving these underwater time capsules for future generations, we not only honor the memories of those who perished but also enrich our understanding of history, ensuring that the echoes of the past are never forgotten.

With information in Greek from kathimerini.gr.