The black and white past - a tribute to the Thistlegorm

View from the port side adjacent to hold Number #1 looking aft - including the broken mast and one of the coal tenders

Photographs by Denis Zorzin

Denis Zorzin is an Italian instructor, guide and videographer. As a long-term resident of Sharm El Sheikh he has clocked up more than1,400 dives on the wreck of the Thistlegorm, and has turned the preservation of the 'Old Lady' into a personal mission. Here is a selection of some of his black and white images to  commemorate the 75th anniversary of the SS Thistlegorm's sinking on the night of the 5/6 October 1941.

Norton motorcycles (pictured above) are found in the holds, along with bikes from BSA and Matchless 

The prop shaft from the starboard side of the ship looking forward from the blast damage

Classic view from the stern with the World War One 4-inch cannon

One of the UC (Universal Carrier) Mk-II 'tanks' - also known as the 'Bren Gun Carrier'

Looking into what used to be Hold No. #4 and the ammunition store – 14-inch shells in the foreground, boxes of 6-inch cartridges to the rear

 The anti-aircraft gun

Shell casing scraped to reveal the date of manufacture

More 14-inch shells

6-inch cartridges in their box