OnslowThis London registered Collier of 2722 tons, ran ashore at Kettleness Point on August 12 1911, during dense fog. She was en route from Sunderland to Pireaus. Onslow soon took water and despite the frantic salvage attempts during which much of her cargo was jettisoned, two days later the ship broke in half. Some months earlier a smaller vessel the SS Pearl of Goole, a small collier, had suffered a similar fate nearby. Details of Onslow: Built 1899 by Barclay Curle. Dimensions 312ft by 45ft beam. T.3cy

VanlandOn July 24 1917 SS Vanland of Gothenburg, 1285 tons, was shelled in Runswick Bay by a german submarine. In an attempt to evade the persueing attack, the Vanland struck Kettleness Point, and almost at the same time, a torpedo from the U-boat struck the vessel, causing a huge explosion which killed six men. As the Runswick Lifeboat sped to the scene of the wreck, the U-boat was seen at the surface just outside the Bay, but no further attack came, and the lifeboat successfully rescued 18 survivors. No more torpedoes  were needed, for Varland was doomed, she burned for a week and smouldered for a few days more, her cargo of greaseproof paper, boxwood and undipped matches keeping the fire going. Eventually she keeled over, burnt and sank. She lies in about 4m of water just inside Kettlness Point, and her wreckage is spread over a large area, with nothing sticking up more than a few metres. Divers from a nearby diving club are reported to have found the bell from Vanland, in 10 m and subsequently returned it to the vessels former owners. Built by the Campbletown Shipbuilding Company in 1893, the ship was owned by Angf. Aktied Suithied Weifdling of Gothenburg. Dimensions: 227ft long by 32.7ft beam. engines; T.3cy 17.5, 44.5.

Golden Sceptre On Monday night, January 16 1912, during hazy weather, the Hull steam trawler Golden Sceptre ran ashore on Kettleness Steel. Heavy seas were breaking over the wreck when Runswick lifeboat, the Hester Rothschild took off the 11 crew and 5 passengers. The trawler lay broadside on against a rock ledge and soon sustained considerable damage in the heaving sea, becoming a total loss less than 100 yards from the wreck of the Onslow.

Giralda On August 28 1918 the 100 ton Giralda of Leith was torpedoed by UC-70 5 miles north-north-west of Whitby and sank with the lass of 6 crew. Runswick Bay Lifeboat was able to save the lives of 13 others. Reports at the time state the the Giralda was beached at Kettleness, but the charted position at 54 32 30N 00 42 20W places the wreck at just over half a mile off Kettleness Point. Details of the ship were: built by Osbourne of Sunderland 1887. Engines by T clark and Sons of Sunderland 2cy, 28 and 53. 1SB 3PF. Dimensions of the ship were 225ft long by 33ft beam.

Athos Built by Nylands Vaerksted in 1913, the 1708 ton Norwegian Athos was torpedoed in ballast and sunk by German submarine off Runswick Bay on January 26 1918. Dimensions of the ship were 265ft long by 40ift beam. Engines; TCY, 19, 31 and 51-33. The approximate position is 54 32 15N 00 41 30W. This wreck as not yet been positively identified

African Transport This armed steamship was lost to torpedo attack on June 25 1918. She is a relatively large wreck, being 4482 tons gross and carrying 6684 tons of coal at the time of the loss. The estimated position of the wreck is some 3 miles North of Whitby although other sources indicate her as being 4 miles north of Whitby and 2 miles offshore. Charted position is given as 54 33 00N 00 42 00W. She was built by the Northumberland Ship Building Company in 1913, and had 320 hp triple expansion engines measuring 25, 40 and 68 inches. Her dimensions were 385ft by 52ft by 27ft draught, and she was armed for defence. It has been reported that the gun has been removed, restored and mounted on a memorial plinth on Whitby West Cliff. however that gun is from another wreck. African Transports gun is still on the wreck.