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One of the largest audiences for a Society event came together on 20th January 2010 to listen to Colin Harvey as he presented two Photo-Animated DVD`S. The first about Britain’s earliest pioneer fliers (“Wings Over Sheppey”) and the evolution of a major local industry in the creation of Shorts aircraft manufacture on the the island of Sheppey and then in Rochester. The second presentation explained the background and ever-present danger of the sunken ammunition carrier only a couple of kilometres off our part of the coast – the SS Richard Montgomery. The audience were treated to some additional background and insights from Colin as he introduced each photo-animation.
Colin explained that he first developed his photo-animation techniques as a way of bringing to life, for modern audiences, the many early stills photographs that predated the emergence and popularity of movie records. Modern digital manipulation allowed for photographs to be sharpened and cleaned so that images could be panned across or zoomed in and out to provide the sense of movement and drama demanded by the subject and enjoyed by modern audiences.
The images for “Wings Over Sheppey” had been drawn widely from private collections and official records to celebrate the Centenary of the earliest flight in Britain that took place on Sheppey (Shellbeach, south of Muswell Manor). The early manufacture and flying took place on a 400 acre site that very quickly became too small and waterlogged, so a new site was found near Leysdown and Eastchurch. We learnt about how competition and ambition led to the first successful flight, followed by other milestones such as crossings and return crossings of the Channel together with subsequent competitions and exhibitions led to innovation and commercial success. We also learnt about the tragic deaths that came from the courage and ambition of the early fliers who were determined to demonstrate their skills and industry. These included Charles Rolls at the first British Flying Exhibition in 12 July 1910 (Bournemouth). It was Charles Rolls who became the first flier to make the non-stop flight across the Channel across Sangatte and back. Throughout this early history there was a considerable degree of collaboration with the Wright brothers, whose designs were manufactured at the Sheppey factory (comprising a few small wooden buildings).
We were treated to a series of images, including the manoeuvring by horses of planes ready for takeoff! Each early plane being a construction of fabric and wood that supported the single pilot, engine and in one case a pig to support the assertion that pigs can fly!
The large number of images of people and places created a strong sense of the time as they were expertly woven together.
The second photo-animation session began with a showing of a film by Ken Rowles about the SS Richard Montgomery, made as a pilot for the History Channel. It explained how the US Liberty ship was misdirected by the harbour-master on Southend Pier to anchor off Sheerness middle sands. The draught of the fully laden Montgomery was simply too much for the low-tide depth. The ship stuck fast and before all the munitions could be offloaded, the ship broke in two and sank. The site is marked by bouys and the stark masts that stand out from the sea’s surface.
Colin’s photo-animation developed the story with the disturbing news in a letter from America that the wreck of the Montgomery had been raised and broken up!!! We are all entitled to make mistakes, but in excess of three thousand tonnes of munitions that remain off Sheerness made nonsense of this assertion. Originally, there were 6,127 tonnes of munitions. The authorities assume that they removed all the detonators, leaving only the phosphorous. The principle concern is that this leaves significant amounts of phosphorous in the hulk, which is inevitably breaking up as corrosion progresses and threatens to allow the munitions to spill out. If phosphorous is exposed to air, it ignites.
Colin explained the history of the Liberty ships – at a cost of £2m each under Lend Lease terms, these ships were built to survive one journey through the hostile waters patrolled by the U-Boats to bring relief to the beleaguered British Isles, although some made several journeys. He also explained that the decision to leave the 3,173 tonnes on the seabed was driven as much by the disruption it would cause through the need for evacuation of 40, 000 people if the wreck were raised and ‘disarmed’.
So, how much of a threat is the SS Richard Montgomery? The jury is out and it is not clear how local residents view its presence. As one audience member commented, if only 30% of a munition is explosive and those explosives degrade over time, the figure of 3,000 tonnes may be an exaggeration. However, no-one disputed that if the wreck blew up there would be significant damage from the blast and maybe from resulting waves. Sleep easy?
Colin has produced other Photo-Animated DVD`s in the Sheppey Series about Blue Town, The Dockyard and Sheerness amonst others.
For more information,his e-mail address is: colin_harvey@msn.com
Report by: Nigel Heriz-Smith and Graham Sargent
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