On the 23rd December 1940, a group of Heinkel 111s took off from German occupied Norway. Their target was a convoy assembling in the sheltered waters off Oban. Within the convoy lay the S.S. Breda.

Built as a cargo ship for the Royal Netherlands Steamship Co. in 1921, the Breda was put under the control of the P&O Company for use in the war. She was some 402 feet in length with a beam of 58 feet, a draught of 34 feet and a net tonnage of 4387, laden with goods bound for Mombassa, Karachi and Bombay.

On the evening of the 23rd , the Heinkels were spotted by the ROC (Royal Observer Corps) on the hill above Easdale . The alarm was raised but by then it was too late. The crew of the Breda did not even have time to man their single stern gun before the Heinkels began their bombing run.

No bomb actually hit the Breda but the two which did bracket her did awesome damage. A water inlet pipe fractured and basically laid her open to the sea. Within minutes all systems were dead. After 15 minutes, Captain Johannis Fooy ordered the lifeboats lowered and the crew instructed to strike for shore. An Admiralty tug came close by and assisted to run the ship aground over a 6 metre deep shelf. After two hours the Breda was over the shelf and the tow cables released. The horses on board were released and left to swim ashore.

Christmas Eve:– the Admiralty, having assessed the situation, decided that the ship could be salvaged. Cargo was removed. During the removal, a storm broke out and forced the ship further landward but off the shelf and into 30 metres of water where she lies to this day.

Forgotten for many years despite her funnel, bridges and masts being visible, the Royal Navy swept her with a wire to a depth of 28 feet at the request of the Northern Lighthouse Board as she was a hazard to shipping.

The diving bit……

The Breda was rediscovered in 1966 by The Edinburgh Sub Aqua Club. During the 1960s and 1970s she was heavily salvaged including the removal of her propeller. The wreck lies upright on a sloping seabed with her bows to the shore. Her stern lies in some 30 metres of water whilst her bow is at 20. Her 5 cargo holds still retain much to be discovered. The Breda was carrying:

• 3000 tons of cement
• 175 tons of tobacco and cigarettes
• 3 Hawker biplanes
• 30 De Havilland Moths
• Aircraft spare parts
• Rubber soled sandals¹
• Lorry spares
• NAAFI crockery
• Copper ingots
• Rupee banknotes
• 9 dogs
• 10 horses (1 allegedly belonging to the Aga Khan)
• and apparently a monkey.

The wreck is well preserved although it is ill-advised to venture too deep into the engine compartment. Best dived at high slack water, The Breda is well populated by divers from all over the country (Scottish weather dependant). There are very few sports divers in the country who's log book does not contain the name "Breda".

The Breda has since been bought by Puffin Dive Centre.