By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Among the sunken D-Day wrecks, which have been submerged for 80 years along the coasts of Britain and France, marine life is now flourishing on the remnants of wartime vessels. Stretching for miles along England's Devonshire coast between the sea and rolling hills lies the shingle expanse of Slapton Sands. Occasionally, humpback whales can be spotted offshore. At the far end, a thatched pub serves fish and chips in an oak beamed bar. Each year on 27 April at dawn, locals recount a ghost story of hundreds of dead soldiers rising from the waves and marching across the fields, rooted in the tragic events of 1944.
In the spring of that year, the coastline became a training ground for American troops preparing for a secret full scale rehearsal of the D-Day invasion of Utah Beach in Nazi occupied France. Disaster struck when German E-boats infiltrated the area, torpedoing gasoline loaded ships and creating scenes of burning wreckage. Over 700 Americans died, making it one of the largest single incident losses for the US during World War II, surpassing the eventual death toll at Utah Beach. In total, an estimated 4,400 Allied troops and thousands of Germans died during the D-Day landings.
Today, there are few visible reminders of the D-Day landings and their preparations, but beneath the waves, the seafloor is littered with tanks, ships, landing craft, planes, and an artificial harbor. These 80 year old wrecks tell a fascinating story of life after death. Diver Steve Mortimer, who specializes in identifying wrecks around UK waters, describes them as underwater time capsules, the final resting places of those who fought for their countries.
On World War II wrecks, you first notice the paraphernalia, guns, degraded ships, and even helmets of GI soldiers. But soon, the thriving marine life becomes apparent. "Gigantic" mushroom like sea anemones cover the ships, starfish cling to hulls, and fish such as pollock, ling, conger eels, and sea bass find refuge in the wrecks. Mortimer marvels at how nature reclaims sites of past tragedy and integrates them into vibrant ecosystems.
Historian Harry Bennett from the University of Plymouth notes that the Normandy invasion contributed numerous artificial reefs to the English Channel. Many landing crafts and tanks sank due to bad weather and German mines. These objects, once on the seafloor, become habitats for marine life. The wrecks serve as a silver lining to a sad story, forming homes for smaller creatures and plants.
Shipwrecks attract interest from divers, archaeologists, and biologists. They act as vessels for new life, with biologists noting that the estimated three million wrecks worldwide create rich and diverse microenvironments. Trawlers avoid wrecks to protect their nets, allowing new species to move in and form mini marine parks. Research has shown that these wrecks enhance the richness and diversity of the surrounding microbiome.
A 2014 study on wrecks off Australia's Great Barrier Reef by Thomas Stieglitz revealed that the biological influence of wrecks extends far from the site itself. Wrecks also help protect blue carbon stocks by preventing seabed sediment from being washed away and replenishing it with the life forms that colonize them.
As the world's offshore energy infrastructure ages, shipwrecks could serve as proxies for studying the long term effects of rigs and wind farms. This research could also help map the impact of climate change on coastal biology. The wreck of HMS Scylla, a Royal Navy frigate deliberately sunk in 2004 for diving and research, has shown changes in flora and fauna over time, from initial colonization by barnacles and starfish to the arrival of various fish and coral species.
However, artificial reefs have limitations. They can disrupt existing reefs and vegetation, encourage invasive species, and contain toxic substances like oil and antifouling paint, which can harm marine life. Despite these drawbacks, wrecks remain powerful draws for both human visitors and marine wildlife.
Eighty years after D-Day, the wreckage of war continues to captivate visitors and provide vital habitats for marine life. In Slapton, visitors can see the remains of a Sherman tank, while in France, the concrete ruins of a Mulberry Harbour can be viewed at Gold Beach. These sites offer a poignant reminder of history and the enduring capacity of nature to reclaim and rejuvenate spaces marked by human conflict.