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15 Volume 73 Number 1
15 February 2021
dealt with him. Bona knew all about the Edin- due diligence on Mr. Ringrose and found that his
burgh search and offered to work for Keith full claims of being an ex-RN hydrographer were to
time for ten years. Keith did not realise until later say the least exaggerated. (Despite this Mr. Rin-
that Bona’s motives were far from honourable. grose did eventually join the survey, ostensibly
Keith took him on for Edinburgh job, again but on because of the so called “Royal Connection” but
a no cure no pay basis. Decca Marine were firmly in charge) Decca Marine
were signed up for this task. The consortium was
Following the first search setback Keith realised
that if the search was to be successful, he need- complete and included access to deep diving sup-
ed the following: port vessels and all the divers and equipment re-
quired. A deal was worked out which shared the
1. A remote Operating Vehicle (ROV) in or- gold recovered between the 2Ws and Jessop Ma-
der to be able to view the wreck and confirm it rine with 50% of the value going to 2 W’s and the
was Edinburgh; remainder to Jessop Marine and ancillaries.
2. A revisit to the Public Records Office to On July 7th, 1980 Jessop Marine Recoveries Ltd
view Admiral Bonham-Carters charts; and to submitted a formal application to the Salvage As-
3. A consortium of companies with the cor- sociation to conduct the search for the Edinburgh
rect expertise and equipment to cover the vari- and the recovery of its gold. The divers paid a
ous aspects of the search. prearranged visit to HMS Belfast now a museum
ship moored
At this point in the River
Keith’s con- Thames near
tact at the Tower Bridge
Salvage As- in London.
sociation They took
called him photographs
and told him and studied
that another the layout of
firm Risdon the ship ex-
Beasley, ternally and
with whom internally.
Jessop Ma- They were
rine had a given special
conflicted access to the
past had bomb room
applied for not usually
permission accessible to
to search the public. It
for the Edin- was noted
burgh. Now that the
there was a HMS Belfast bulkheads
race! https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7891487/ were of thick
At this point reinforced
Keith Jessop began negotiations with the firm steel normal for magazines but would be chal-
that ended up being Keith’s main partners, Ric lenging to cut through especially at 800 ft under-
Wharton and Malcolm Williams. Both were known water in the cold Barents Sea.
to Keith as being straightforward no nonsense The application process also involved applying for
guys who headed up a large marine operation. permission to access the wreck from The UK Min-
Wharton and Williams were referred to in marine istry of Defence, The British Foreign Office and
industry as the 2W’s. A further partner added to the Department of Trade in addition to the Sal-
the consortium was the Offshore Services Associ- vage Association. Most of the contentious issues
ation (OSA). OSA had the required ocean-going were not difficult to resolve except for one, the
vessels that were up to this difficult task. OSA “War Grave” issue. The concern was if human re-
insisted on having a proven survey company on mains were present in the bomb room how would
board. The OSA contact. John Clark, had done they be dealt with. It was well known that some

http://www.noabc.com/