The Sunken Gold: A Story of World War I Espionage and the Greatest Treasure Salvage in History

by Joseph A. Williams

On January 25, 1917, HMS Laurentic struck two German mines off the coast of Ireland and sank. The ship was carrying 44 tons of gold bullion to the still-neutral United States via Canada in order to finance the war effort for Britain and its allies. Britain desperately needed that sunken treasure, but any salvage had to be secret since the British government dared not alert the Germans to the presence of the gold.
 Lieutenant Commander Guybon Damant was the most qualified officer to head the risky mission. Wild gales battered the wreck into the shape of an accordion, turning the operation into a multiyear struggle of man versus nature. As the war raged on, Damant was called off the salvage to lead a team of covert divers to investigate and search through the contents of recently sunk U-boats for ciphers, minefield schematics, and other secrets. The information they obtained, once in the hands of British intelligence, proved critical toward Allied efforts to defeat the U-boats and win the war.

But Damant had become obsessed with completing his long-deferred mission. His team struggled for five more years as it became apparent that the work could only be accomplished by muscle, grit, and persistence. Using newly discovered sources, author Joseph A. Williams provides the first full-length account of the quest for the Laurentic’s gold. More than an incredible story about undersea diving adventure, The Sunken Gold is a story of human persistence, bravery, and patriotism.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War I, War, Literary Fiction, Espionage

352 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2017

About the author

Joseph A. Williams is the Deputy Director of Greenwich Library (CT). Formerly, he was Assistant Director at the Stephen B. Luce Library of SUNY Maritime College and the Director of the Briarcliffe College Library. He lives in Connecticut.

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was totally fascinated with this book and story. I had never heard of "The Laurentic" also known as "the mini- Titanic", both made by the White Star line. "The Laurentic" was modeled after the much larger Titanic, including all of its luxury and amenities, but in miniature. After WWI had begun, the British Navy used it for war purposes, and a secret cache of approximately 5,000,000 pounds (WWI figures) were taken aboard discretely bound for North America to secure funding for the war effort. Unbeknownst to the Germans, who were busy trying to sink any ocean vessel not theirs, fired upon this ship with its treasure, sending it to the bottom. Over the course of many years, an ongoing effort to salvage as much of the gold ingots as possible ensued. (All, to this day, still has not been recovered.) It is considered the greatest salvage of sunken treasure in history. The search to recover the gold started in the midst of WWI, secretly, while deep water diving was still in its infancy, and thus, extremely dangerous. This is the story of Captain G. C. C. Damant as well as the Laurentic, being a pioneer in deep water diving, research and methods. Many of the practices he developed in order to keep people alive and not suffer "the bends" or "Caisson's disease" upon returning to the surface are still in use today. I think this is one of the best historical books I have read this year. I was engrossed with a tale I am sure most people have never heard. I can't wait to read more by this talented writer & researcher!
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

Read interview with the author Joseph A. Williams and enter to win a copy of "The Sunken Gold"! Giveaway ends 12/29/2017! Good luck! twogalsandabook.com

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me and with the constant raving, I had to read it. I wanted to know more about the recovery of gold and be a part of the crew. Instead, I got this book which was very dry. It didn't hold my interest at all and it was like pulling teeth for me to finish it.

My Rating: 2 stars

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley

Joseph A Williams’ book isn’t so much a chronicle of a sinking, but a history of a salvage mission. The best parts of the book are the ones that describe the development of diving technology. It also illuminates a lesser known story about WWI. The writing is a bit dry when moving beyond driving, but the use of background material does keep the reader interested.

[Ira Karsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story combined the subject matter of salvaging shipwrecks with some WWI naval history, making it a very exciting and interesting read. I would recommend this book to those looking to read about historical adventure... and if you're a fan of naval history, it's a bonus.

[Terri Wangard · Rating 5 out of 5]

During World War I, England was desperate to buy supplies from the United States, and money ran low. The Laurentic left Liverpool on January 23, 1914, with £5,000,000 in gold ingots. Rounding the northern coast of Ireland, the ship struck a pair of mines laid by a German submarine. The ship sank within an hour in bitter cold. Of the 479 souls on board, only 121 survived. Many others had gotten into lifeboats but froze to death. Also lost was the gold.

Britain had to get that gold back. Naval Commander Guybon Damant, an experienced salvage diver, was given the job. His task was dangerous with the possibility of encounters with submarines and mines, the harsh northern weather with strong currents and storms, and a depth of 40 meters (43.7 yards).

Damant’s success didn’t come easily. The gold compartment had been quickly located during the first season, but when the team returned after a storm, the upper decks had caved in. When the baggage room was finally reached, the divers found holes in the floor. The heavy gold had fallen through to the bottom of the ship. Most of the wooden boxes had disintegrated and the ingots were loose.

In seven salvage seasons over eight years (none in 1918), Damant’s team recovered 3,186 bars of the original 3,211. No deaths or serious injuries resulted despite the limits of diving technology and the highly hazardous conditions.

About half the book covers Damant’s other work, including diving on many sunken U-boats. The U-boats weren’t considered sacred burial sites. They were opened to search for intelligence. Even the dead might be searched before reburial at sea.

A very interesting book. I received a free copy in exchange for my review.

[Edwin Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE SUNKEN GOLD by Joseph A Williams is really two things, a fascinating and detailed recounting of the recovery of 44 tons of gold bullion lost when the British boat HMS Laurentic sunk during World War I but it is also the story of deep sea diving; how it was at the time and the engineering and practical innovations that came just from this gold recovery job at the HMS Laurentic.
From the recovery aspect of the book, Williams walks the reader how the HMS Laurentic sunk and how the English Admiralty decided to go after the gold that was on the sea floor. He takes careful note of the politics of it all, from having to pull the salvage crews off and on the job based on shifting priorities during the war to questions of validity when recovery efforts were not producing strong results for stretches of time. From the technologic part of the book, Williams describes the leaps in understanding of the bends and stage decompression for divers, as well innovations that were tried (and some failed) and also simply how to work logistically on long term deep sea diving recovery efforts. What really ties this whole book together, though, and makes it a one of a kind read is Guybon Damant. Damant was the leader of the recovery efforts that spanned the entire seven years. Williams ties Damant into every step of the recovery efforts and by doing so, brings so much humanity to the entire story that otherwise could be dry and stiff and hard to follow.
Really a joy to read, THE SUNKEN GOLD should appeal to treasure hunting buffs, wartime enthusiasts, and historical technology fans.
Thank you to Chicago Review Press, Joseph A Williams, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in echange for an honest review!

[Sharon Gallup · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Folks was one of the Books that I won on the giveaway book from Good reads. I never was much a history buff but this author JOSEPH A. WILLIAMS drew me so far into this book that it was hard to put it down. His writings drew me so far into the First World War that it became alive in my mind. His writings made this book and the history of the war and what it took to fight in this war so alive. He made it so real that i felt at time I was actually on the ships searching and looking for the gold and records that was needed to fight the Germans.
i was stunned to learn that Britain and France and Russia borrowed so much money to pay the united states for ammunition, food and supplies that the debt was staggering . Did you know that this payment to the United states was so staggering that it brought the united states out of a recession.

[Susie James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win a copy of Joseph A. Williams's "The Sunken Gold: A Story of World War I Espionage and the Greatest Treasure Salvage in History" via Goodreads. I finished this unexpected treasure last night. I'll admit it was a neat prelude to next up on my reading list, the new novel by one of my favorite writers, Jan Karon. What giant steps have taken place in deep sea diving since the times of the main real life players in Joseph A. Williams's story, which actually begins in the late 1800s. What was sunk was a merchant ship turned to the war effort for Great Britain during World War I. The "HMS Laurentic" was first thought to have been hit by the nasty underwater German U-Boats as it attempted to transport 44 tons of gold bullion to the United States in January 1917. At the time, the United States was still neutral. During the author's clearly phrased and detailed telling of the doings of the salvage efforts as well as other nautical experiences over the decades since the loss of those lives and the ships involved ... I was entranced! I highly recommend this book.

[Joyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Who doesn't enjoy the lure of sunken treasure--the arduous search and the pleasure of discovery?That's what I was looking for here, something along the lines of Kurson's Shadow Divers, which I loved. Yes, there's history and danger and adventure. And more than I really wanted to know about negotiations to dive and rights. Interesting stuff about the bends and how this medical emergency was ultimately solved for deep divers. Perhaps there wasn't enough backstory for me--no deep and involved history or spies--and too much outside the realms of salvaging and treasure. Not a bad book, just not what I was hoping for. Well-read--he ups the ante when required by danger and satisfactorily relates the tale.

[S. Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nonfiction book about the interesting history of the sunken treasure ship Laurentic, and the fascinating man named Guybon Damant who was put in charge of salvaging the gold. With extracts from Damant's personal papers, extensive research, 46 pictures and photographs, and 2 maps, I do not doubt that this is the most in-depth and informative work ever written about this historical event: the greatest treasure salvage in history.

In January of 1917, the Laurantic, carrying 44 tons of gold that was to be used for the war effort, was hit and sunk by the Germans in Lough Swilly off of Ireland. That same month, Damant was contacted by the British government and put in charge of salvaging the lost gold. Conditions were horrid. Weather would not cooperate, reporters nagged them constantly, there was the chance that the Germans would catch on and blast them out of the water, the equipment available at the time wasn't suitable for the job at hand, not much was known about decompression times, and furthermore the wreck was crushed in upon itself making the gold completely inaccessible to divers. It took seven salvage seasons in eight years for Damant to finish his mission, and even then there were 25 bars of gold left on the ocean floor. This book tells that remarkable story.

It was very well written, and very interesting, not just simply a boring history book but a true story of action, adventure... and treasure. I was very impressed not just by how well written it was, but also by how well researched it was. The author really went to a lot of trouble to find original sources for his information, and throughout the entire book, chapter by chapter, he never failed to surprise me with the things he was able to uncover. The newspapers and magazines of the time would offer but little help, as much of what they wrote was either from unreliable sources or completely fictitious. It is astounding to me how, 100 years later, Joseph Williams was able to find out more than the people writing about the Laurentic at the time were. I would highly recommend this book to both historians and lovers of good seafaring tales alike. This is a must-have resource for any nautical library.

[Navneet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Underwater treasure? Check. Sunken submarines? Check. Espionage story? Check. What more does one want? This book not only offers a detailed chronological reconstruction of one of the most intense cargo salvages of all time but also manages to narrate it with such an ease that it appears even more interesting than fiction.
'The Sunken Gold' is a time machine that will take you back a century and drop you before the 'war to end all wars' began. Joseph A. Williams did an incredible job with narrating the story of HMS Laurentic's final voyage and Guybon Damant's (The story's lead, who was the head of the Laurentic salvage) early life through alternate chapters. This way, I had become quite familiar with Damant's character and understood how he became the man who would eventually lead a team of divers to find the lost golden treasure. At the same time, I could witness the thrill and despondence that the men aboard the Laurentic must've felt on that stormy January night, 102 years ago.
Today's technology has made everything easier, including diving down to shipwrecks, but this was not the case back in 1917 when a diver had to be suited up from head to toe with sophisticated gear that was the only line between life and death for him. The book did justice to this tedious process. It also shone light to 'diver's palsy' or 'decompression sickness' which was still a major problem in those days.
This book will also take you to the period of exploring freshly sunken German U-Boats for cipher booklets and minefield maps. This mission, although covert, was heavily responsible for the Allied victory. Then there's the salvage of 44 tons of gold from the sunken Laurentic. Williams shines a beam of recognition on Damant and his divers who recovered all but 20 ingots of gold from the ship! The story narrates the men's efforts to retrieve the sunken hoard through the war, immediately after it, and even through the civil war happening in Ireland at that time. Historical data buried deep inside the mundane archives was recovered and described in an intelligible way by the author. Anyone who has a thrill for the mysteries that lie beneath the ocean should read this book.

[Jon Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this title out as an ebook from the local library. It is a mostly interesting story of undersea salvage that centers on the exploits of one Guybon Damant, a diver and salvage expert with the Royal Navy. There is some biographic info on Damant, then things jump right into WW1, where Damant's skills are applied to finding and removing materials of intelligence value from sunken U-boats. Then the British liner "Laurentic" sank in 1917 when she struck two German mines. The liner was carrying something like 3000 gold bars which were being shipped across the Atlantic to the USA to pay for purchased war materials. Damant was assigned the task of recovering the gold bars from the wreck, a task that proved to be exponentially more difficult than originally thought. The work on the wreck was performed entirely using hard hat diving suits. The water was cold, cloudy, and swept by swift currents. The phenomenon of compression sickness (the bends) was beginning to be understood as the work began, but it was still a significant threat to the divers. To access the gold, the divers planted explosives and blasted apart the wreck, then had the chunks of steel hauled to the surface. It's amazing that a dozen divers weren't killed in the salvage process that stretched over 7 years. The ship had sunk not far off the coast of Ireland, and the political violence in that area in the early 1920's threatened to spill over into the salvage operation. So lotsa lotsa obstacles to be overcome. In the end, all but 20 or so of the gold bars were recovered, an astounding feat given the technology of the time. The book is well researched and competently written, but to me the writing style was not super-compelling, and this keeps the book from getting a 5 star rating. Still worth a read if you like stories of WW1 and undersea salvage. Four out of five stars.

[alphonse p guardino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and enjoyable account of the World War One mine sinking of the HMS Laurentic, a White Star passenger liner that had been converted to an armed cruiser, and the subsequent efforts to recover its special cargo, a shipment of gold.

The author revolves the account around the life of a British Navy officer, Guybon (pronounced Gibbon) "Guy" Damant. In some way, the book is almost a biography of Guy Damant. The first ¼ or so of the book alternates between the voyage of the Laurentic and its sinking, and the early life of Guy Damant and his involvement with the development of diving practices for the British navy. Of course, the two timelines join shortly after the sinking.

I felt the author did an excellent job of laying out the spilt timeline (something I can't say for a certain movie that tried the same thing).

I guess it's not a spoiler to mention that Guy Damant carried out what is still the largest underwater recovery of treasure in recorded history.
I came across Joseph William's name by way of a NY Maritime Alumni group. I had

[Darran Handshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't typically read non-fiction books, and I almost never finish them. This was a different story though (pun intended). Williams' writing pulled me in from chapter 1 and I felt as though I was reading an in-depth story instead of just an historical account. The research that Williams has done for this book is incredible. I learned a ton about both early diving and WWI - including some major factors that I never learned in history class.

As an engineer, I really appreciate the detailed descriptions of how early diving technology and salvage operations occurred. Williams tells the story of Damant, one of the early leaders in salvage diving in the British navy, in a way that made him come to life for me. There were even a few accounts in the book that made me laugh out loud.

Bravo to Joseph Williams for not only writing a detailed and well-researched account of a lesser known part of history, but doing so in a way that makes the people come to life!

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting story of the sinking and subsequent reclamation efforts of the HMS Laurentic during WWI off the coast of Ireland. Loaded with millions of pounds worth of gold bars and ingots headed for the banks of the United States, the bullion was important to the British Government and therefore, L.C. Damant was tasked with finding the wreck and reclaiming the gold. The story takes a hiatus while the ship and the commander are sent to other jobs during the war. The book is as much about the history of deep water diving, submarines and WWI as it is about the reclamation of the Laurentic. The book concludes with documentation of the amount of gold recovered and the current status of the wreck and rights to explore it.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting book about the early years of deep sea diving during WWI. The book was centered around a ship that had been sunk by a German U boat and the recovery of thousands of gold bars. This book was easy to read and kept me interested.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable and fascinating read regarding a ship sunk during WWI with 44 tons of gold aboard. The story follows the incredible work and effort required to salvage it. There is a lot of interesting information regarding WWI that I did not know. Very enjoyable book.

[Bill Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was unwilling to waste enough time to finish this boring book

[Linda Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book on an interesting topic, just a little slow to start. It was much more interesting once the author started describing the salvage operations on u-boats and shipwrecks.

[Neddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Interesting story but not all that well written.

[Seth Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating

[Hywel Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cracking read

Excellent book. Very well researched and written. Interesting and easy to read. An interesting story made all the more fascinating by it being true