The Royal Archer was a passenger steamer built in Greenock in 1928. Owned by the London and Edinburgh shipping company, her duty was to take passengers and cargo between London and Leith.

She was sunk by a mine, which had been laid by German U-Boat U21, on the 26th of February 1940. All 29 of the crew survived, even though the quartermaster was thrown into the sea and had to be picked up by a trawler! It must have been very cold for him, and quite frightening. The divers showed us the kind of equipment they use in the sea, and that includes a thick neoprene drysuit, which keeps the divers totally dry and warm. They told us that the temperatures of the Forth at that time of year is only about 5°c. Very cold!

The Royal Archer now lies about five miles south-east of Kirkcaldy, and, unlike the Saucy, is not in a very good condition. Much of the wreck is just planks of wood and bits of wreckage although the handrails of the ship are still visible on the stern. The depth of the wreck is about 29m.

Like the Saucy, the Royal Archer now has a new purpose. It is now home to a large variety of life, including fish such as wrasse, butterfish and pipefish, crabs, anemones and starfish.

Interestingly, the Royal Archer’s sister ship, the Royal Fusilier, also sank in the Firth of Forth. She was hit by German bombers on the 3rd of June 1941, and now lies a few miles north-east of the Bass Rock. Again, all of her crew survived, but this time no one was left for trawlers to pick up!