The Saucy was built in 1918 and commissioned in 1939 as an armed rescue tug. On the 4th of September 1940 she was mined and sunk in the Firth of Forth, killing 28 men.

Many of the men who died on the Saucy are now buried in Kirkcaldy, even though their homes were in England. 18 of the men came from the same town, showing how one single loss could be very tragic for a tiny community like ours. Their graves can be seen at Seafield Cemetery.

The Saucy now lies not far from Burntisland, and sits upright on the sea bed. The divers told us that much of the wreck is still identifiable, including the wheelhouse and gun! Because so many men were lost on the ship, and because it is an important piece of wartime history, the divers do not touch the wreck at all, but swim around it. They said that this is out of respect for the men who were lost. They feel that diving the wreck lets them understand what life was like on men on ships like this during the Second World War. Especially since through a hole in the side of the Saucy you can see the bathroom, including bath and sink! Mr. McKelvie told us is quite eerie to see, and gives divers a glimpse of life onboard the Saucy.

The wreck now exists not only as a memorial to those who lost their lives, but also as a home for the large amount of life. The Saucy is covered with anemones and Dead Man’s Fingers, as well as various types of fish (such as cod and wrasse), lobsters and starfish. All these animals and plants have made the Saucy their home, so it continues to live on.