A British submarine which vanished on patrol during World War I has been found almost perfectly preserved in 120ft of water in the North Sea. The remains of the crew of 31 will remain undisturbed in the submarine, E-10, which will become an official war grave.

The vessel is the last of the E-class submarines to be accounted for.

Commanded by LCDR William St. J. Fraser, from Harwich, it was on patrol with another sub Jan. 1915, stalking ships of the German grand fleet, when it suddenly changed course and disappeared.

Evidence on the wreck shows it hit a mine off the island of Helgoland, near Denmark. The sub sustained damage that would have made her "sink like a stone", according to Sascha Kellersohn, leader of the German diving team which discovered her.

The E-10 was build by Vickers in Barrow-in-Furness and launched on December 29, 1913. She was identified by the production number, 431, near the starboard propeller. Last year Mr. Kellersohn found another E-type, the E-16, off Scotland.

He said the latest find "allows for historical closure and for any descendants of the dead to mourn for them". Mr. Kellersohn added: "We will never venture inside: it is a war grave and we have too much respect for the brave men who died with her".

JAMES SANTOS (4896-A/LIFE-1996) got this clipping in a Christmas card and he shares it with us. Thanks JIM.