Embarrassed by the sight of the apparently intact "Raleigh" visible to every passing ship, the Board of Admiralty deemed the wreck a hazard to shipping in 1926 and ordered it to be refloated. A survey found that this was impossible and the captains of "Capetown" and "Calcutta" were ordered to remove as much as possible from the wreck and then demolish the remains so that it was unrecognizable. The crew of the former ship carried out the first task and the latter's crew blew "Raleigh"s remains apart using depth charges under the command of Captain Andrew Cunningham over five days beginning on 23 September.