Scapa Flow

Scapa Flow in Orkney is one of the largest natural harbours in the world. In 1912 a safe anchorage was needed for the British Grand Fleet as the Great War loomed. So it was berthed here to protect it from the German High Seas Fleet - Hochseeflotte.

In May 1916, to lure British forces out into the open seas, the German fleet started to attack merchant shipping between Denmark and Norway, west of Jutland. Steaming out of Scapa Flow, Invergordon and Rosyth to confront them, the British navy lost 14 ships and 6000 men in the Battle of Jutland, but its action ended further forays by the German navy in World War I.

After the ceasefire in October 1918, German ships were interned and escorted to Scottish waters. They sailed first into the Firth of Forth and lowered ensigns. The 70 surrendered German ships - destroyers, battle cruisers and huge battleships - manned by skeleton crews, went north to Scapa Flow and quickly became a tourist attraction.

In 1919, Rear Admiral Von Reuter gave his men the order to scuttle (sink) the fleet. He feared that the British might seize the ships before the peace terms had been secured. On 21 June the order was carried out at noon; nearly five hours later the last ship had sunk. Many of these ships were later raised and recycled for their steel.

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