Exploring sunken war wrecks

Exploring sunken war wrecks

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Scotland’s Orkney Islands were home to a naval base during both World Wars and the waters around them are – quite literally – filled with military history.

Following the end of World War One, dozens of German warships were interned here and were deliberately sunk at the orders of a German Rear Admiral, who did not want the crafts to be used by the British. Now these and other wrecks are magnet for divers and history enthusiasts.

ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Gibson Family

Germany was forced to give up most of its navy after being defeated in World War One, and 74 of its warships (pictured above) were interned at Scapa Flow, a stretch of water south of Orkney mainland.

German Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter wanted to prevent the British seizing the ships and on June 21, 1919, mistakenly thinking that the Armistice had broken down, he ordered them to be sunk, or “scuttled”. He succeeded in sending over fifty to the bottom.

. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Most of the wrecks from the so-called “Grand Scuttle” have since been salvaged. However, there are still seven sunken warships from the incident that are popular destinations for divers.

One of them is the SMS Coln, pictured above.

. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Gary Gibson’s mother Peggy was 10 years old when she witnessed the German warships sink.

At the time, Peggy and her three sisters, Lillian, Anna and Tina, were out on a school trip. At first they thought the Germans were putting on a show for them and they were quite excited; it was only when the adults started to panic and Germans began jumping from the ships that they realised something was wrong.

. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Other vessels were deliberately sunk around Orkney during both World Wars to try and obstruct attacks on British ships. One so-called “blockship” is pictured above.

Such defences were not enough, however, to stop a U-Boat torpedoing HMS Royal Oak killing over 800 men in 1939. To prevent a repeat of this attack, Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered barriers to be put up to protect the fleet.

. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Italian prisoners of war were brought in to help build the so-called “Churchill Barriers”.

Among them was an artist named Domenico Chiocchetti, who was behind the construction of the “Italian Chapel” in a POW camp. The elaborately decorated building remains a popular site in Orkney today.

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Slideshow

Part of the Orkney Islands are seen from above.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Part of the Orkney Islands are seen from above.

Divers get ready to explore a sunken German warship.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Divers get ready to explore a sunken German warship.

Skipper Angus Budge and his dog Hector take people out to dive in Scapa Flow.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Skipper Angus Budge and his dog Hector take people out to dive in Scapa Flow.

A diver jumps into the water ahead of a dive around a German wreck.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

A diver jumps into the water ahead of a dive around a German wreck.

A dive plan of SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm, a German World War One warship, is drawn on the window of a boat.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

A dive plan of SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm, a German World War One warship, is drawn on the window of a boat.

Divers explore the upturned blockship Tabarka in Burra Sound.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Divers explore the upturned blockship Tabarka in Burra Sound.

A diver illuminates a gun on the deck of SMS Karlsruhe.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

A diver illuminates a gun on the deck of SMS Karlsruhe.

A diver swims past the boilers of the blockship Tabarka.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

A diver swims past the boilers of the blockship Tabarka.

A salvaged gun from SMS Bremse stands in the Lyness Museum in Orkney.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

A salvaged gun from SMS Bremse stands in the Lyness Museum in Orkney.

A memorial to Lord Kitchener, who died in 1916 when the HMS Hampshire hit a German mine off Orkney, stands at Marwick Head.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

A memorial to Lord Kitchener, who died in 1916 when the HMS Hampshire hit a German mine off Orkney, stands at Marwick Head.

The graves of German sailors who died in the Grand Scuttle stand in Lyness Naval cemetery.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

The graves of German sailors who died in the Grand Scuttle stand in Lyness Naval cemetery.

Rows of graves stretch into the distance in the cemetery.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Rows of graves stretch into the distance in the cemetery.

A poppy memorial for Leading Seaman Elias Dymock, who died on HMS Vanguard, is seen on display at the Lyness Museum.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

A poppy memorial for Leading Seaman Elias Dymock, who died on HMS Vanguard, is seen on display at the Lyness Museum.

A group of people approach the Italian Chapel.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

A group of people approach the Italian Chapel.

Italian prisoners of war, who worked on the Churchill Barriers during World War Two, pose for a picture in front of the little church.
. ORKNEY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Gibson Family/Handout

Italian prisoners of war, who worked on the Churchill Barriers during World War Two, pose for a picture in front of the little church.