26 The Officer Magazine

Scapa Flow - an Ancient Refuge It was not until the last century that Scapa Flow influenced global events. Commander Mark Leaning visits and discovers the historical evidence that remains throughout the islands

ich in history stretching back to the Mark Leaning Neolithic period, the Orkney Islands have Commander Mark Leaning joined the been an important in 1979 and has for much Rcentre of human activity for of that time served as a member of the more than 5000 years. Fleet Air Arm, flying ASW Sea King and Influenced by Pictish, Celtic, maritime Lynx helicopters. Since 1997 Viking and European settlers, he has served in a number of staff the culture of Orkney retains a appointments and is currently the SO1 legacy of ancient architecture, Policy at the Defence Aviation Safety imagery and language. Centre, RAF Bentley Priory. Educated at Brigg Grammar School in Lincolnshire, At the heart of Orkney and covering Cdr Leaning attended the Royal Navy Staff 120 square miles of water lies the Course in 1993, from which he also sheltered anchorage of Scapa achieved an MA in Defence Studies from Flow, once a rendezvous base for Kings College, London. He is currently merchantmen en route to the Baltic where ships could be hauled (out of Above: The Orkney studying the penultimate module of a during the Napoleonic Wars of 1789 the water for repair). It is also a place Islands that lie just six BSc (Hons) degree in Psychology with to 1815, and more recently the Royal that was well known to prehistoric miles north of John the Open University. Navy’s main UK strategic base during settlers of the Stone, Bronze and Iron o’Groats, across the two World Wars. Enclosed by the Ages, people who left behind much Pentland Firth South Isles of Orkney, and with easy evidence of their passing. access to the Atlantic Ocean and the One of several examples is the Top: Ancient settlement North Sea, the strategic importance remains of the 5,000-year-old Neolithic at Skara Brae. Until of Scapa Flow has been recognised village of Skara Brae, a site that was revealed by a huge by seafarers through the ages. occupied from 3100BC to 2600BC. storm in 1850, Skara The Vikings used it as raiding There are also numerous other Brae had lain buried base from the 7th century and the structures remaining, disused now beneath sand dunes at contemporary name comes from but built more recently for the sole the Bay of Skaill on the Old Norse words ‘skalpei floi’ purpose of defending the UK against West Mainland meaning: a place with plenty of water the threat of Germany’s battle fleets PLACES OF INTEREST MARWICK HEAD HMS Hampshire sinks off Orkney during two World Wars. Indeed, the landscape of Orkney both above water On 5 June 1916 Field Marshall Lord Kitchener, then the War Minister, and below it bears witness to the sailed from Scapa Flow in the cruiser HMS Hampshire to Russia to turbulent events of the 20th century, encourage the Czar to shore up his forces’ faltering resistance to the and it is truly surprising to realise the Germans on the Eastern Front. She struck a mine at 7.45pm off Marwick scale of military activity in this sparsely Head on Orkney’s west coast during a summer storm and sank in 15 populated northern extremity of the minutes. Of the 655 men on board about 200 made it to the life rafts, but British Isles. most perished against the cliffs and only 12 of the company survived. Kitchener did not. Preparing for war Towards the end of the 19th century Local tribute to a local hero Germany had emerged as the main Jellicoe European threat to Britain rather than assumed Such was Field Marshall Lord her traditional adversary, France. As a Kitchener’s contemporary result the North Sea, rather than the command popularity that the residents of English Channel, became the Royal of the Grand Orkney funded and erected a Navy’s main theatre of operations and memorial on the nearest point of the harbours of Orkney began to be Fleet and was the coast to where Hampshire used more frequently. appalled at the foundered (left). The memorial can Scapa Flow was found to be a be seen high above the treacherous particularly suitable large sheltered inadequacy of cliffs of Marwick Head. anchorage. However, in 1914, and for the defences some time after, the only defences it offered to the ships of the Royal Navy at Scapa were those provided by nature in the form of narrow channels, protected by strong tides, stormy weather and treacherous rocks. Indeed, at the outbreak of the First World War, Admiral Sir John Jellicoe assumed command of the and was appalled at the inadequacy of the defences at Scapa. As a result, between 1914 and 1918 the defences of Scapa Flow were increased significantly. Coastal def- PLACES OF INTEREST ence guns were established at key points around the Flow, blockships DRESDEN CRUISER were sunk across the eastern Von Reuter’s orders 52 ships to be scuttled channels, anti- nets placed across the main entrances and Fearful that the German Fleet might be used against the Fatherland, underwater indicator loops laid to Von Reuter ordered his ships to be scuttled by their own crews. Fifty- detect submarine incursion; never- two sank in water up to 30m deep and 22 were beached or ran aground. theless, many of the projects were not It remains the largest single loss of shipping in one day. completed before the end of the war. See Reuter’s scuttled ships Sailing to battle Between 1914 and 1918 a number You don’t have to get wet to see of significant events occurred in the these ships as local commercial waters of the North Sea, perhaps the diver Keith Bichan uses his survey most well known being the action boat and a submersible Remote between the British Grand Fleet and Operated Vehicle (ROV) to give the German High Seas Fleet on 31 May visitors an underwater guided tour 1916, in what became known as the of the SMS Dresden. Dresden was a . In that action 144 5620- cruiser and lies on her British ships under Jellicoe sailed side in 30m of water in the western from the Flow and Rosyth and met half of Scapa Flow off the small 99 German ships under von Scheer island of Cava. Keith’s tour in a sea battle that all Britain hoped includes a detailed briefing and would emulate Trafalgar and destroy video presentation about the events the German naval might, once again leading up to the mass scuttle, underlining Britain’s supremacy. followed by a live ROV dive, which As it was, the British lost 14 ships transmits back fascinating pictures and 6097 men compared to the of the wreck and marine life at the German casualties of 11 ships and bottom of the Flow. 2551 men in a battle that was indecisive, but from which both sides Above: Keith Bichan of Roving Eye Enterprises explains what his ROV can do 28 Scapa Flow The Officer Magazine

claimed victory. In reality it was the German Fleet that broke off the engagement and returned to port, never to emerge again in strength until their surrender in 1918. The Royal Navy continued to have the freedom of the seas, eventually overcoming the U-boat threat and maintaining the North Sea blockade of Germany from Scapa Flow. The following week the cruiser HMS Hampshire sailed from Scapa 52 ships sank Flow and struck a mine at about off Marwick Head on Orkney’s coast and in water up sank within 15 minutes. 12 of the 655 to 30m deep company survived. Kitchener did not. and 22 were A fleet interned beached. The From April 1918 onwards, Rosyth on the Firth of Forth became the Fleet’s largest single main base, although Scapa continued shipping loss to provide support to the regular visiting ships of the Royal Navy, in one day and its defences were maintained. Following the Armistice on 11 November 1918, the German High Seas Fleet, under Admiral Ludwig von Top: SMS Dresden before she was interred at Scapa Flow Reuter, surrendered to the Allies off Above: HMS Royal Oak at anchor in Scapa Flow the Firth of Forth and was interned at Scapa Flow to await the outcome of the Versailles Peace Conference. Weak defences exposed and expanded as men and material Seventy-four ships were held, Another wreck that lies at the bottom poured into Orkney. Many of the shore their companies reduced from 20,000 of the Flow is that of HMS Royal Oak, battery facilities maintain their silent to 1,700 by June 1919. As the ships a battleship that was one of the first vigil today. Although the naval air languished at their moorings they casualties of the Second World War, station at Hatston to the west of had to be victualled and supplied and a victim of the inter-war run- Kirkwall, and the only one operational from Germany and the men were down of defences around the Flow in August 1939, is now a trading not allowed ashore or to visit any as its significance as a strategic base estate, the site of the RAF station at other interned ship. With no radio reduced. Despite being elevated to Grimsetter to the east of Kirkwall communication, and relying on four- a Category A Defended Port and the became the islands’ main airport. day-old copies of The Times for main North Sea Base of the Home Of the other two air stations, all information of what was happening in Fleet during the Munich Crisis of 1938, that remains of RAF Skeabrae are the outside world, von Reuter became six weeks after war was declared its overgrown sections of runway, the increasingly concerned about the defences were still dangerously weak. main gate and one or two buildings. probable conditions of the Peace This was tragically exposed on At the site of RNAS Twatt, less than Treaty for the German Navy. the night of 13 October 1939 when two miles away, the control tower and Fearful that hostilities were likely Lieutenant Commander Gunther Prien much of the supporting infrastructure to be resumed and that the German brought U47 into the Flow from the remains, although the runways have Fleet might be used against the North Sea through one of the poorly long since been removed. Fatherland, von Reuter ordered his defended eastern channels and fired The naval base at was ships to be scuttled by their own ten torpedoes at Royal Oak, three of extensive, serving as both a huge crews. Fifty-two of the ships sank in which found their target. Royal Oak underground fuel dump and a support water up to 30m deep and 22 were rolled over and sank within 13 base to the regular throughput of beached or ran aground. It remains minutes, taking with her 833 of her ships and . The large HQ the largest single loss of shipping in 1400-strong ship’s company. building and communications centre one day. Nine German sailors lost of HMS Prosperine, high on the hill of their lives, either drowned or shot, Acknowledgements Rapid expansion Wee Fea above Lyness, continues to and their remains were buried in the This article was written with the Immediately following the sinking of survey the Flow from its commanding peaceful naval cemetery at Lyness. help of: Sheila Faichney from Royal Oak, the defences of Orkney position. All around the area derelict www.visitorkney.com, Keith Bichan of Over the next 20 years, all but Roving Eye Enterprises, James Ward were increased significantly, although barrack blocks and silent pillboxes seven of the ships of the scuttled of the S&MO IPT, Sandy Firth of the as before, much of the work begun bear witness to what at its peak Kirkwall Wireless Museum, Dave German Fleet were salvaged. Those MacKie of the Orkney Library and was not fully completed until amounted to a military presence of remaining at the bottom of the Flow Archive and Lt Cdr Rachel Firth, hostilities had ceased. However, in some 50,000 men and women – three will stay where they are, having photographer. addition to significantly increasing the times the local population. At the formed artificial reefs that promote Reference number of shore batteries and anti- waterfront of Lyness one of the pump the growth of sea life and to serve Scapa Flow – in War and Peace, aircraft defences around the Flow, the houses that once served the huge fuel WS Hewison, 1995, Bellavista as tourist attractions for divers. Publications, Orkney existing airfields were also developed depot has been converted into an HOT TAPPING HMS ROYAL OAK Protecting the maritime environment extremely interesting visitor centre in Holm, built by the Italian POWs from which the stories are told of the events a Nissan Hut with an ornate stone Although protected as an official War Grave where sport that occurred during the military façade replicating a traditional Italian diving is forbidden, Royal Navy diving teams from both the service of Orkney. chapel, provided a familiar place in MoD’s Salvage and Marine Operations IPT do dive on her which they could worship and remains annually. They change the Battle Ensign she has flown A positive legacy as a monument to their efforts. since the war ended, and conduct what has become known Perhaps the most significant and After the Second World War, Scapa as ‘hot-tapping’ the heavy fuel oil from her hull to prevent visually impressive testaments to Flow was once more rapidly run down damage to the maritime environment as it leaks from the Orkney’s military past are what are and was not considered to be a fuel tanks deep within her. known as the Churchill Barriers. strategically important base for Although plans to permanently block operations during the Cold War. the eastern approaches to the Flow The White Ensign was hauled down for had been articulated by the Admiralty the last time on 29 March 1957 and all since 1914, by 1939 nothing had been that remains of this once great naval done other than sink more blockships. base are the relics and the records of These had proved inadequate to the significant military activity that prevent Prien sailing U47 into the once took place. Flow, after which surveys were rapidly This article is nothing more than conducted and plans drawn to create a a snapshot of some of that military series of causeways that would close activity but I hope it has given the all of the eastern channels. reader an idea of Scapa Flow’s place Churchill approved the plan in in history. Today, notwithstanding its March 1940 but they were not officially modern importance to the North Sea opened until 12 May 1945 when oil industry, and its continued value as hostilities in Europe had ceased. a safe anchorage, I would describe it Italian POWs were used to provide as an adventure playground for grown- much of the manpower in the ups. Fine coastal walks, good diving construction of the barriers, allowed water, rich military history to explore, because the project had a positive fresh air, friendly locals, good food and social benefit by connecting five of the two excellent malt whisky distilleries – islands. The Italian Chapel on Lamb what more could a chap want?

Left: Churchill Barrier Number 2 built between the islands of and Glimp Holm

Inset: Italian Church on Lamb Holm

Below: The derelict control tower on the site of what was Royal Naval Air Station Twatt.

Bottom: Lt Cdr Rachel Firth RN beside the derelict Command HQ of HMS Prosperine, high on the windswept hill overlooking Scapa Flow, where members of the WRNS ran the HQ Communications Centre