Old Photographs Scapa Flow Orkney Scotland

Old photograph of Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland. Best known as the site of the United Kingdom's chief naval base during World War I and World War II. The base was closed in 1956. Following the German defeat in the First World War, 74 ships of the Kaiserliche Marine's High Seas Fleet were interned in Gutter Sound at Scapa Flow pending a decision on their future in the peace Treaty of Versailles. On 21 June 1919, after nine months of waiting, Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, the German officer in command at Scapa Flow, made the decision to scuttle the fleet because the negotiation period for the treaty had lapsed with no word of a settlement (he was not kept informed that there had been a last-minute extension to finalise the details). After waiting for the bulk of the British fleet to leave on exercises, he gave the order to scuttle the ships to prevent their falling into British hands.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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