Old Photograph Sinking German Destroyer Scapa Flow Scotland

Old photograph of a boarding party alongside a sinking German Destroye at Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland. Historically, the main British naval bases were located near the English Channel to better face England's old enemies, France, Spain, and the Netherlands. In 1904, in response to the build up of the German Kaiserliche Marine's High Seas Fleet, it was decided that a northern base was needed to control the entrances to the North Sea. First Rosyth in Fife was considered for the base, then Invergordon at Cromarty Firth, but construction in both places was delayed, leaving them largely unfortified by the outbreak of WWI. Scapa Flow had been used many times for exercises in the years before the War, and when the time came for the fleet to move to a northern station, Scapa Flow was chosen for the main base of the British Grand Fleet. Following the German defeat in World War I, 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. The Royal Navy made desperate efforts to board the ships to prevent the sinking, but the German crews had spent the idle months preparing for the order, welding bulkhead doors open, laying charges in vulnerable parts of the ships, and quietly dropping important keys and tools overboard so valves could not be shut.

The British did eventually manage to beach the battleship Baden, the light cruisers Nürnberg, and Frankfurt together with 18 destroyers, but the remaining 52 ships, the vast bulk of the High Seas Fleet, were sunk without loss of life. Nine German sailors died when British forces opened fire as they attempted to scuttle their ship, reputedly the last casualties of WWI.



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Tour Scotland Autumn Photograph Ballathie House Perthshire

Tour Scotland Autumn photograph of Ballathie House, Perthshire, Scotland. A 19th century Scottish mansion in in Perthshire, Scotland. It is located around 9 miles north of Perth, close to the River Tay. The present house was built in 1886, and for the past thirty years has operated as a Scottish country house hotel. The Drummond family, the Earls of Perth, owned the Ballathie lands in the 17th century, selling to the Robertson family.General Richardson Robertson's nephew, Colonel Edmund Robert F. Richardson took over the house, selling it in 1910 to Sir Stewart Coates, from Paisley near Glasgow. The house was enlarged by alterations to the servants quarters and a new entrance porch. Central heating and electric lighting were also installed. An army hut was erected for use as a dance hall after the World War I and dances were held for staff and locals. A 9- ole golf course was laid out by professional golfer Ben Sayers but this was ploughed up as part of the campaign to provide more food during World War II. Ballathie's fame as a sporting estate led to many famous guests coming to stay during this period. These included: Duke Michael of Russia and his wife, Natalia, Princess Brassova, John Wolfe-Barry, civil engineer whose most famous projects included Tower Bridge and the District Line in London, Arthur Winnington-Ingram, Bishop of London from 1901 to 1939, The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster. In 1936, the estate was sold to Colonel Stephen Hardie, a chartered accountant in Glasgow and founder member of the British Oxygen Company. Hardie died in 1969 and the house was sold, and converted into a hotel in 1972 by the Maxwell family from the west of Scotland.



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

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Old Photograph St Peters Road Buckie Scotland

Old photograph of St Peters Road, Buckie, Moray Firth, Scotland. Once a thriving fishing and shipbuilding port, today Buckie is a small fishing town. George Imlach McIntosh, VC, was born in Buckie on 24 April 1897, he was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was 20 years old, and a private in the 1/6th Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders, British Army during the First World War. For his bravery at the Battle of Passchendaele, he was awarded the VC. He died on 20 June, 1968. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.



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Tour Scotland Video Beth Singing High Street Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of a lass called Beth singing and busking on the High Street on visit to Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Video Pump It Up On The Jukebox Darling Jason Gibson Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of Jason Gibson singing Pump It Up On The Jukebox Darling, one of his own songs while busking on the High Street on visit to Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

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

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