History had never before witnessed such a cataclysmic event. As the Royal Navy looked on helplessly, one of the world’s most potent and terrifying naval fleets committed what amounted to an act of self-destruction on a grand scale by simultaneously opening seacocks and smashing pipes. With the British Grand Fleet away on exercises, those British sailors that remained behind tried in vain to prevent the scuttling, leading to the deaths of nine unarmed German sailors in the chaos that ensued.

The story of the scuttling and the subsequent salvage of the German fleet continues to resonate, particularly on the islands of Orkney. The seven ships that remain beneath the waters of Scapa Flow are so much more than just rusting relics of times gone by – they’re lasting monuments to a far deeper human story. As we look back on the events of 21st June 1919, we remember all those affected, particularly the nine German sailors who so tragically lost their lives on that day. We also remember those who lost their lives during the period of internment and the days that followed the scuttling including Kuno Eversberg – the last German sailor to die at Scapa Flow.

As the years past, the majority of von Reuter’s fleet would be raised in one of the greatest salvage operations in history. Today, only seven of the 52 ships remain on the sea bed but they still offer some of the best wreck diving you’ll find anywhere on the planet. Scapa Flow continues to attract divers from across the globe, drawn by the promise of battleships and cruisers armed to the teeth and ready for war. Beyond the allure of all these terrible weapons of war, Scapa offers something far more profound - a glimpse into a moment in history that rocked the world. They mark a day on which the German Imperial Navy that had posed such a powerful threat to the allies during so many years of global war drew its last defiant breath. What remain are lasting, poignant reminders of a war that would shape the world for generations to come.

For those interested in the history of the salvage operations, Scapa 100 founder Emily Turton gave an indepth and often humorous talk covering both initial efforts to raise the wrecks during the 1920s and 30s and later operations which continued right up until the late 1970s. Emily recounted with great fondness her many discussions with Dougall Campbell who had been instrumental in much of the later salvage work. Campbell, who sadly passed away last year, was a larger than life character whose Boys Own antics created much laughter tempered by an equal amount of respect from the audience.

Scapa 100 team members Professor Chris Rowland and Kari Hyttinen gave a jaw-dropping glimpse of the wrecks as they are today using state of the art 3D models created using multibeam and photogrammetry technology. Of particular interest to divers in the audience was a discussion of the dramatic states of collapse that many of the wrecks had suffered in recent years. I’d noticed this myself only a day or so before when diving the SMS Karlsruhe – the previously intact stern section was almost unrecognisable from my last dive on her back in 2015!

With the floating commemorations at an end, attention switched to the nearby island of Hoy for a service of remembrance for the fifteen German sailors at the Commonwealth War Graves Royal Navy Cemetery at Lyness. With many family members present including a number of Admiral von Reuter’s own descendants, the service was led by German Military Pastor Christoph Sommer, the Venerable Martyn Gough, Chaplain of the Fleet and Archdeacon for the Royal Navy, and the Rev. David Dawson, Chaplain to the local Sea Cadet Corps, the Royal British Legion Kirkwall Branch and Royal Naval Association Orkney Branch.

During the ceremony, wreaths were laid by Rear Admiral Stephen Haisch of the German Navy, and Captain Chris Smith, Royal Navy Regional Commander for Scotland and Northern Ireland along with local dignitaries including the Lord Lieutenant of Orkney, Bill Spence. In a heart-felt statement following the service, Rear Admiral Haisch gave his thoughts on the commemorations. "I am deeply touched by the heartfelt commemoration service that was organised by the people of Orkney."

"Commemorating what happened here 100 years ago also brings to mind how far we have come since those dark days. How from enemies we, the United Kingdom and Germany, have become true friends. Today, our nations stand side by side on the world stage, upholding the joint values we believe in."