成人快手 Scotland - 成人快手 Scotland - The scuttling at Scapa Flow 鈥� how children on a school trip witnessed an extraordinary moment in wartime history

The scuttling at Scapa Flow 鈥� how children on a school trip witnessed an extraordinary moment in wartime history

21 June 2019

On the morning of 21 June 1919, a party of children from Stromness in Orkney set off on a school trip. They boarded a boat named The Flying Kestrel which sailed the the short distance from Stromness to Scapa Flow, where the children were to take a close look at the interned German High Seas Fleet.

The fleet had been anchored in Scapa Flow since November 1918 and was being held as security while peace talks were under way. The ships were not surrendered, but were forbidden from flying their German ensigns.

As the children obeyed strict instructions not to engage with the sailors, The Flying Kestrel sailed close to the now disarmed warships. It brought them an unparalleled view of an extraordinary moment in history because, as the day wore on, all 74 of the German ships began to sink.

The German fleet interned in Scapa Flow (Image: Orkney Library and Archive)

The man in charge of the German fleet, Rear-Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, had learned the terms of the Allies’ peace deal. He believed his country would reject them and war would recommence. Fully expecting the Royal Navy to then board his ships, he signalled the order for scuttling to begin.

Some were swept overboard by the pressure of the water from the ship

Stromness schoolgirl

The children looked on as the vessels rolled and sank underwater and the sailors attempted to reach safety.

One young girl later recalled the horrifying scenes: “A ship almost right beside us turned right over and water and steam shot up through the empty stopcocks.

“The men were scrambling on boats and in rafts and some were swept overboard by the pressure of the water from the ships.

“We also knew the destroyers were gradually going down and down and one thing that we saw quite distinctly was that before they left their ships, every one had their flag at top mast.”