Once the early work of organisation was over, life at Scapa, especially for the Base ships, settled down to a somewhat monotonous routine, varied by spasms of excitement when the Grand Fleet received orders to proceed to sea, and one wondered if this time it was actually a "stunt," or merely once more "P.Z." The summer of 1916 was not, however, without incident. The return of the Fleet from Jutland, on the morning of 2nd June, was an exciting moment, followed a few days later by the dramatic news that Lord Kitchener had been lost in H.M.S. "Hampshire" off Marwick Head, and later in the month the King paid a short visit to the Fleet. Just over a year later, in July, 1917, the battleship "Vanguard" blew up with the loss of practically the entire ship's company. The explosion occurred late at night (about eleven o'clock), and the vivid flames which illumined the twilight sky (it was still fairly light) were followed by a dense column of smoke rising about half a mile into the sky. Everyone rushed on deck clad in a varied assortment of night attire, every available craft was rushed to the scene of the disaster, and anti-submarine precautions were ordered to be taken. Some idea of the force of the explosion may be gathered from the fact the "Vanguard's" pinnace was blown clean over the next ship in the line, and landed in the water on the other side, practically undamaged, whilst it was reported that a packet of Treasury notes was picked up intact next day on the neighbouring island of Flotta.
Children's Race at Long Hope Sports.
Watching the Sports.