Good-bye to Scapa!
In accordance with the terms of the Armistice German crews were allowed to remain on board the interned ships, and after the preliminary inspection, there was practically no communication with our own ships except for essential matters of duty. This rather aided the preparation of the plans made by the Germans, and shortly after noon on the 21st the sea-cocks of all the vessels were simultaneously opened, and ensigns, and in some cases the Red Flag, hoisted. The First Battle Squadron, which was then at the Base, was exercising in the Pentland Firth at the time, and was not able to return until later in the afternoon, but all available tugs and small craft were immediately ordered to the sinking ships, and as many as possible were run ashore on the surrounding islands. It was a clear afternoon, and probably no more wonderful sight has ever been witnessed than that of these huge vessels on all sides heeling over and plunging headlong—some with their sterns almost vertical above the water, others listing over to port or starboard, with steam and oil and air pouring out of the vents and rising to the surface long after the ships had completely disappeared beneath the water. Débris of all sorts, boats, hammocks, lifebelts, chests, etc., littered the sea for miles round. Small craft of all descriptions were variously engaged: here a drifter would be seen picking up Germans from the water, there a pinnace towing a long string of boats and Carley floats full of prisoners to the Flagship, whilst other craft were occupied heading off parties of Germans who were endeavouring to make for the shore. One or two amusing incidents occurred during the scuttling. One of our water-boats was busily engaged supplying water to one of the ships as she was sinking, and whilst the Germans were actually leaving the ship on the other side. Some school children from Stromness in the tug "Flying Kestrel" had the unique experience of a trip round the ships in the morning, which on their return journey were sinking or had disappeared.
By five or six o'clock the whole of the ships had sunk, except the battleship "Baden," which was boarded in time to save her, and three cruisers, which were run ashore or beached. The battle cruisers "Hindenburg" and "Seydlitz" drifted into shallow water, and with the cruiser "Bremse," which turned turtle as she was being beached, are resting on the bottom, and present a spectacle of interest to visitors as they pass in the Mail Boat to Stromness.
Such was the inglorious end of the German Fleet, and with its disappearance the Base began slowly to break up. One by one the ships went south, and the acquaintances of many years were severed. On 15th February, 1920, the Base reverted to a peace-time status, and the Admiral commanding the Orkneys and Shetlands (Vice-Admiral Sir R. J. Prendergast) hauled down his flag. Towards the end of the month and during March the salved German cruisers and destroyers were towed south to Rosyth for distribution amongst the Allied Powers, and on 25th March the last of the Base ships remaining, H.M.S. "Imperieuse" and H.M.S. "Victorious," left for Rosyth and Devonport respectively.
To-day not a vessel remains of that vast assemblage of ships which were gathered at the Base during the war, and Scapa will probably in future be an exercising base only for the Fleet as in pre-war times. But, whatever its future, the name of Scapa is one that has earned an undying fame in the history of the British Empire and of the world, and it will remain as an enduring memory to those who were destined by the chances of war to be exiled in those lonely islands of the North.
PART II
SCENES AROUND SCAPA FLOW
