The Grand Scuttle: The Sinking of the German Fleet at Scapa Flow in 1919

by Dan van der Vat

At Scapa Flow on 21 June 1919, there occurred an event unique in naval history. The German High Seas Fleet, one of the most formidable ever built, was deliberately sent to the bottom of the British Grand Fleet's principal anchorage at Orkney by its own officers and men. This book presents the story of the scuttling of this fleet in Scapa Flow.

Genres: Nonfiction, Naval History, History, Nautical, Maritime, Germany, World War I

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1982

About the author

Daniel Francis Jeroen van der Vat, born in Holland and educated in Britain he worked as a journalist for British newspapers including The Times and The Guardian.

His books on twentieth-century history include many works on Naval history.

Reviews

[Mark Latchford · Rating 4 out of 5]

The late maritime historian, Dan Van Der Vat, first published this definitive history of the greatest destruction of naval ships in history forty years ago but was updated in 2016 and has stood the passage of time well. With excellent access to German Imperial archives (and his own skills in the German language) we have a very complete story not only about the surrender of Germany’s WW1 fleet but also the context of the naval arms race before the war, the few significant battles during the war and also the tight linkage with the Versailles peace treaty. I picked up the book at the Stromness museum only a few miles from where the last stubborn remnants of this grand navy still sit under water in the mud of Scapa Flow. Good style; good length and a few photographs included

[Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book attempts to give a balanced view with a lot of research and facts, about the scuttling of the German Grand Fleet in Scapa Flow in 1919. I had not realised before that shootings had occurred whilst the men were attempting to abandon their sinking ships, nor that they were not allowed to board lifeboats without permission. A great deal of time and trouble has been gone to by the author to find all the relevant archives both in Britain and in Germany relating to this event, and the causes which led to it.
It is sad that men lost their lives during it, and that the children who were out on an excursion to view the fleet were caught up in the horror of that day. Not an easy read, but a valiant attempt at an unbiased report of the events, and the following raising of some of the ships.

[Pauli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite few I guess are familiar with the episode which took place in Scapa Flow 1919. It was totally new to me. Very exiting book about one part of the aftermath of the WWI, quite surprising once first heard.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good account of the history of the end of the German High Seas Fleet during and after WWI.

[Stephen Curran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book if naval history is your thing.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting look back at a wild event in naval history. The author provides great background and sets the scene well.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Grand Scuttle" by Dan Van Der Vat is a well-written book that covers the fate of the German Navy during World War I and its scuttling after being interned during the Armistice at the Scottish naval base of Scapa Flow.

The German fleet entered internment virtually intact under the terms of the Armistice. When it became clear that Germany would not recover its fleet once the Treaty of Versailles was finalized but instead risk seeing the ships incorporated into the navies of the Allies Admiral von Reuter decided to scuttle the fleet instead.

The author spends a great deal of time, and rightfully so, on the painstaking and dangerous salvage operations of the sunken and partly sunken German ships by various contractors after the war for the high quality steel.

I dock the book one star for its lack of useful maps. Much of the action takes place in the North Sea yet the only map of the North Sea is a crude, hand-drawn map measuring about 2" x 2". Unless you are already very familiar with the geography of the North Sea you might find yourself frustrated trying to pinpoint locations where battles and other action took place.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, introductory history to the sinking of the German fleet after WWI, it goes into the Anglo-Naval arms race, the war itself - focused on the battles in the North Sea - and then the internment of ships and crew until the final scuttle. Very readable and reasonably unbiased (although you do kind of feel sorry for Admiral Reuter, who ordered the scuttle, but the end of it).

[T. Carter Ross]

Surprisingly interesting read about the German navy before, during and after WWI ... especially after.

[John Nicholson]

One subject leads to another. My interest in submarine warfare in the North Atlantic led me to this book. A "print edition" to add to my book shelf.

[Peter Milligan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it and then go to Scapa Flow! So cool!