Scapa Flow, Crew of German destroyer taking to

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Scapa Flow, Crew of German destroyer taking to

Scapa Flow, Crew of German destroyer taking to the boats on 21st June 1919

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Media ID 32384172

© The Keasbury-Gordon Photograph Archive / Mary Evans

21st Crew Destroyer Flow Scapa Taking 1919

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EDITORS COMMENTS
This vintage lantern slide depicts a poignant moment in the aftermath of World War I, as the crew of a German destroyer take to their boats in Scapa Flow on 21st June 1919. The image captures the somber mood of the scene, with sailors in their navy uniforms carefully making their way down the gangplank and into the small boats that would transport them to shore. The destroyer, a symbol of the German military might that had once posed a significant threat to the Allied forces, now lies idle in the background. Scapa Flow, a natural harbor located in the Orkney Islands of Scotland, had been the site of the largest naval base of the British Royal Fleet during the war. It was here that the German High Seas Fleet, including numerous battleships and cruisers, had surrendered on 21st November 1918, following the signing of the Armistice. The German ships were to be interned in the harbor until the Treaty of Versailles was signed, which would determine their fate. However, on 21st June 1919, in a bold and defiant move, the German sailors scuttled their ships rather than handing them over to the British. This act of rebellion, known as the Scapa Flow Raid, left the harbor littered with sunken ships and marked the end of the German High Seas Fleet. The crew in this image are likely among the last to leave the destroyed vessels, making their way to the boats that would take them to freedom or internment. This photograph, taken from The Keasbury-Gordon Photograph Archive Collection at Mary Evans Prints Online, offers a unique glimpse into history and the complex aftermath of the Great War.

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