HMS Vanguard - Scapa Flow

In 2017 Scapa Flow skipper and rebreather diver Emily Turton (our skipper for the Dive Rutland trip in August 2019) was granted a special license from the Secretary of State for Defence to organise a dive survey on one of the UK’s WWI war graves.

On 9 July 1917 HMS Vanguard – a dreadnought battleship – suffered a series of catastrophic explosions in Scapa Flow, Orkney. The ship and 843 men died. The enquiry concluded that an unintentional cordite explosion caused the loss of Vanguard, making this the biggest accidental loss of life in modern naval history.

The survey was self-funded and conducted by volunteer professional divers. Survey leader – Emily Turton – has made results available on line (Its a good read and well worth receiving)

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