On 14th October 1939, HMS Royal Oak was sunk by a German Torpedo in Scapa Flow, off the southern coast of Orkney.

Scapa Flow had been a strategic Naval base since 1905, protecting Britain from German invasion via the eastern island inlets from the North Sea.  With an area of about 156 square kilometres, it is a bay sheltered by the mainland to the north, south Ronaldsay and Burray to the east and Flotta to the south.

Following an earlier attempt to penetrate Hoxa Sound by a German U Boat in 1914, 21 block ships had been sunk on the Eastern approaches and anti-subamarine nets, boom defences and controlled minefields were added to secure Scapa Flow.

World WarII
During the first few weeks of World War II, nearly 50 British warships were in Scapa Flow including the cruiser HMS Belfast.

The western side of the flow near Lyness was their mooring, all except HMS Royal Oak and HMS Pegasus which were moored in Scapa Bay below Gaitnip.

The Royal Oak sank not far from where this tanker is moored

On a moonless night, lit only by the Northern Lights, a German U-47 entered at high tide under the cover of darkness, managed to navigate it’s way around the block ships and enter Scapa Flow via Holm Sound.  3,000m from the two ships, her Captain, Gunther Prien launched a devastating tripple torpedo attack on the Royal Navy battleship HMS Royal Oak.

One of the torpedos hit the bow causing little damage, in fact it is reported that the crew thought the explosion to be onboard in the paint store.

Three more torpedos were fired from the U-47, all reacing their target.

Royal Oak took only 15 minutes to sink at her moorings, taking with her 833 members of her nearly 1200 strong crew.

In Memory
The shipwreck site is now an official wartime grave and a memorial to those lost at sea, resides in St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.

Memorial gardens were created at Scapa Beach.

Her resting position is marked by a green buoy and sometimes by small oil slicks as the last vestiges of fuel leaks from her bunkers.

An annual ceremony is held by the Admiralty, with divers placing the Ensign over the wreck site.  Many of those present are survivors and relatives of the crew.

70th Anniversary.
On Wednesday 14th October 2009,the 70th anniversary of the tragedy.  HMS Penzance will sail to the site of the wreck, where

Memorial in St Magnus Cathedral

HRH The Princess Royal is expected to lay a wreath on the water during a rememberence ceremony.

A parade featuring the Royal British Legion, youth organisations and local dignitaries, will take place on Sunday 18th October 2009 at St. Magnus Cathedral.

New book
David Turner, a nephew of  Commander Ralph Lennox Woodrow-Clark, who died in the torpedo attack, is publishing a new book about the sinking.

Titled “Last Dawn”, it is hoped that the book will help keep alive the memory of those who died.

David has also filmed a video for use in the schools, to aid their understanding of the event.Similar Posts:

• Royal Australian Navy to visit Scapa Flow
• The Churchill Barriers
• St. Magnus Cathedral
• Experience Orkney’s Churchill Barriers
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It is rare to come accross a true craftsman, who is not only making traditional furniture from scratch but is preserving a piece of the Orkney heritage with passion and well researched knowledge.

One of Fraser's traditional chairs

The traditional Orkney Chair maker, Fraser Anderson creates a range of award winning traditional furniture, building on the legacy of the distinctive Orkney chair and his passion for the art is infectious.  Get talking to Fraser and you will learn more about the true history of the piece of Orkney Furniture than could possibly be learned from museums and visitor centres.

Fraser says;

The Orkney chair is a traditional piece of furniture dating back many hundreds of years.

While many of the old straw crafts have died out, the Orkney chair is still in production, taking pride of place in the home of many Orcadians as well as being shipped all over the world.

Originally the chairs were made completely of straw, the only wooden part being the four feet protruding from the bottom.

Due to the lack of trees suitable for furniture production on the islands, driftwood thrown up on the beach was often used.

Developed through local tradition, the Orkney chair originated from a simple piece of furniture that the islanders could make for themselves with what materials were readily available.

In its very early stages it was nothing more than a low round stool covered with straw. It was then developed into a low chair by the addition of a straw back some two feet in height.

The short stumpy legs of older chairs kept the person sitting in the chair close to the ground to avoid the smoke from the open fires, which were in the middle of the room in the old farm crofts.

The addition of a hood to the chair gave the occupant shelter from draughts, but not all people liked the idea of being enclosed.

A drawer was also added for the man of the house the keep his personal belongings in.

A chair back that has a proper shape should rise up straight for some fourteen rows, depending on arm height, and then start to slope outwards, thereby supporting the lower and upper back of the sitter.

Originally designed by crofters, the chair is an optimum shape that keeps the heat in and the coldness out.

Nowadays the Orkney chair is displayed with a decorative as well as functional purpose. One very important thing that has remained unchanged, is the way in which the Orkney chair is constructed.

Only the best locally grown straw is used to make the backs, which are intricately woven by hand.

Fraser even makes his own chair frames, ensuring that each creation is unique and genuine. Originally made from driftwood found on nearby shores, the frames are now generally made from the best quality wood available and beautifully finished by hand.

Orkney rocker chair

Standing in his workshop, the smells of the wood mingling with the straw, we discussed the intricacies of the construction process and were delighted to see that a selection of very old chairs were undergoing restoration.

Some of the more modern creations include a round backed and rocking chair version, the latter being a particular favourite of mine.

See Fraser Anderson at work

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