Scapa Flow Naval History Conference set to take place

A major conference is set to take place here in Orkney next week, in the run up to the centenary of the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow.

The event has been organised by author and historian Nick Jellicoe, who is writing a book on the scuttling, being assisted by local historian Tom Muir.

Mr Jellicoe is the grandson of the late Sir John Jellicoe, who commanded the Royal Navy Grand Fleet for the first two years of the First World War.

The 2018 Scapa Flow Naval History conference will feature British, American and German speakers including Prof Dr Michael Epkenhans, Prof Andrew Lambert, Cdr Dr David Kohnen USN ret’d and Orcadian historian Tom Muir. Descendants of both Vice Admiral Fremantle and Rear Admiral von Reuter will be attending the conference.

The conference will cover not only the scuttle, but also the history and impact of that fateful day.

Speakers will explore the American navy’s vital role in the war, how the scuttle was interpreted in Germany and how the legacy still lives on today.

Six months before the centenary itself, this will be a wonderful opportunity to share Scapa’s history, stimulate ideas for 2019 and build a lasting knowledge of what happened and why.

Nick Jellicoe will publish two books next year: The Last Days of the High Seas Fleet and, in partnership with the Orcadian, Scuttle to Salvage, a book about in photographs. He is shortly launching a website to support the centenary, Scapaflow1919.com and will be producing another animation (similar to the 25-minute animation produced for Jutland which had been seen by over two and a half million people.

The Scapa Flow Naval History Conference will take place at Kirkwall Grammar School, Friday and Saturday, November 23 and 24.

Details on the conference can be found on https://shop.scapaflow1919.com/