- Paperback: 240 pages
- Publisher: Birlinn Publishers; 2nd Revised edition edition (April 1 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1843410389
- ISBN-13: 978-1843410386
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 2.2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 181 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #571,454 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
'Dan van der Vat is a superb storyteller' - The Northern Mariner 'an excellent book that tells its story with style and passion ... highly recommended' - New Shetlander
Product Description
The Grand Scuttle became a folk legend in both Germany and Britain. However, few people are aware that Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter became the only man in history to sink his own navy because of a misleading report in a British newspaper; that the Royal Navy guessed his intention but could do nothing to thwart it; that the sinking produced the last casualties and the last prisoners of the war; and that fragments of the Kaiser's fleet are probably on the moon. This is the remarkable story of the scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow. It contains previously unused German archive material, eye-witness accounts and the recollections of survivors, as well as many contemporary photos which capture the awesome spectacle of the finest ships of the time being deliberately sunk by their own crew.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A compelling account of the greatest scuttle ever.,
By Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Grand Scuttle ~ Ppr (Paperback)
World War One was over. The two main protagonists had been Great Britain and Germany who, between them, possessed the two largest naval fleets in the world. Germany was beaten and her ships interned with skeleton crews in Scapa Flow whilst decisions were made as to which of the victorious allied nations got which ships to add to their own fleets - as war reparations. To the victor go the spoils and all that.In the meantime Germany was changing fast. The Kaiser and German imperialism were gone and a new Republic was born. On board the ships in Scapa Flow ordinary sailors no longer took orders from their officers. They were now republicans and they set up workers councils and undertook only those tasks which "they" saw as essential. As a Navy they were a sorry sight. Against this backdrop, the man in charge of those ships and crews was Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter who was a fine commander of the old school. Whilst the British were simply trying to run a floating prison camp, von Reuter hatched a plan to deny the victorious Allies all the ships under his "command." They included 5 Battlecruisers, 11 Battleships, 8 Cruisers and numerous Destroyers. But!, he could not trust all of those under his command with knowledge of either his plan - or even that one existed. Nevertheless, on 21 June 1919, under the very noses of those British guards and also under the very noses of certain crew members who would have spoiled his plans, von Reuter successfully scuttled his entire fleet. This is an essential account where the author tells that entire story so exceedingly well. It is an excellent read and I congratulate him for his painstaking research and for the well written text. NM
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful writing on an obscure, yet most important topic,
By Warspite1 (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Grand Scuttle: The Sinking of the German Fleet at Scapa Flow in 1919 (Paperback)
I read this book while in college, and it was my first exposure to Mr. Van Der Vat's writing. Mr. Van Der Vat does a masterful job at detailing the last moments of the High Seas Fleet, and portraying the scuttle not as a shameful end, but of a final act of defiance and honor for the German Imperial Navy. This is an often-overlooked part of the Armistice of World War I, and the surrender/scuttle played an intergal part in shaping German public attitudes and actions during the inter-war period, and German Naval attitudes leading up to World War II. I highly reccommend this book to anyone w/ an interest in naval or military history.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating, well-researched account,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Grand Scuttle: The Sinking of the German Fleet at Scapa Flow in 1919 (Paperback)
I was very impressed with the scope of this book. The author uses the first few chapters to describe the political situation leading to the construction of the fleets, as well as the events which led to the German internment. He next covers the activities of the fleet while at Scapa Flow in depth, and, following the scuttling, completes the account with information about the subsequent salvage operations. This book is comprehensive, but not so bogged down in detail that you lose sight of the story, its reasons and its characters. Highly recommended.
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