Last Days of the High Seas Fleet

On 21 June 1919 the ships of the German High Seas Fleet - interned at Scapa Flow since the Armistice - began to founder, taking their British custodians completely by surprise. In breach of agreed terms, the fleet dramatically scuttled itself, in a well-planned operation that consigned nearly half a million tons, and 54 of 72 ships, to the bottom of the sheltered anchorage in a gesture of Wagnerian proportions.This much is well-known, but even a century after the Grand Scuttle' many questions remain. Was von Reuter, the fleet's commander, acting under orders or was it his own initiative? Why was 21 June chosen? Did the British connive in, or even encourage the action? Could more have been done to save the ships? Was it legally justified? And what were the international ramifications?This new book analyses all these issues, beginning with the fleet mutiny in the last months of the War that precipitated a social revolution in Germany and the eventual collapse of the will to fight. The Armistice terms imposed the humiliation of virtual surrender on the High Seas Fleet, and the conditions under which it was interned are described in detail. Meanwhile the victorious Allies wrangled over the fate of the ships, an issue that threatened the whole peace process.Using much new material from German sources and a host of eye-witness testimonies, the circumstances of the scuttling itself are meticulously reconstructed, while the aftermath for all parties is clearly laid out. The story concludes with the biggest salvage operation in history' and a chapter on the significance of the scuttling to the post-war balance of naval power.Published to coincide with the centenary, this book is an important reassessment of the last great action of the First World War.

In this detailed account Jellicoe presents much fresh material and analysis, not only telling the sequence of events, but also highlighting the turbulent final days of the German High Seas Fleet in the last months of the war.... This is an excellent historical narrative of the events leading up to the Great Scuttle, the terrible day itself and its aftermath, not least a look at how the world's naval power was rebalanced between the wars. --Warships: International Fleet Review, Jellicoe's greatest accomplishment is his placement of the great scuttle at Scapa Flow within its broader context. His book is embellished with high-quality illustrations and bolstered by detailed appendices. A website easily accessible via QR code in the first appendix includes photographs, maps, and a high-quality 25-minute animated companion to the book's contents. These features no doubt will help make this book attractive to a broad audience of scholars, students, and naval enthusiasts. --The International Journal of Maritime History

Nicholas Jellicoe's life is steeped in British naval tradition. His grandfather, Sir John Jellicoe, commanded the Grand Fleet at Jutland while his father, George, was a minister of defence for the Navy and the last man to hold the time-honoured post of First Lord of the Admiralty. Nick's career has been in communications, notably with Rolex. His first book recounted the story of Jutland, while this new work brings the story of the great naval struggle of the First World War to its close.A digital animation of the events of 21 June 1919, the circumstances surrounding the scuttle and the salvage, as well as a large amount of other reference materials, are available to view on line at www.ScapaFlow1919.com.