The final decision to make Scapa Flow the main base for the Grand Fleet in the event of war (over the Invergordon dockyard in the Firth of Cromarty) was made only on the eve of war. As a consequence, in August 1914, the anchorage was undefended. It was only in mid-1915 that the anchorage was secured by guns, anti-submarine booms and blockships. In the end there were 13 batteries around the approaches to Scapa Flow.
The southern entrance to Scapa Flow was the main one, and the busiest. The main defences flanked Hoxa Sound. On Stanger Head, on the island of Flotta, there were two batteries of guns. One mounted two 6-inch breech-loading guns, intended to engage medium-sized enemy ships. The other was equipped with four Quick Firing guns to engage smaller, faster vessels. In the early days of the war these were temporarily-emplaced 12-pdr guns, but these were replaced by 4-inch guns in 1915.
Stanger Head was also the location of the Fire Control Post for the Southern Fire Command, co-ordinating the fire of all the batteries protecting the southern approach to Scapa Flow.
Nothing of the 6-inch battery has survived modern quarrying, but some of the 4-inch battery survives. This tactically important battery position was re-used in the Second World War.
Artist Response
When I created the image I first thought about puffins because my story is based around Orkney. I went to Orkney two years ago and I remember touring the island and seeing a lot of puffins. I chose to put a sinking ship in my image because that is the main part of the story I also chose to put in the Italian chapel because that was built around the same time period and it’s a gorgeous building.
I also decided to put a big puffin head in the corner of the image so people immediately think of Orkney if they don’t know the history of the Island. However my puffin has a funny story behind it because my teacher didn’t want me to put the puffin in but when I got to the print studio John thought my puffin was a fantastic idea so I kept the puffin and called him Peter puffin.
Caitlin-Iris Brobyn
Inverness High School
Caitlin is currently studying S3 art and design and the story she has explored is Stanger Battery + Blockships.
Caitlin is 14 years old and has lived in Inverness her whole life. She started to have a love for art when she was about three. Ever since Caitlin was seven she has always dreamed of going to art school and now that is her main goal she is working towards.
Half way through S1 Caitlin decided she wanted to be an art teacher in the near future. Caitlin also play rugby at Highland R.F.C and plays for their under 15 team where they just won the shield finals in Perth and are through to the cup final in Murrayfield.
