Dates: 1916 - 1939
HMS Royal Oak (pennant number 08) was a Revenge-class battleship built at Devonport Dockyard and commissioned on 1 May 1916. Complement: 1,146.
She was assigned to the 3rd Division of the 4th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet, and within the month engaged the German High Seas Fleet in the Battle of Jutland. The battle saw Royal Oak fire a total of 38 15-inch and 84 6-inch shells, claiming 3 hits on the battlecruiser SMS Derfflinger, putting one of its turrets out of action, and a hit on the cruiser SMS Wiesbaden. She avoided damage herself, despite being straddled by shellfire.
At the end of the First World War Royal Oak escorted several vessels of the surrendering German High Seas Fleet from the Firth of Forth to internment in Scapa Flow.
During the Spanish Civil War, Royal Oak was tasked with conducting ’non-intervention patrols’ off the Iberian Peninsula.
Royal Oak was torpedoed and sunk shortly after midnight on 14 October 1939 at Scapa Flow by U-47. 833 of the crew were killed.
Despite the relatively shallow water in which she sank, the majority of bodies could not be recovered from Royal Oak. Marked by a buoy, the wreck has been designated a war grave.
Museum:
Scapa Flow Visitor Centre
Pier Head
Lyness
Hoy
Kirkwall Orkney KW16 3NU
Phone: 01856 791300
Fax: 01856 875846
E-mail: scapaflow@orknet.co.uk
Website: http://www.scapaflow.co.uk/sfvc.htm
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMS Royal Oak
" Quoting: Ray McWilliams Roly, tread carefully!! Don’t get dog poo on your shoes. Her Majesty’s Royal New Zealand Navy Ship (HMNZS) Harman was quoted, not Her Majesty’s Australian Ship! Don’t let the "Brylcreem Boys" get one up!! THANKS RAY IF THE GENTLEMEN CONCERNED WILL GIVE ..."
Click For More
" Quoting: Arthur Farrington THANKS RAY IF THE GENTLEMEN CONCERNED WILL GIVE ME AN ADDRESS THAT I CAN EMAIL THE PHOTO COPY OF THE PLAQUE I WILL GLADLY DO SO. DONT KNOW WHATS EATING THEM. I HAVE IT AND THEY HAVE NOT and as i SAID i will Share it with them the plaque was made by BADGES AND ..."
Click For More
" WWII was only a few weeks old when, the Revenge-class battleship HMS Royal Oak was torpedoed at anchor by the German submarine U-47 in the early hours of Saturday 14 October, 1939, at its base at Scapa Flow in Orkney. Most of the 1,200 crew were asleep below deck. The first salvo ..."
Click For More
