A Century of Myths and Mysteries Unravelled

by James Irvine, Brian Budge, Jude Callister, Kevin Heath, Andrew Hollinrake, Issy Grieve, Keith Johnson, Neil Kermode, Michael Lowrey, Tom Muir, Emily Turton and Ben Wade

The loss of the cruiser HMS Hampshire and Lord Kitchener on 5th June 1916 shocked the nation. Ten years later Orkney commemorated the disaster with the Kitchener Memorial, shown above. The details and causes of the sinking and associated loss of life and of the subsequent diving on the wreck have been shrouded by secrecy and censorship and contorted by rumour and hoaxes, which in turn have given rise to conspiracy theories and indignation that lingers in Orkney to this day.

To mark the centenary of this disaster the Orkney Heritage Society had the memorial refurbished and augmented with a wall bearing the inscribed names of the 746 men who gave their lives off Marwick Head in June 1916.

The proceeds from this book will go to the Orkney Heritage Society for the Kitchener Memorial Refurbishment Project.

This is a thoroughly well researched book and I would very highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in this subject.

Published by:
The Orkney Heritage Society
www.orcadian.co.uk/shop/index.php

Hardback: A4, 112 pp illustrated

Price: £25