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Sms Kronprinz Wilhelm: Cava Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney

Battleship (20th Century)

Site Name Sms Kronprinz Wilhelm: Cava Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney

Classification Battleship (20th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Kronprinz; Kron Prinz; Kronprinz Wilhem; Calf Of Cava; Kronprinz Wilhelm

Canmore ID 102311

Site Number HY30SW 8008

NGR HY 32947 01295

Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102311

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Orkney Islands
  • Parish Maritime - Orkney
  • Former Region Orkney Islands Area
  • Former District Maritime
  • Former County Not Applicable

Archaeology Notes

HY30SW 8008 3299 0129

N58 53.65 W3 9.7667

NLO: Holm of Houton [name: HY 315 029]

Calf of Cava [name: HY 322 006]

Cava [name: ND 327 995]

Barrel of Butter [name: HY 352 009]

Point of Tuberry (Cava) [name: HY 334 993]

Stromness [name: HY 253 090]

Scapa Flow [name centred HY 36 00].

For other ships within this group, see:

HY30SW 8002 Dresden (cruiser)

HY30SW 8004 Konig (battleship)

HY30SW 8007 Markgraf (battleship)

HY30SW 8009 Brummer (cruiser)

HY30SW 8010 Koln (cruiser)

HY30SW 8011 Grosser Kurfurst (battleship)

HY30SW 8012 Friedrich der Grosse (battleship)

HY30SW 8014 Bayern (battleship)

HY30SE 8003 Frankfurt (cruiser: secondary location)

HY30SE 8004 Emden (cruiser: secondary location)

HY30SE 8005 Bremse (cruiser: secondary location).

Formerly entered as Site no. 8852.

For general plans of High Seas Fleet (Internment Formation) wrecks in Scapa Flow, see Van der Vat 1986 (endpapers), Smith 1989, 4, Macdonald 1998, 19 and George 1999, 35.

KRONPRINZ WILHEM [sic]. The hull is upside down on starboard side and has been extensively salvaged. Transits for locating her are included in the source.

Source: Butland & Siedlecki, BSAC Wreck Register, Scotland 1 1987.

Remains at Scapa Flow.

P L Smith 1989.

Horizontal Datum = OGB

General water depth = 34

Orientation of keel/wreck = ESE/WNW

Circumstances of Loss Details

-----------------------------

The German cruiser KRONPRINZ WILHELM was scuttled.

Surveying Details

-----------------------------

1919. A dangerous wreck with the least depth of 10.9 metres was shown at 58 53 30N, 003 09 50W

8 April 1936. The wreck was sold to Metal Industries Ltd.

15 June 1976. Salvage operations have commenced at 58 53 31N, 003 09 50W approximately.

Report by Orkney Islands Council, Notice to Mariners 3/76 and Temporary Notice to Mariner's 1218/76.

12 May 1977. Salvage work is reported to have commenced as some of the hull plates are now missing. The hull is in good condition, still solid and showing no signs of collapsing.

Report by Lt M A Seaman, 5 May 1977.

20 August 1979. The wreck is to be salvaged by Undersea Associates Ltd.

Source: Lloyd's List 15 August 1979.

20 October 1981. The wreck was sold to Clark Diving Services.

4 February 1982. The vessel lies in approximately 34 metres. It has been blasted open in several places, other-wise there are no signs of deterioration.

Report by B Winfield, 25 January 1982.

5 April 1982. The vessel no longer resembles a ship, but is a twisted heap of steel plate.

Report by A Reece, 30 March 1982.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

(Classified as battleship: date of loss cited as 21 June 1919). [SMS] Kronprinz Wilhelm: this vessel was scuttled 0.75 mile NE of Cava.

Registration: German. 25390 tons dispacement. Length: 174m. Beam: 29m.

(Location of loss cited as N58 53.63 W3 9.78).

I G Whittaker 1998.

Linescan survey carried out by I Oxley, September 1999.

NMRS, MS/829/23.

In July 2000 a side scan sonar survey of the area of Scapa Flow in which the seven wrecks are situated was carried out in conjunction with a bathymetric and seabed classification survey using Echoplous equipment. In addition, detailed sonar images were obtained and geo-referenced so that exact co-ordinates of the extreme ends of each wreck structure could be obtained.

ADU, MS/5450.

Scheduled with SMS Konig (HY30SE 8004) and SMS Markgraf (HY30SW 8007).

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 23 March 2001.

Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):

A604 steam gauge, brass boiler plate, switch box and brass oiler: from debris field on seabed.

NMRS, MS/829/34.

Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):

A1873 1 porthole: from seabed

A2463 3 lamps: from seabed

A2740 1 'electric gear': from seabed

A3032 1 switch: from seabed

A3485 2 brass cage lamps, 1 brass switchbox, 1 brass junction box, 2 brass oil taps, 2 brass wing nuts: from seabed

A3688 1 curved piece brass: from seabed

A4294 1 voice pipe: from seabed.

NMRS, MS/829/35.

Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):

A4513 German Imperial Navy nameplate, marked 'Linker Aufzug', [and] electrical socket.

NMRS, MS/829/77.

Length over all: 583ft (177.7m)

Length waterline: 576ft (175.7m)

Beam (extreme): 100ft (30.5m)

Beam (waterline): 97ft (29.5m)

Draught (normal condition): 27ft (8.3m)

Draught (deep load): 30ft (9.3m)

Displacement (standard): 25,797 t

Displacement (full load): 29,669 t

Propulsion: 15 x Schultz-Thorneycroft 3-drum superheated boilers (12 coal, 3 oil: 235 psi wp); 3 x triple-stage Parsons turbines (built by Brown Boveri); direct drive to three shafts; 31,000/35,000 shp nominal; 21/23 kts maximum. (A proposal to fit a diesel engine to the centre shaft was apparently made but abandoned)

Fuel: coal (normal) 1000 tons, maximum 4,400 tons; also 700 tons oil.

Range: 4600nm (8500km) at 19 kts

Armament: 10 x 30.5cm (12ins: 50 cal: twin turrets); 14 x 15cm (5.9ins: 45 cal: single mountings); 6 x 8.8cm (3.5ins: 45 cal: single mountings); 2 x 8.8cm AA (3.5ins: 45 cal: single mountings); 5 x 50cm (19.7ins) torpedo tubes

Armour: Krupp cemented nickel alloy steel (of low carbon, but surface heat treated); lower belt 350mm max; deck 120mm max; turrets 300mm max; conning tower 350mm max

Complement: (variously cited as 1033 or 1136).

SMS Kronprinz (renamed SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm from 27 January 1918) was the last ship completed of the four-strong Konig or Koenig class, the fourth class of German Dreadnought battleship. She was built at Krupp's Germania Yard at Kiel, being laid down in April 1912, launched on 21 February 1914 and completed on 8 November 1914 (also cited as July 1915). As built, she was almost identical to SMS Konig in being built without the Flag accommodation (aft of the bridge) found on other units of the class, but was fitted from the outset with a heavy foremast of the type only fitted to other units of the class in later refits.

After a prolonged period of inactivity in 1915 and early 1916, Kronprinz and other ships of the Third Battle Squadron supported the battlecruisers at the bombardment of Yarmouth and Lowestoft (April 1916). She fought in the Third Battle Squadron at Jutland (May 1916), sustaining no casualties or significant damage, and also took part in the Scarborough raid of 13 August 1916. She was torpedoed and holed aft of the bridge by HMS/M J1 (Cdr N Laurence, RN) on 4 November 1916 during an operation to recover U-20, which had become stranded off the Danish coast. After extensive repairs, the ship returned to service but was in collision with SMS Grosser Kurfurst while exercising at speed in the Heligoland Bight on 5 March 1917. She provided naval gunfire support in the Gulf of Riga later that year, and made an abortive sortie into the North Sea (on 23 April 1918) before being sent to Kiel in an attempt to isolate revolutionary elements among the crew. She was taken to sea by loyal sailors on 4 November 1918 to prevent her from being boarded by revolutionaries and to deploy her guns against shore establishments. She was the scene of extensive crew unrest at Kiel prior to the armistice, reached Scapa Flow on 27 November 1918, and was scuttled at 1315 on 21 June 1919. The wreck was long left unsalvaged on account of its depth but significant holes were blasted in the hull amidships by Nundy (Marine Metals) Ltd after the Second World War to recover non-ferrous metals from the engine room and adjacent spaces.

The wreck lies almost inverted in the relatively deep channel between Cava and the Barrel of Butter, the starboard decks being embedded in the silt and shale of the seabed while the port side decking remains some distance clear of it. The rudders and propeller shafts (but not the propellers) remain intact. The lateral bulges are particularly prominent on this wreck and there is a significant debris field around the vast and impressive hull, which is frequently visited by recreational divers and is fully described in various diving guides.

The wreck lies 0.6nm NE of Calf of Cava light and is charted (Wk) with a clearance of 10.7m above a seabed at a depth of about 30m (shelving to the S and W). The nature of the seabed is not indicated locally but is evidently of varied composition with areas of rock nearby.

This ship may be considered as falling within the Cava Sound group of heavy ships and cruisers, which were scuttled within the area defined by Holm of Houton [name: HY 315 029], Calf of Cava [name: HY 322 006], Barrel of Butter [name: HY 352 009] and Point of Tuberry (Cava) [name: HY 334 993]. Cava Sound (which is not noted as such on the chart) may be understood as a relatively deep eastwards extension of Hoy Sound, leading into the broad expanse of Scapa Flow. It has a generally flat bottom at a charted depth of between 30 and 45m; the seabed type is defined sparingly but is apparently of sand and stones.

Apart from the specifically-indicated wrecks, an extensive area of foul ground and numerous obstructions and wrecks attest to the former presence of the High Seas Fleet. The former is situated around N58 53.85 W3 11 [HY 31 01], while the latter form a broad band extending from E to W between about N58 53.8 W3 8.4 [HY 34 01] and N58 53.9 W3 10.8 [HY 32 01].

(For sectional arrangement of Konig class ships (SMS Konig, SMS Markgraf and SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm), see Smith 1989, 22. For underwater artist's impression (with SMS Markgraf and SMS Konig), see Macdonald 1998, 74 and for block section, see Macdonald 1998, 76).

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 12 November 2002 and 8 January 2003.

H M Le Fleming 1961; D M Ferguson 1985; D Van der Vat 1986; D M Ferguson 1988; R Macdonald 1990; R Macdonald 1993; R and B Larn 1998; R Macdonald 1998; I G Whittaker 1998; S C George 1999; Diver 2001; [Jane] 2001.

HO Chart 35 (1980, revised 1991); NMRS, MS/829/23.

(Unpaginated annexe) information from Dolphin Scuba Service

NMRS, MS/829/63

(Discussed in connection with Scheduling of wrecks in Scapa Flow).

Source: 'Wrecks, divers and scheduling: the case of Scapa Flow, Orkney', article by O Owen in Nautical Archaeology, 2002.3.

MS/2745.

Activities

Side Scan Sonar Survey (5 July 2000 - 28 July 2000)

A side scan sonar survey of the area of Scapa Flow in which the seven wrecks are situated was carried out in conjunction with a bathymetric and seabed classification survey using Echoplous equipment. In addition, detailed sonar images were obtained and geo-referenced so that exact co-ordinates of the extreme ends of each wreck structure could be obtained.

Information from Steve Liscoe, Martin Dean and Mark Lawrence (Archaeological Diving Unit (ADU), University of St Andrews) 2000

Diver Inspection (5 July 2000 - 28 July 2000)

A side scan sonar survey of the area of Scapa Flow in which the seven wrecks are situated was carried out in conjunction with a bathymetric and seabed classification survey using Echoplous equipment. In addition, detailed sonar images were obtained and geo-referenced so that exact co-ordinates of the extreme ends of each wreck structure could be obtained.

Information from Steve Liscoe, Martin Dean and Mark Lawrence (Archaeological Diving Unit (ADU), University of St Andrews) 2000

Multi Beam Sonar Scan (16 October 2006 - 20 October 2006)

Multibeam sonar survey on board MV Anglia Sovereign recorded the remains of the surviving battleship wrecks of the German High Seas Fleet. These lie almost completely upside down with their superstructure impacted into the seabed and with the hull broken just forward of the forward gun turret and the bow settled to the seabed. Extensive salvage work has taken place in the area of the hull over the engine compartments, more so in the case of the SMS König than the other two battleships. Although much of the hull condition at these sites can be attributed to salvage works, general deterioration has occurred since with observed plate separation and corrosion generally apparent as documented on Sms Kronprinz Wilhelm.

Information from Bobby Forbes (Sula Diving) 2006.

Reference (2011)

Whittaker ID : 72

Name : KRONPRINZ WILHELM

Latitude : 585338

Longitude : 30947

Registration : GERMAN

Type : BATTLESHIP

Tonnage : 25390

Tonnage Code : D

Length : 174

Beam : 29

Position : Exact Position

Loss Day : 21

Loss Month : 6

Loss Year : 1919

Comment : Scuttled 0.75 mile NE of Cava

Reference (19 April 2012)

UKHO Identifier : 001088

Feature Class : Wreck

Wreck Category : Dangerous wreck

State : LIVE

Status : Historic

Classification : Unclassified

Position (Lat/long) : 58.89373,-3.16525

Horizontal Datum : ETRS 1989

WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 58.89373,-3.16525

WGS84 Origin : Original

Previous Position : 58.89417,-3.16278

Position Method : Differential Global Positioning System

Position Quality : Surveyed

Position Accuracy : 3.0

Depth : 12.2

Depth Method : Found by multi-beam

Depth Quality : Least depth known

Water Depth : 34

Water Level Effect : Always under water/submerged

Vertical Datum : Mean Low Water Springs

Name : KRONPRINZ WILHELM

Type : BATTLESHIP

Flag : GERMAN

Length : 176.8

Beam : 29.6

Draught : 8.5

Orientation : 112.0

Tonnage : 25390

Tonnage Type : Displacement

Date Sunk : 21/06/1919

Bottom Texture : Sand

Contact Description : Entire wreck

Original Sensor : Reported Sinking

Last Sensor : Acoustic Sensor

Original Detection Year : 1919

Last Detection Year : 2010

Original Source : Other

Multi Beam Sonar Scan (January 2017)

Multibeam sonar survey recorded the battleship Sms Kronprinz Wilhelm.

Kronprinz Wilhelm lies upside down, pointing to the northwest and with a significant list to starboard. Like Konig, the wreck is clearly broken at both bow and stern, and as with all the battleships, the area of the engine room has been blasted. Kronprinz Wilhelm is the most collapsed of the battleship wrecks and is probably embedded in the seabed to a greater degree. While the entire armoured belt on the port side was removed, the belt on the lower starboard side appears buried beneath the seabed and may be acting as a dead wight anchor.

Diver video inspection (date uncertain) recorded many notable features of the wreck. The stern has collapsed but at seabed level, two turrets of the main 12-inch guns are visible under the wreck. Moving forward to the midships area, a 5.9 in gun clings to the upper deck, around 4m above seabed level. The foremast (now quite rotten) and corroded control top lie on the north side of the wreck, having snapped as the ship sank. Nearby, further 5.9 casemate guns can be seen close to the seabed. Moving towards the bow, one of the forward anchor chain windlasses has fallen out through the upturned deck and onto the seabed. The barrel of the forward port-side 12-inch gun is partially buried on the seabed. At the bow, the foredeck is almost touching the seabed. Notable features include the anchor hawse pipes and bolsters, and the extreme point of the bow itself, torn open, probably as a result of salvage of the forward-firing torpedo tube.

Comparing the wreck today with historic hydrographic data indicates that Kronprinz Wilhelm has subsided by 3 metres since 1919, much of it in recent years. Comparing multibeam sonar data from 2017 with data by ADUS in 2006 indicates that this may be due to structural collapse, most evident in the centre of the wreck where the keel has partially collapsed and the double bottom has broken away, as later confirmed by diver inspection in November 2017.

I.McCartney 2019

References

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