Sms V83 [secondary Location]: Rysa Little, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Destroyer (20th Century)
Site Name Sms V83 [secondary Location]: Rysa Little, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Classification Destroyer (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) V-83; Gutter Sound; V83
Canmore ID 102284
Site Number ND39NW 8038
NGR ND 31023 98199
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102284
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Maritime - Orkney
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
ND39NW 8038 3100 9820
N58 51.9667 W3 11.7833
NLO: Gutter Sound [name centred ND 316 968]
Rysa Little [name: ND 310 979]
Stromness [name: HY 253 090]
Scapa Flow [name centred HY 36 00].
For other ships within this group, see:
ND39NW 8009 V129 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8011 S136 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8012 G92 (destroyer: probable secondary location)
ND39NW 8016 S52 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8018 V70 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8019 S53 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8020 G89 (destroyer: possible secondary location)
ND39NW 8021 S55 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8022 G91 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8023 S36 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8024 S32 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8026 G86 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8027 G39 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8028 G35 (destroyer: identity uncertain)
ND39NW 8029 S138 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8030 S53 (destroyer: identity uncertain and possible secondary location)
ND39NW 8031 G40 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8032 B110 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8033 B112 (destroyer: possible secondary location)
ND39NW 8034 B109 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8036 G104 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8037 G101 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8044 G103 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8053 B109 (destroyer: secondary location)
ND39NW 8055 S56 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8057 G38 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8058 H145 (destroyer: possible secondary location)
ND39NW 8059 B111 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8062 V127 (destroyer: possible secondary location)
ND39NW 8063 V126 (destroyer: secondary location)
ND39NW 8064 V125 (destroyer: secondary location)
ND39NW 8065 V82 (destroyer: secondary location)
ND39NW 8066 V81 (destroyer: initial location)
ND39NW 8068 V43 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8069 V100 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8070 V73 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8071 V80 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8072 S60 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8073 S51 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8074 S137 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8075 V128 (destroyer: doubtful location)
ND39NW 8076 V78 (destroyer: probable secondary location)
ND39NW 8077 S65 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8078 V46 (destroyer)
ND39NW 8079 V44 (destroyer: secondary location)
ND39NW 8082 G102 (destroyer: secondary location)
ND39NW 8083 S132 (destroyer: secondary location)
ND39SW 8002 V45 (destroyer: secondary location, probably formerly on ND39NW)
ND39SW 8005 S131 (destroyer: secondary location, probably formerly on ND39NW)
ND39SW 8012 S50 (destroyer: secondary location, probably formerly on ND39NW)
ND39SW 8013 S49 (destroyer: secondary location, probably formerly on ND39NW)
ND39SE 8003 S54 (destroyer: secondary location, probably formerly on ND39NW)
(All the above locations are apparently primary unless otherwise specified).
See also ND39NW 8061.
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.
SMS V83: no. VII flotilla, with:
No. 13 half-flotilla: S56, S65, V78 and G92,
No. 14 half-flotilla: S136, S137, S138 (leader of flotilla and all boats), H145 and G89.
D Van der Vat 1986.
Remains at Scapa Flow.
P L Smith 1989.
Attributed to 13th Division of No. 7 Flotilla.
G Ridley 1992.
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 10
Orientation of keel/wreck = WE
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The German V67 class destroyer, V83, was scuttled.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
1919. A stranded wreck is reported at 58 51 58N, 003 11 47W
1926. An attempt to raise was unsuccessful.
1928. The hull only remains, untouched since the end of 1927.
16 October 1975. The wreck lies at 58 51 57N, 003 11 45W. The bows lie in 8 metres and stern in 20 metres of water. The vessel is in a very poor state and hardly recognisable. The bows have been driven onto the beach and are separated from the stern. The site is mentioned in 'Jutland to Junkyard', by S C George as the wreck of the V83.
Report by COP Dunford, RAF Lincoln, 15 Augsut 1975.
1 September 1976. There is a reference to the site in the RAF Sub Aqua Association newsletter of January 1976.
10 August 1988. A report is received of a possible torpedo having been found in the wreckage.
Report by Pentland Marine Rescue Services Centre.
August 1988. No ordnance was found during a search conducted by Navy Divers.
Report by Pentland Marine Rescue Services Centre.
Hydrographic Office, 1995.
(Classified as destroyer: date of loss cited as 21 June 1919). [SMS] V 83: this vessel was scuttled and beached on the East side of Rysa Little. 1188 tons dispalcement. Length: 81m. Beam: 9m.
(Location of loss cited as N58 51.97 W3 11.78).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The location cited above falls on the E shore of Rysa Little. The ship was presumably within the main group of destroyers in Gutter Sound when scuttled, but was boarded and successfully beached by British forces.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 8 November 2002.
R and B Larn 1998.
Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):
A2743 1 screw: from seabed
A3024 1 fuse box, 1 electrical socket: from seabed.
[All presumably from secondary location].
NMRS, MS/829/35.
Length over all: 269ft (82m)
Length waterline: 265ft 8ins (81m)
Beam: 27ft 6ins (8.4m)
Draught: 11ft 2ins (3.4m)
Displacement (standard): 924t
Displacement (full load): 1118t
Propulsion: 3 x oil-fired three-drum boilers; geared steam turbines; 2 shafts and screws; 24/25,000 shp; 35/36 kts
Fuel: 306t
Range: 1810 nm (3355 km) at 20 kts
Armament: 3 x 105mm (4.1in; 45 cal) guns (single mountings on deck); 6 x 50cm (19.7ins) torpedo tubes (in pairs on deck); 24 mines (on deck)
Complement: 87 (also cited as c. 100).
This destroyer was one of the numerous vessels in the S53 class, and essentially typical of her type although she differed slightly from some of the numerous other variations. She was built at the Vulcan yard, Hamburg, and commissioned on 5 July 1916, just missing the Battle of Jutland (May 1916). Whilst a unit of the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla, she carried out duties which included night channel attacks from Zeebrugge. [Date of launch cited by George as 5 July 1916].
This ship was apparently successfully beached by the Royal Navy and her remains lie in shallow water immediately E of Rysa Little; the bow lies in depths between 5 and 8m and the stern in depths between 11 and 14m. Following attempted salvage, the wreck lies in two portions, the forward two-thirds being broken up and the after portion remaining upright. Much debris and rubbish are apparent below the kelp, but identifiable features and fittings include 4.1in guns forward and aft. The tubular steel propeller-guards and the intact rudder remain apparent aft, where the kedge anchor is still in place.
The location cited is thus secondary and not that of internment. This ship may be considered as falling within the Fara/Rysa (Gutter Sound) group of destroyers and torpedo craft, which were scuttled within the area of Gutter Sound [name centred ND 316 968]. This area of water may be understood as a narrow sheltered passage between the islands of Hoy, Fara and Rysa Little, to the W of the broad expanse of Scapa Flow. It has a level seabed at a charted depth of between 13 and 16m; the seabed type is indicated sparingly but is apparently a mixture of gravel, shingle and sand. Apart from the specifically-indicated wrecks, extensive areas of foul and spoil ground and numerous obstructions attest to the former presence of the High Seas Fleet. Wrecks (Wk or Wks) are noted at N58 50.3 W3 11.3 [ND 314 951], N58 50.75 [ND 310 959] and around N58 50.7 W3 11.5 [HY 312 958], the latter annotation having a buoy immediately to the W. Areas of foul ground are charted around N58 49.7 W3 10.5 [ND 321 939], N58 50.05 W3 10.9 [ND 317 946] and N58 51.l3 W3 10.7 [ND 320 969].
The recorded identical locations for ships in this group may reflect their being moored in trots.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 6 June 2003.
H M Le Fleming 1961; D Van der Vat 1986; P L Smith 1989; S C George 1999; [Jane] 2001.
HO chart no. 35 (1980, revised 1991).
Multi Beam Sonar Scan (6 December 2011 - 10 December 2011)
UTM 30 N (WGS 84) X: 488595.7 Y: 6525105. Multibeam sonar data records the probable remains of SMS V83 lying on the vessel’s port side and broken in two separate sections on a shelving seabed immediately east of Rysa Little (depths range from 2.3 m to 12.5m). The kelp-covered bow lies in shallow water closest to the shore. Much of the midships section appears to be broken up and dispersed by salvage, with a boiler lying 7.5m south of the hull. The stern is in deeper water where the wreck appears to be best preserved. The observed length of the remains is 76.5m with a maximum width of 19.9m. Large identifiable features include two 4.1 in guns forward and aft, and a section of collapsed mast.
Information from Wessex Archaeology 2012
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 001052
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Dangerous wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 58.86563,-3.19768
Horizontal Datum : ETRS 1989
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 58.86563,-3.19768
WGS84 Origin : Block Shift
Previous Position : 58.86563,-3.19792
Position Method : Differential Global Positioning System
Position Quality : Surveyed
Position Accuracy : 3.0
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 10
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : V83
Type : DESTROYER
Flag : GERMAN
Length : 82.0
Beam : 8.2
Draught : 3.7
Orientation : 90.0
Tonnage : 1188
Tonnage Type : Displacement
Date Sunk : 21/06/1919
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Observed Sinking
Last Sensor : Acoustic Sensor
Original Detection Year : 1919
Last Detection Year : 2010
Original Source : Other
Last Source : Survey Vessel
Circumstances of Loss : **V 67 CLASS. SCUTTLED.
Surveying Details : **H8464/19 STF SHOWN IN 585158N, 031147W ON SURVEY [C7953]. INS AS STF (1919).
**CP 32412/26 ATTEMPT TO RAISE UNSUCCESSFUL.
**CP2230/28 & CP27298/29 HULL ONLY REMAINS. UNTOUCHED SINCE END OF 1927.
**23.10.39 NOW CHARTED AS DWP.
**H1287/75 16.10.75 POSN 585157N, 031145W. BOWS LIE IN 8MTRS AND STERN IN 20MTRS OF WATER. IN VERY POOR STATE AND HARDLY RECOGNISABLE. BOWS DRIVEN ON TO THE BEACH AND SEPARATED FROM STERN. MENTIONED IN 'JUTLAND TO JUNKYARD', BY S C GEORGE AS WK OF V83. (CPO DUNFORD, RAF LINCOLN, 15.8.75).
**H1287/75 10.8.88 REPORT OF POSSIBLE TORPEDO FOUND IN WRECKAGE. (MRSC PENTLAND, TLX 4.8.88).
**11.8.88 NO ORDNANCE FOUND DURING SEARCH CONDUCTED BY NAVY DIVERS. (MRSC PENTLAND, TLX 10.8.88).
POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE
**5.10.10 EXAM'D IN 5851.9377N, 0311.8609W [WGD]. LEAST M/B DEPTH 1.63MTRS. LEAST DEPTH AT EASTERN HIGH POINT 2.38MTRS. (FATHOMS LTD, POST SDC BATHY REPROCESSING). LIES 085/265 DEGS. FULLY COLLAPSED. RETAIN DWP (BA 35 STS TO SHOW LEAST DEPTH) IN REVISED POSN. BR STD.
General Comments : IN TWO PARTS, BOWS TOWARDS BEACH, IN POOR STATE
Chart Symbol : DWP
Reference (March 2012)
Sitename : SMS V83 [Secondary Location]: Rysa Little, Scapa Flow, Orkney
Source :
Scapa Flow East in WGS1984 at 2m resolution Bathymetry Id 2010-27833_ScapaFlowArea2a_2m_SB_WGS84.bag,Fathoms Ltd,2010
Side Scan Sonar Survey (4 April 2017)
Sidescan sonar survey identified (anomaly SS073) interpreted as the stern of V83 at location UTM 30N (WGS 84 datum) X: 488633; Y 6525105. V83 was partially salvaged by the East Coast Salvage company before being sold onto Peter Kerr, a foreman diver with Cox & Danks. On 16 October 1925, Mr. Kerr was making efforts towards salvaging her, involving blasting and the removal of valuables. In the early hours of 17 October, the salvage vessel Energy sank over V83: she was sitting off V83, when an inrush of water occurred from forward, and the crew moved to bring her inshore. She sank rapidly on an even keel with her mainmast showing just above the water (The Orcadian 22 October 1925)
Information from ORCA Marine, University of the Highlands and Islands Archaeology Institute and SULA Diving April 2017
Multi Beam Sonar Scan (January 2017)
Multibeam sonar survey recorded remains of V83 in shallow water perpendicular to a beach on the east side of Rysa, bow towards the shore. The stern is instantly recognizable in deeper water, as are three sets of boilers. Comparison of the multibeam data with plans for the V25 class of torpedo boat indicate that little remains of either condensers of turbines from this vessel, presumably as a result of salvage. The remains of the salvage vessel Energy can be seen, lying on the port side of V83, towards the stern, close to the area of the V83’s port side condenser. The most recognizable feature on the wreck of Energy is the distinctive Scotch boiler, clearly not of the type seen on vessels of the German High Seas Fleet, but commonly used on small steamships. The rest of this small wreck is now very broken down.
I.McCartney 2019
Diver Inspection (November 2017)
Diver inspection examined the wreck from stern to bow.
At the stern, the frames are exposed and the rudder much corroded (the propellers were removed long ago). A dominant feature on the stern at deck level is the heavy fairlead used by the sweeping equipment which was heavily engineered to ensure the sweep gear did not foul the stern-mounted depth-charge chutes. The stern 105mm gun survives. Moving inshore is a storage tank along the starboard side. The areas where the engine rooms were situated are largely devoid of heavy machinery, and with the three drum boilers the dominant features of the mid-section of the wreck. The remains of the forecastle and bow lie in very shallow water. The anchor hawse pipe on the port side lies on the seabed.
I.McCartney 2019
