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Sms G38: Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney

Destroyer (20th Century)

Site Name Sms G38: Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney

Classification Destroyer (20th Century)

Alternative Name(s) G-38; Hoy; Fara; Rysa Little; Mill Bay

Canmore ID 102999

Site Number ND39NW 8057

NGR ND 3141 9680

Datum Datum not recorded

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102999

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

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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

ND39NW 8057 3141 9680

N58 51.2167 W3 11.3333

NLO: Gutter Sound [name centred ND 316 968]

Mill Bay [name centred ND 307 955]

Fara [name: ND 329 959]

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)

ND39NW 8016 S52 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8019 S53 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8020 G89 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8021 S55 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8022 G91 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8024 S32 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8026 G86 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8027 G39 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8031 G40 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8032 B110 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8033 B112 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8034 B109 (destroyer: initial location)

ND39NW 8036 G104 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8037 G101 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8038 V83 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8044 G103 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8053 B109 (destroyer: identity uncertain)

ND39NW 8055 S56 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8058 H145 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8059 B111 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8062 V127 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8063 V126 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8064 V125 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8065 V82 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8066 V81 (destroyer: initial location)

ND39NW 8067 V70 (destroyer)

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)

ND39NW 8076 V78 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8077 S65 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8078 V46 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8079 V44 (destroyer: secondary location)

ND39NW 8080 S138 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8082 G102 (destroyer)

ND39NW 8083 S132 (destroyer)

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).

Formerly entered as ND39NW 8950

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 G38: no. I flotilla, with G39, G40 (leader), G86, V129 and S32.

D Van der Vat 1986.

Raised by Cox and Danks, 1928.

P L Smith 1989.

Listed among 'German salvage sites' with destroyers SMS G39 (ND39NW 8027), S52 (ND39NW 8016), S53 (ND39NW 8019) and S55 (ND39NW 8016). Attributed to No. 1 Flotilla.

G Ridley 1992.

Horizontal Datum = UND

Circumstances of Loss Details

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

The German destroyer G38 was scuttled.

Surveying Details

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

1919. A dangerous wreck, with the least depth of 7.7 metres, is reported at 58 51 13N, 003 11 20W.

1924. The vessel was salvaged. See S32, another wreck in same position.

Report by CO Scott 356.

1924. The vessel was moved to Mill Bay

1925. The vessel is being salvaged.

1928. The vessel is being used in connection with the raising of SEYDLITZ.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

This vessel is considered a 'casualty' rather than a craft on account of its successful salvage, the available evidence being written rather than material. In the absence of diver survey, however, artifacts, fittings and, possibly, structural elements may survive on or in the seabed at the location of scuttling. Depressions in the seabed may also represent the locations of the turrets or superstructure.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 10 January 2003.

Length: 261ft (79.6m)

Beam: 27ft 6ins (8.4m)

Displacement: 822/1051 tons

Propulsion: steam turbines; 2 propellers; 24,000/25,000 hp; 33/36 kts

Armament: 3 x 89mm (3.5in) guns; 6 x 60cm (19.7in) torpedo tubes; 24 mines

Complement: 85/100

This ship was built by Krupp's Germania Yard, Kiel, launched on 23 December 1914, and completed in 1915 as the second unit of the six-strong G37 class. She was raised by Cox and Danks on 27 September 1924, and scrapped in 1928.

The cited location of this vessel is evidently primary. It falls within the northern central part of Gutter Sound, about 400m ENE of Ruberry, Hoy.

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; S C George 1999; [Jane] 2001.

HO chart no. 35 (1980, revised 1991).

References

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