GREAT SALVAGE FEAT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 4 September 1934, Page 5

GREAT SALVAGE FEAT

BATTLE CRUISER BAYERN RAISED AT SCAPA FLOW (United Press Association—By Electrio Tel eeraph—Copyright) (“Times” Cables) LONDON,, 3rd September. A great salvage feat was achieved _ at Scapa Flow when the battle cruiser Bayern, of 28,000 tons was raised 20 fathoms in thirty seconds, after nine months' arduous preparation. The Bayern presented unusual difficulties. She was upside-down, necessitating the fitting of seven airlocks of unprecedented length. Numerous disappointments prevented success. The Bayern was actually brought to the surface a fortnight ago, but was listing so dangerously that the salvors were compelled to sink her again. She is to be broken up..

The references to the Bayern scuttled at Scapa Flow on 21st June 1919, recall naval incidents at the close of the war. Under the terms of the Armistice, ten German battleships, six battle cruisers, eight light cruisers, fifty destroyers and all submarines were to be surrendered. On Wednesday, 20th November a long line of submarines began its dolorous journey to Harwich and was met there by Rear-Admiral Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt with his flotillas 35 miles from the Essex coast. They passed into Harwich in. dead silence. Not a sound arose from the vast crowds watching them on shore and sea. On 21st November the battleships of Germany’s proud navy were surrendered to Admiral Beatty. The disposal of the German ships gave rise to lively argument. Great Britain wanted to destroy them all, France to add her share to her fleet. Tlie question was complicated by the Germans scuttling most of their ships at Scapa on Gist June—eleven battleships and five battle cruisers. Germany gained little by this act, she had to hand over in default of the battleships 300,000 tons of floating docks, her remaining light cruisers in place of the cruisers, and 42,000 tons of floating cranes, tugs and dredges instead of the destroyers.