Fallen Oak: Revealing the wreck of HMS Royal Oak

Kieran Duncan (Film-maker), Chris Rowland (Producer), Kieran Baxter (Videographer), Alice Watterson (Videographer)

Research output: Non-textual formDigital or Visual Products

Abstract

On the 14th October 1939 HMS Royal Oak was torpedoed by German U-Boat 47 while she sat at anchor in Scapa Bay, Orkney. Of the 1259 men on board, 835 were killed. Over 100 of them were boy sailors between 15-17 years old. The event still resonates with the relatives of those lost and the people of Orkney, a painful loss for an island community witness to such tragedy at what was believed to be a safe anchorage.

This film chronicles the extensive visual survey efforts of a small international team of volunteer civilian divers. The team use pioneering underwater survey and visualisation techniques to document the wreck as she rests on the seabed today.

The site is a designated war grave and special permission was granted by the Secretary of State for Defence for the team to document the last resting place of the 835 men and boys who lost their lives.

The project is part of a collaboration with the Royal Oak Association and the Royal Navy, and aims to ensure that HMS Royal Oak is never forgotten.
Original languageEnglish
PublisherUniversity of Dundee
Media of outputFilm
Size26:31
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • hms royal oak
  • fallen oak
  • visualisation
  • documentary

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Dive into the research topics of 'Fallen Oak: Revealing the wreck of HMS Royal Oak'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
  • The Wrecks of Scapa: A Digital Exploration

    Rowland, C., 2022, Scapa Flow Legacy: Orkney and the German High Seas Fleet. Edmonds, M. & Park, J. (eds.). Orcadian (Kirkwall Press), 10 p.

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

  • Royal Navy War Graves

    Rowland, C., 2021, University of Dundee.

    Research output: Other contribution

  • The Fallen Oak

    Rowland, C. (Artist), 15 Aug 2007

    Research output: Non-textual formDigital or Visual Products

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