HMS Vanguard - 100 Years Underwater: Visualisation of a War Grave

843 men died when the battleship HMS Vanguard suffered a series of accidental yet catastrophic cordite explosions in Orkney on 9th July 1917. The site has lain undisturbed since its designation as controlled site in 2002 meaning no diving can take place with out special permission from the UK Ministry of Defence. Over the winter of 2016/2017 a self-funded teams of volunteer divers were granted a license to survey the wreck and debris field. Bringing together expertise in WWI warships, photography, videography, 3D photogrammetry, remote survey, munitions and explosive effects, including serving members of the Royal Navy, to document the ship for the centenary of her loss. The talk will share the story of Vanguard while focusing on the challenges and solutions of digital documentation and visualisation of such a complicated site. Archive material and ships plans will be shown alongside new digital imagery and 3D models. Together these both illustrate the ship as she was and illuminate our understanding of the layout and distribution of the wreck site today