The scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet at Scapa Flow, Orkney on 21 June 1919 on the orders of Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter was one of the most extraordinary events in naval history. To the astonishment of those who witnessed it, one of the most powerful navies in history began to sink, and by late morning, ten battleships, six battlecruisers, eight light cruisers and a host of smaller ships lay on the seabed.

But what happened after was equally bizarre. Although at the time the Admiralty stated that raising ships was impossible, within a few years Scapa Flow became a scene of one of the largest salvage operations ever undertaken. In this book, S.C. George tells the story of the German High Seas Fleet, from its origins to its role during the Battle of Jutland and subsequent surrender and scuttling, and also celebrates the ingenuity, courage and resourcefulness of those who raised the Kaiser's great navy from its watery grave.