91热爆 Two - War at Sea: Scotland's Story - The incredible story, told through archive photographs, of two industrialised superpowers鈥� fight in the North Sea a century ago

The incredible story, told through archive photographs, of two industrialised superpowers鈥� fight in the North Sea a century ago

An aerial view of a portion of the Grand Fleet at anchor in the Firth of Forth looking at the iconic rail bridge, taken from the British Airship R.9.

The battle for control of the North Sea during the First World War was a major factor in the power struggle to victory and was the main theatre of the war for naval action. Both German and British Navys were at the technical cutting edge of what was possible at sea, setting the stage for a series of battles that would test the resolve of both sides.

Scapa Flow in Orkney is the Northern Hemisphere’s greatest natural harbour and housed the British Grand Fleet. Navel bases in places like Rosyth and Invergordon also provided bases for warships to launch attacks. The battle of Jutland, the biggest sea battle of the war, was launched by Admiral Jellicoe's fleet from Scapa Flow and Admiral Beatty's battle cruiser force anchored in the Forth. Both were ordered to hunt down and attack the warships of Admiral Scheer’s Grand Fleet.

Admiral David Beatty (l), posing deliberately for the camera with his hat at its famous 'Beatty tilt', shortly after his appointment as the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet. Admiral John Rushworth Jellicoe (r), 1st Earl Jellicoe, who previously commanded the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916.

This vertical aerial photograph of Kirk Sound, Orkney, was taken during World War II by the Royal Air Force. This line of blockships is formed of disused ships sunk in position to stop U-boats penetrating Scapa Flow, between the Orkney Mainland and Lamb Holm island.

HMS Pathfinder was the lead ship of the Pathfinder class of scout cruisers, and was the first ship ever to be sunk by a locomotive torpedo fired by submarine. Built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, launched on 16 July 1904, and commissioned on 18 July 1905. She was originally to have been named HMS Fastnet, but was renamed prior to construction.

Squadron Commander E H Dunning attempting to land his Sopwith Pup on the flying-off deck of HMS Furious, Scapa Flow, 7 August 1917. Dunning was killed in operations when his aircraft veered off the flight deck and into the sea.

Naval ratings drawing a rum issue aboard the Royal Navy battleship HMS King George V. The rum ration (also called tot) was a daily amount of rum given to sailors on Royal Navy ships. It was abolished in 1970 after concerns that regular intakes of alcohol would lead to unsteady hands when working machinery.

Kaiser Wilhelm II (l) circa 1918, grandson of Queen Victoria was emperor of Germany and King of Prussia. He lived the rest of his life in exile at Doorn after his abdication at the end of the Great War. Admiral Reinhard Scheer (r) admiral in the German Navy. Scheer joined the navy in 1879 as an officer cadet. At the outbreak of World War I, Scheer was the commander of the II Battle Squadron of the High Seas Fleet. In January 1916, he was promoted to Admiral and given control of the High Seas Fleet. Scheer led the German fleet at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 鈥�1 June 1916.