7th December 11.30 am. '"Jutland 1916": The Archaeology of a Naval Battlefield', Dr Innes McCartney

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• The Battle of Jutland was the largest naval battle and the only full-scale clash of battleships in the First World War. For years the myriad factors contributing to the loss of many of the ships remained a mystery, subject only to speculation and theory. In this book, marine archaeologist and historian Dr Innes McCartney reveals for the first time what became of the warships that vanished on the night of 31st May 1916, examining the circumstances behind the loss of each ship and reconciling what was known in 1916 to what the archaeology is revealing today. The knowledge of what was present was transformed in 2015 by a groundbreaking survey using the modern technology of multi-beam. This greatly assisted in unravelling the details behind several Jutland enigmas, not least the devastating explosions which claimed five major British warships, the details of the wrecks of the 13 destroyers lost in the battle and the German warships scuttled during the night phase. This is the first book to identify the locations of many of the wrecks, and scandalously how more than half of these sites have been illegally plundered for salvage, despite their status as war graves. An essential and revelatory read for anyone interested in naval history and marine archaeology.

 

• Dr. Innes J. McCartney is a British nautical archaeologist, explorer, historian and author and currently an Honorary Research Fellow at Bournemouth University. McCartney is a nautical archaeologist who over the last 25 years has specialised in the discovery of and investigation into twentieth century shipwrecks including the wrecks of the Battle of Jutland and many British and German submarines. He has appeared regularly on documentaries such as Time Team Special and is a popular speaker at conferences. A key element of his work is the interaction between the archaeology and historical accounts of shipwrecks and how the differences which arise often challenge the historical record. In 2001 he discovered the wreck of HMS Indefatigable sunk at the Battle of Jutland and in 2003 co-produced the Channel 4documentary "Clash of the Dreadnoughts" which examined all of the larger wrecks, including detailed surveys of HMS Defence andHMS Invincible. Many dives and archaelogical studies ensued and Dr McCartney is a regular presenter on radio and television. His latest book entitled 'Jutland 1916' was published in May.

 

Venue:  

11.30 am The Cutty Sark Pub just five minutes east of the Naval College,

4-6 Ballast Quay
Greenwich
London
SE10 9PD

 

Cost

£12 for the lecture or £10 for London Historians and past attendees plus the cost of the light lunch / bar snacks afterwards

Numbers are strictly limited so please book early.