To mark the centenary of the loss of HMS Falmouth, the only substantial wreck in English waters of a Royal Navy warship that fought at the Battle of Jutland, Historic England (HE) has produced a digital 3D model of the ship.
Based on a builder’s model held by the Imperial War Museum at Chatham Historic Dockyard, it is superimposed on the results of a recent seabed survey of the wreck as it lies in Bridlington Bay off the Yorkshire coast. This was carried out in partnership with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency.
Built in 1910, HMS Falmouth was one of 21 fast and well-armed Town-class light cruisers built to support naval operations, and was the flagship of the Third Light Cruiser Squadron at Jutland, WW1’s biggest naval engagement. Part of Vice-Admiral Beatty’s battle-cruiser fleet, she engaged several German light cruisers and torpedoed the battle-cruiser Lützow.
It was only a few weeks later, on 20 August, that HMS Falmouth was herself struck by torpedoes in two U-boat attacks, and sank with the loss of 12 crew.
“Modern technology is now being used to make our underwater heritage accessible to all,” said HE Senior Investigator Wayne Cocroft. “Digital 3D modelling and computer visualisation can recreate the appearance of lost vessels, aiding our understanding and remembrance of this largely forgotten conflict.”
HE also commissioned Fjordr Ltd to research the history and significance of HMS Falmouth, and it came up with personal recollections, photographs and official documents from various archives.
The digital 3D model of the wreck can be viewed here and a leaflet called The Wreck of HMS Falmouth can be downloaded there.
Historic England has commissioned more research on North Sea wartime wrecks, which can be found here
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