Orkney Image Library

I'm assuming that North is at the top here. What happened to the blockships, for they are not there now?

I dont know why, but I always imagined that the blockships were on the east side of No 1 barrier.

I wonder which of the gaps between the ships was used by Prien on U47 back in October 1939. Was the gap he used sealed up again?

No change of an enlargement Steven?

if the pic is 1941 I think more blockships were added after the Royal Oak was sunk.

There were no more blockships sunk after this photo was taken. The Gambhira next the Holm shore, and one or two ships nearer Lamb Holm were sunk after the Royal Oak was lost. Ron

I have almost finished writing a book about the Pentland Firth ferries and would welcome to possibilty of including this image. May I have permission to do so?

As the photo was taken by a German spy plane I dont think there could be any objections . Ron

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I'm glad the Luftwaffe have relaxed their security since 1940! Great photo for all that. Roy

OOh best to check, as all the scottish Luftwaffe ariel images are held in the care of The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland and pretty sure they retain the copyright.

OOh A'm sorry, bit as a peedie boy in the vilage peepan up at the German plane as it geed ower I didna think anybody wid own the photo. Ya niver ken nooadays ?? Ron.

Well in that case you'd have been looking up at at a Photo Reconnaissance Unit Spitfire on 4th July 1942 as this is picture WL10 no 2.22. The Crown still holds copyright but permission is easy to get from www.rcahms.gov.uk as well as hundreds of other orkney aerial shots.

Many thanks Graham. I have contacted RCA to seek permission to publish. We'll see what happens.

Shouldn't be any problems, I've used them a lot in dissertions. It's really just a formality and the good thing is they send you an excellent high resolution copy of the image too!