hood

Historic footage of HMS Hood on the Clyde and at sea, painting a picture of the ship and her crew and some of the places that they visited, then moving on to underwater footage of the discovery of her wreck in the Denmark Strait in 2001. Compiled and edited by Rob White. This is the closing event in a weekend of events marking the 80th anniversary of HMS Hood’s final departure from Scapa Flow on March 21st 1941. The programme is organised by Another Orkney Production and hosted by Orkney International Science Festival. Friday 21 May - pm HMS HOOD, LAST OF HER KIND Discussion with Commander William Sutherland RN (retired), Commander David Hobbs, MBE RN (retired), Rear Admiral Philip Wilcocks, Graeme Lunn, and Rob White. Introduced by Captain Chris Smith, Regional Commander RN Scotland and Northern Ireland. - pm THE HMS HOOD ASSOCIATION The Association’s chairman, Cdr William Sutherland, with its vice-chairman Rob White and its president Rear Admiral Philip Wilcocks, describes its work and how it was established in 1975 by a group of former crew members including two of the three survivors of the sinking. Members of the society include family members of sailors lost with the ship, veteran sailors and enthusiasts interested in naval history. Saturday 22 May - pm BUILDING HMS HOOD Renowned maritime historian and author Ian Johnston tells the story of the ship’s construction at the John Brown shipyard, Clydebank, from receipt of the order in April 1916 to completion in January 1920, using photographs taken by the resident shipyard photographers, by courtesy of the National Records of Scotland. - pm HMS HOOD TO AUSTRALIA Naval historian Graeme Lunn gives an account of HMS Hood’s visit to Australia and the Empire Cruise of 1923-4. - pm ORKNEY’S ROLE IN THE HUNT FOR BISMARCK Naval historian and author Commander David Hobbs describes how the movement of ships in Scapa Flow was controlled in wartime; the events from Hood’s departure from the Flow on Friday 21st 1941 up to her loss in the Denmark Strait; and the critical role played by 771 Naval Air Squadron and RNAS Hatston. - pm FILM: FOR YEARS UNSEEN Rob White’s documentary tells the story of the recovery of HMS Hood’s ship’s bell (with thanks to Paul G. Allen) after many years’ hard work by renowned wreck finder David Mearns who first discovered the ship in 2001 for a Channel 4 series about the great battlecruiser. The title is derived from Lost Sailors, a book of poetry by Bee Kenchington, whose brother was lost with the Hood. - pm FOR YEARS UNSEEN; DISCUSSION ON THE FILM An opportunity for questions and discussion of the film For Years Unseen with the filmmaker Rob White and world-renowned marine researcher and wreck finder David Mearns who is featured in the film, along with Cdr William Sutherland, Cdr David Hobbs, Rear Admiral Philip Wilcocks, Ian Johnston and Graeme Lunn. Rob White’s film tells the story of the recovery of the ship’s bell from HMS Hood. - pm HMS HOOD: HISTORIC FOOTAGE