“Reminds us of the courage and immense sacrifices made by Orcadians, and tells of the efforts made by the British to protect their remote islanders. Superb.” —Books Monthly Orkney was a key strategic location during the Second World War. The vast anchorage of Scapa Flow was the main haven for the Royal Navy’s Home Fleet, making it a prime target for the Luftwaffe, and attempts to bomb the anchorage were made from the beginning of the war. In the early hours of 14 October 1940, a German submarine apparently penetrated Scapa Flow’s defenses and managed to sink the aging battleship HMS Royal Oak with the loss of 834 of her crew, including many boy sailors. The loss spurred changes to the defenses of Scapa Flow, which hugely impacted Orkney. Orcadians also made a huge contribution to the war effort through farming and in providing support to the thousands of sailors, soldiers and airmen who were based locally. Orcadians also raised considerable funds and gathered much-needed items, including scrap metal and even sphagnum moss for use in the treatment of wounds. Large numbers of Orcadians worked in the fishing industry and this was a staple supplier of food for the islands, as well as a key employer. The men aboard the trawlers were used to danger, but the war ramped this up even further as many became prey to German attacks from the air. Although isolated from the mainland, the people of Orkney made a very substantial contribution to the war effort and many paid the ultimate price, losing their lives in the service of their country. “Another beautiful volume for the series.” —On the Old Barbed Wire

Orkney's Italian Chapel was built by Italian POWs held on the island during the Second World War. In the sixty-five years since it was built it has become an enduring symbol of peace and hope around the world. The story of who built the chapel and how it came into existence and survived against all the odds is both fascinating and inspiring. Author Philip Paris's extensive research into the creation of the Italian Chapel has uncovered many new facts, and this comprehensive new book is the definitive account of the chapel and those who built it. It is a book that has waited to be written for sixty-five years.

Originally published: Peppard Common, Oxfordshire: Cressrelles Pub., 1980.

Orkney 1942. Forbidden lovers, divided by war, united by a secret act of creation. Amid the turmoil of the Second World War, a group of Italian prisoners is sent to the remote Orkney island of Lamb Holm. In the freezing conditions, hunger and untold hardships of Camp 60, this ragtag band must work together to survive. Domenico, a talented artist, is among them. He inspires his comrades to create a symbol of peace during these dark days of war, and out of driftwood and scrap they build the Italian chapel: a beacon of hope and beauty in a world ravaged by war. The chapel soon becomes a place of love, too. When Giuseppe, another POW, falls for local woman Fiona, he decides to hide a token of his love there . . . the secret of which is unveiled for the first time in The Italian Chapel. Based on an incredible true story, this heartbreaking and inspiring tale tells of forbidden passion, lifelong friendships and the triumph of the human spirit.

A strategically important natural harbor in the Orkney Islands, Scapa Flow served as Britain's main fleet anchorage during World Wars I and II. In 1914 and again in 1939, the British began building a comprehensive defensive network by fortifying the entrances to Scapa Flow, and then extended these defenses to cover most of Orkney. By 1940, it had become an island fortress, the largest integrated defensive network of its kind in Europe, manned by as many as 50,000 Commonwealth troops. Backed by newly commissioned artwork, naval historian Angus Konstam tells the story of this mighty naval fortress, many pieces of which can still be seen on the island today.

This vivid history chronicles the legendary Royal Navy base through WWI and WWII with eyewitness accounts and photos—“a fascinating book” (Scots Magazine). Scapa Flow was one of the greatest naval bases in history. Located in the Orkney Islands, it played a vital role in the two great wars of the twentieth century. It was from there that the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet sailed to Jutland in 1916. It was also the site of The Great Scuttle of the German High Seas Fleet after the First World War. Lord Kitchener disembarked from Scapa aboard the HMS Hampshire, headed for talks with the Tsar of Russia, before the ship was tragically sunk by a mine off Marwick Head. In the water of Scapa lie the wrecks of the HMS Vanguard, blown apart by an explosion in 1917, and the HMS Royal Oak, sunk by Gunther Prien of U-47 in a spectacular raid at the beginning of World War Two. It is also where Italian POWs built both the spectacular Churchill causeways and the exquisite Italian chapel at Lamb Holm crafted from Nissan huts. In Scapa, historian James Miller tells the story of this beautiful, bleak anchorage, weaving eyewitness accounts and personal experience into the larger narrative. Illustrated with archival photographs throughout, this volume captures the spirit and activity of Scapa Flow when it was the home of thousands of service personnel.