Cruiser · 1916–1919 · Orkney, United Kingdom
SMS Brummer
SMS Brummer, a German cruiser built in 1916 and scuttled in 1919, lies at 22–36 metres off Orkney, United Kingdom.
Brummer earned her name — "Growler" in German — in October 1917, when she and her sister Bremse ambushed a British convoy bound for Norway and left two destroyers and nine merchant ships on the seabed in a single action. A century on, she lies on her starboard side in Cava Sound, one of the few German warships that salvage teams never touched.
Mine rails run along the deck where 400 contact mines once sat ready for deployment, and scattered arsenal pieces litter the seabed around the hull.
- Type
- CruiserGerman
- Year built
- 1916AG Vulcan, Stettin
- Lost
- June 21st, 1919Scuttled
- Casualties
- 0World War I — Scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet
- Length
- 140 m13 m beam
- Depth
- 22–36 m
- Location
- Orkney, United KingdomScapa Flow
6 of 7 facts above are cited in Sources below.
Deeper than 119 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
History and LossLost June 21st, 1919 · Scuttled · World War I — Scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet · Orkney, United Kingdom.
Fast minelaying cruiser armed with 4 x 15cm guns, 2 x 8.8cm AA guns, capable of carrying 400 mines. In October 1917, Brummer and sister ship Bremse raided a British convoy to Norway, sinking HMS Mary Rose, HMS Doris, and nine merchant ships. Never raised for scrapping — one of the most complete wrecks in the Flow.
Built 1916 by AG Vulcan, Stettin; 3 years in service. Lost June 21st, 1919, scuttled during World War I — Scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet.
Condition of the WreckLargely intact, lying on starboard side, in 22–36 m.
Intactness
Lies on starboard side in 36m. Arsenal scattered on the seafloor. Many impressive features remain, including the iconic brass bridge. Never raised for scrapping.
Notable Features
- Brass bridge — iconic Scapa Flow sight
- Arsenal scattered on seabed
- Mine rails
- Hull features well preserved
Regulations and RestrictionsProtected site · Permit required.
This is a legally protected site. Scheduled monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (Historic Environment Scotland). A permit is required to dive this site. Diving permit required from Orkney Islands Council Harbours department.
No artefact removal — scheduled monument.
Additional Details17 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Nationality
- German
- Flag
- German Empire
- Builder
- AG Vulcan, Stettin
- Propulsion
- Steam turbine
- Loss date
- June 21st, 1919
- Conflict / event
- World War I — Scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet
- Latitude
- 58.90° N
- Longitude
- 3.15° W
- Water body
- Scapa Flow
- Protection regime
- Scheduled Monument / Scapa Flow Historic Marine Protected Area
- Artefact restrictions
- No artefact removal — scheduled monument
- Restrictions
- Diving permit required from Orkney Islands Council Harbours department
- War grave
- No
- Protected
- Yes
- Permit required
- Yes
- Condition
- Largely intact
- Orientation
- On starboard side
Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.
- Historic Environment Scotland (Canmore, NRHE)inspire.hes.scot · Official record12 facts
- UK Hydrographic Officedatahub.admiralty.co.uk · Official record4 facts
- Historic Environment Scotland (Canmore)portal.historicenvironment.scot · Official record1 fact
- Scapa Flow Wrecksscapaflowwrecks.com · Secondary source16 facts
- divers-guide.comdivers-guide.com · Secondary source7 facts
- michaelmcfadyenscuba.infomichaelmcfadyenscuba.info · Secondary source6 facts
- militaer-wissen.de (archived)militaer-wissen.de · Secondary source4 facts
- divemagazine.comdivemagazine.com · Secondary source3 facts
- scapa-flow.co.ukscapa-flow.co.uk · Secondary source3 facts
- Scottish Shipwrecksscottishshipwrecks.com · Secondary source3 facts
- greec.free.frgreec.free.fr · Secondary source1 fact
- naval-encyclopedia.comnaval-encyclopedia.com · Secondary source1 fact
- shipwreckology.comshipwreckology.com · Secondary source1 fact
- Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · Background reading8 facts
Background reading is listed for context and is not counted as a citation for the facts above.
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Historic Environment Scotland.
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.
A further 6 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.
Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SMS Brummer?
SMS Brummer is the wreck of a cruiser, off Orkney, United Kingdom, at 36 metres. SMS Brummer was scuttled in 1919.
How deep is the SMS Brummer?
SMS Brummer lies at 22 to 36 metres, Cava Sound, Scapa Flow.
How did the SMS Brummer sink?
SMS Brummer was scuttled on June 21st, 1919 during World War I — Scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet, off Orkney, United Kingdom. No lives were lost.
Is the SMS Brummer protected?
Yes. SMS Brummer is protected: scheduled monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (Historic Environment Scotland).