In 1926, the people of Orkney erected the Kitchener Memorial at Marwick Head, overlooking the site of the tragedy. It was long thought that about 650 men, including Kitchener, died when HMS Hampshire was lost. But recent research has revealed that the final death toll was 737.

To better remember the loss of those aboard HMS Hampshire, the Orkney Heritage Society raised funds and erected a new wall next to the Kitchener Memorial, engraved with the names of all 737 men lost. The Society also raised funds to restore the existing Kitchener Memorial.

Also commemorated on the new memorial are the nine men killed when HM Drifter Laurel Crown hit another of the mines during minesweeping operations on 22 June 1916.

On the evening of Sunday 5 June 2016 there was a commemoration at the Kitchener Memorial at Marwick Head in Birsay to mark the centenary of the loss of HMS Hampshire, during which the new memorial wall was unveiled.

Fundraising

Fundraising has gone well but we are still short of our target. Anyone who wishes to donate towards the project please email kitchener.memorial@gmail.com or send a cheque payable to Orkney Heritage Society to:

Orkney Heritage Society,
PO Box 6220,
Kirkwall,
KW15 9AD.