Historic England has produced a digital model of the UK Royal Navy’s Town-class light cruiser HMS Falmouth, which was sunk by German U-boats during the First World War Battle of Jutland.

The model has been recreated in its final resting place off the Yorkshire coast and brings the Royal navy warship back to life after nearly 100 years.

HMS Falmouth was hit by two separate torpedoes in Bridlington Bay, which killed 12 crew members. It is the only substantial Jutland wreck of a Royal Navy warship to be lying in English waters.

Historic England senior investigator Wayne Cocroft said: “Throughout the First World War the sea off our coast was an intensely-fought battlefield with many casualties lost within sight of the shore.

“Aside from war memorials to those lost at sea, the traces of maritime battles are invisible to all but a few.

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"Digital 3D modelling and computer visualisation can recreate the appearance of lost vessels, aiding our understanding and remembrance of this largely forgotten conflict.”

“Modern technology is now being used to make our underwater heritage accessible to all. Digital 3D modelling and computer visualisation can recreate the appearance of lost vessels, aiding our understanding and remembrance of this largely forgotten conflict.”

Historic England used 3D technology and a new survey of the wreck, conducted in collaboration with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, in order to recreate the ship.

Results of the survey were combined with a 3D image of the builder’s model of HMS Falmouth that is held by the Imperial War Museum at Chatham Historic Dockyard.

Historic England had also commissioned Fjordr Limited to conduct new research on the history and significance of the ship, which led to the recovery of personal recollections, photographs and official documents.


Image: A 3D scan of HMS Falmouth superimposed on a seabed survey of the wreck. Photo: courtesy of Historic England.