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One of the famous World War I recruiting posters featuring Lord Kitchener’s image.

Lord Kitchener had been the driving force behind Britain’s recruitment campaign in the early years of World War I with his famous ‘YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU’ poster. But by 1916, he was being openly criticised for his war tactics and beliefs. In the years following his death, a bitter controversy would rage about the sinking of the ship he had been on, the Hampshire. Was it really a mine, as per the official explanation – or was it a bomb planted by German, Irish or even British saboteurs? Great play was made of the fact that the Stromness lifeboat had not put to sea to pick up survivors, and that locals trying to get to the scene to help in a shore search were turned back at bayonet point.

At the beginning of June 1916, Kitchener travelled north up through Britain to the port of Thurso and on 5 June he crossed the stormy Pentland Firth from Thurso to Scapa Flow in the destroyer Oak. He was received aboard HMS Iron Duke by Admiral Jellicoe and the flag officers of the British Grand Fleet, and listened at lunch with interest as they recounted their exploits in the Battle of Jutland, which had taken place only a few days earlier.