Available from all good booksellers, HMS Pheasant 1917, who were the lost men and boys, charts the lives of the 89 men who died when the M-Class Destroyer struck a mine and exploded on 1st March 1917 off Rora Head, Hoy, Orkney.

The book lists all 89 men and includes information about their lives, their families, and the communities they came from. Many of the men were experienced seamen but some had only recently been conscripted into service.

For most people, when they think of the First World War, those horrendous images of men covered in mud in the trenches of the Western Front come into mind. It was, however, a truly world war, on Land, on Sea, and in the air. The Royal Navy was the finest in the world patrolling Britain’s large Empire and trading routes. The book catalogues all the vessels the men served on both before and during WW1.

The book contains 62 images, including the men, (unfortunately not all 89), the area the tragedy took place, and what Orkney was like during this period.

The author, Fiona Grahame, has been researching the lives of the men for several years and says that she is deeply indebted to descendants of the men, to local history groups, and to several local historians, especially Brian Budge, in being able to finally pull her research together into one volume.

Retailing for £19.99, HMS Pheasant 1917, is the latest publication from Orkney News Ltd. This book is a must read for all those interested in the history of the Royal Navy and World War 1. It also explores a Britain at a time of societal and political momentous change . Most importantly it remembers the men who died on that fateful day on the 1st March 1917. Lest We Forget.