The SMS Brummer was a minelayer of 4'308 tonnes for a length of 141m, 13.5m at the beam and a draught of 6m. She was powered by two engines developing 46'000 hp. Each of the engines was connected to a propeller and she was able to reach a maximum speed of 28 knots. Her armament consisted of 360 mines and for her defence of only four 150mm canons and two 85mm anti-aircraft. Her crew was made of 457 men and 23 officers.

Launched on the 11th of December 1915 from the G. Vulcan shipyard at Settin on the Baltic coast as the SMS Brummer, she was commissioned in August 1916. In October 1917, she took part in operations against commercial shipping supplying Britain. On the 16th of October, she went to sea with the SMS Bremse to intercept a convoy that left Gergen heading for Lerwick. The mercant ships were escorted by two armed trawlers, Elise and P.Fannon and two M class destroyers, HMS Mary Rose and HMS Strongbow. As down broke on the 17th of October, both German vessels surprised and sunk the Strongbow and the Mary Rose. The totally outclassed trawlers with three mercant ships made good their escape but the commanders of SMS Brummer (Captain Leonhardi) and SMS Bremse (Captain Westerkamp) opened fire on the rest of the mercant ships aswell as the Elise that came back to pick up survivors without giving their crew the time to abandon ship. The three mercant ships and P.Fannon arrived later in the day at Lerwick to report the massacre reinforcing world opinion that Germany's sea warfare was inhuman. Following this event, Britain added heavier ships to her convoy escort. At this time America entered the war boosting Britain's fleet by six battleships rendering Germany's surface fleet almost hopeless. This ended the operations of SMS Brummer and SMS Bremse. At the meeting of the Fleets the 21st of November 1918, the SMS Brummer was the fifth ship in line of German cruisers. On the 27th of November, she entered the bay of Scapa Flow for internment. On the 21st of June 1919 at 13h05, SMS Brummer disappeared beneath the surface after receiving her last order to scuttle.

The wreck of SMS Brummer is most certainly one of the best conserved of what is left of the German Fleet. In an often murky water she lies on starboard. The bow is in excellent state. Mooring chains are still mounted on the capstans. Just aft is the 150mm canon and the armed (96mm of steel) control tower mounted with its viewing slits ringed round it. From the safety of this protected area the captain and officers would direct while in battle. Behind the control tower the superstructure are partially collapsed including both masts. In the vicinity of the boilers and engine room she has carried extensive blasting by salvagers allowing the penetration and a stroll along the port gangway where a little bit of light shines trough the portholes.

The major difficulty is the cold water. BEWARE upon penetration, the structures are collapsing and silt can rapidly change the visibility. Nitrox 32 would be the gas of choice for this dive.