The Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery in Hoy is one of the largest sites the Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains in the UK.

It's the final resting place of more than six hundred men who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars. The cemetery was opened in 1915 when Scapa Flow was the home base of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet. it includes graves of those lost onboard HMS Hampshire, HMS Vanguard, HMS Narborough and HMS Opal in Orkney waters during WWI.

There are 200 burials from WWII, including 26 men from HMS Royal Oak. The cemetery also contains the graves of 14 German Navy sailors, three German airmen and one German sailor from WWII, as well as a Norwegian sailor from the same conflict.

The graves and grounds are maintained to an incredibly high standard by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The cemetery is a special place to visit, to reflect on conflict and Orkney's role in both World Wars.