This year sees the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Jutland, 31st May - 1st June 1916. This Sea Battle claimed 6784 British lives and 3058 German lives.
(IWM Q 64302) In the distance the British battlecruiser HMS INDEFATIGABLE sinking after being struck by shells from the German battlecruiser VON DER TANN first in "X" magazine and then once she had limped out of the line she was hit by another salvo on the foredeck, the resulting explosion then destroying her. All but two of INDEFATIGABLE's crew of 1,119 were killed in the blast.
The Battle of Jutland (known as the Battle of Skagerrak in Germany), fought between the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet (which also included ships and individual personnel from the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Canadian Navy) against the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet on 31st May and 1st June 1916, was the largest surface naval battle of the metal ship era, the only major fleet action of World War 1, and the last major fleet action that the participants will ever fight.
It also played a key role in the demise of the reputation of the battlecruiser, saw the first use of a carrier based aircraft in battle and is one of the most controversial naval actions in the Royal Navy's long history.
The British Navy in the North Sea was based in Rosyth, Cromarty and Scapa Flow. Here it could protect the central and northern areas of the North Sea and stop the German High Seas Fleet from getting into the Atlantic where it could cause huge problems for Britain’s merchant fleet. The British believed that the Germans would not try to rush the English Channel and face the might of the British Navy based in Portsmouth and Plymouth. Therefore, it was reckoned that the German Navy could only operate in the North Sea.
In May, Scheer ordered Admiral von Hipper to sea with 40 ships to move along the Danish coast. Unfortunately for the Germans, British Naval intelligence had broken the German code and was aware of its enemy's intentions and the news of this movement reached Admiral Jellicoe in Rosyth. He saw this movement of such a large force as a provocative move and ordered the Grand Fleet to put to sea. The Battle of Jutland began on the afternoon of May 31st, 1916 and lasted well into the night.
Involving some 250 ships and 100,000 men, this battle off Denmark’s North Sea coast was the only major naval surface engagement of World War I.
The British flotilla was comprised of 151 British, Australian, and Canadian ships. The composition included 28 battleships, 9 battlecruisers, 8 armoured cruisers, 26 light cruisers, 78 destroyers, 1 minelayer, and 1 seaplane.
Involving some 250 ships and 100,000 men, this battle off Denmark’s North Sea coast was the only major naval surface engagement of World War I.
The British flotilla was comprised of 151 British, Australian, and Canadian ships. The composition included 28 battleships, 9 battlecruisers, 8 armoured cruisers, 26 light cruisers, 78 destroyers, 1 minelayer, and 1 seaplane.
When the main warships met, British Admiral John Jellicoe maneuvered his boats to take advantage of the fading daylight, scoring dozens of direct hits that eventually forced German Admiral Reinhard Scheer into retreat. Both sides claimed victory in this indecisive battle, though Britain retained control of the North Sea.
British losses amounted to approximately 6,784 men and 111,000 tons of ship, and German losses to approximately 3,058 men and 62,000 tons of ship.
British losses amounted to approximately 6,784 men and 111,000 tons of ship, and German losses to approximately 3,058 men and 62,000 tons of ship.
© IWM (SP 2470) A huge cloud of smoke rises when HMS QUEEN MARY blows up thirty eight minutes into the battle of Jutland after being struck by a salvo from the German battlecruiser DERFFLINGER. QUEEN MARY blew up after being hit by two 12 inch shells on "A" and "B" turret and their respective magazines were detonated, 1,266 men lost their lives.
The Germans claimed that Jutland was a victory for them as they had sunk more capital ships than the British. Jellicoe claimed that the victory belonged to the British as his fleet was still a sea worthy entity whereas the German High Seas fleet was not. The British did lose more ships (14 ships) than the Germans (11 ships), but the German fleet was never again to be in a position to put to sea and challenge the British Navy in the North Sea.
The British losses of major ships were sudden and spectacular, caused by the weakness of their defensive armour that allowed German shells to pierce the British ships magazine holds resulting in massive explosions.
The British losses of major ships were sudden and spectacular, caused by the weakness of their defensive armour that allowed German shells to pierce the British ships magazine holds resulting in massive explosions.
Losses at the Battle of Jutland
Britain lost: Battlecruisers - Indefatigable, Queen Mary and Invincible. Armoured Cruisers - Black Prince, Defence and Warrior, Destroyers – Ardent, Fortune, Nestor, Nomad, Shark, Sparrowhawk, Tipperary and Turbulent. Fourteen ships, with a loss of approximately 6,784 Crew.
Germany lost: Battlecruiser - Lutzow, Armoured Cruiser - Pommern, Light Cruisers - Elbing, Frauenlob, Rostock, Wiesbaden, Destroyers - , S35, V4, V27, V29, V48. Eleven ships with a loss of approximately 3,058 Crew.
British dry dock repairs completion dates: Tiger 1.7.1916, Barham 4.7.1916, Malaya 10.7.1916, Warspite 20.7.1916, Princess Royal 21.7.1916, Marlbourgh 2.8.1916, Lion 13.9.1916. Seven ships damaged.
German dry dock repairs completion dates: Heligoland 16.6.1916, Grosser and Kurfurst 16.7.1916, Markgraf 20.7.1916, Konig 21.7.1916, Ostfriesland 26.7.1916, Moltke 30.7.1916, Von der Tann 2.8.1916, Seydlitz 16.9.1916. Nine ships damaged.
Some of the casualties:-
4pm Lion very badly hit on Q turret. Major Harvey, fatally wounded, orders magazine doors closed and flooded (men inside are sacrificed) posthumus VC awarded.
4.26 pm Queen Mary struck by salvo, almost instantaneously, a terrific upheaval and a dense cloud of smoke rose high in the air. Tiger was behind her, passed through the smoke, heavy fall of debris on her decks, no sign of Queen Mary. 1266 crewmen died, eighteen survived
6.15 pm Defence and Warrior had been engaging enemy LCs crossed ahead of Lion and were exposed to heavy enemy fire. Defence blew up and sank, Warrior received severe damage but was saved when Warspite’s steering jammed and she kept turning in circles around her. Engadine took Warrior in tow but she sank before reaching harbour. Warspite badly damaged and ordered back to harbour (Rosyth).
6.34 pm Lutzow badly damaged. Hipper had to move his flag ship Seydlitz, also badly damaged and then to Molke.
Invincible at head of line badly hit, blew up and sank. Later her bow and stern were just visible, midships resting on the bottom, she had broken in two. 1026 killed, only six survived.
11.25 pm Fourth Destroyer Flotilla comes into action with a large ship, Broke hit by shells destroying her lower bridge and jamming her helm. She hits Sparrowhawk and they are then rammed by another. Five feet of her stern cut off. Tipperary was set on fire and sank (185 lives). German Elbing was abandoned and sank.
12.10 am Black Prince which had lost touch with main fleet when she closed on the rear of the First German Squadron and was sunk at point blank range.
1.48 am German Lutzow sinking.
2.06 am Leader Faulknor and three Destroyers commence attack on ships sighted by Obedient. Onslaught badly hit, Destroyers fire torpedoes and German Pommern is hit and sinks.
7.30 am Warrior abandoned, Engadine takes crew.
In the years following the battle the wrecks were slowly discovered. Invincible was found by the Royal Navy minesweeper HMS Oakley in 1919. After the Second World War some of the wrecks seem to have been commercially salvaged. For instance, the Hydrographic Office record for SMS Lützow (No.32344) shows that salvage operations were taking place on the wreck in 1960. From 2000–2001 a series of diving expeditions involving veteran shipwreck historian and archaeologist Innes McCartney located the wrecks ofDefence, Indefatigable and Nomad. It was discovered that Indefatigable too, had been ripped apart by salvors at some unknown time. In 2003 McCartney led a detailed survey of the wrecks for the Channel 4 documentary "Clash of the Dreadnoughts"The film examined the last minutes of the lost ships and revealed for the first time how both 'P' and 'Q' turrets of Invincible had been blasted out of the ship and tossed into the sea before she broke in half. On the 90th anniversary of the battle, in 2006, the UK Ministry of Defence belatedly announced that the 14 British vessels lost in the battle were being designated as protected places under the Protection of Military Remains Act.
Britain lost: Battlecruisers - Indefatigable, Queen Mary and Invincible. Armoured Cruisers - Black Prince, Defence and Warrior, Destroyers – Ardent, Fortune, Nestor, Nomad, Shark, Sparrowhawk, Tipperary and Turbulent. Fourteen ships, with a loss of approximately 6,784 Crew.
Germany lost: Battlecruiser - Lutzow, Armoured Cruiser - Pommern, Light Cruisers - Elbing, Frauenlob, Rostock, Wiesbaden, Destroyers - , S35, V4, V27, V29, V48. Eleven ships with a loss of approximately 3,058 Crew.
British dry dock repairs completion dates: Tiger 1.7.1916, Barham 4.7.1916, Malaya 10.7.1916, Warspite 20.7.1916, Princess Royal 21.7.1916, Marlbourgh 2.8.1916, Lion 13.9.1916. Seven ships damaged.
German dry dock repairs completion dates: Heligoland 16.6.1916, Grosser and Kurfurst 16.7.1916, Markgraf 20.7.1916, Konig 21.7.1916, Ostfriesland 26.7.1916, Moltke 30.7.1916, Von der Tann 2.8.1916, Seydlitz 16.9.1916. Nine ships damaged.
Some of the casualties:-
4pm Lion very badly hit on Q turret. Major Harvey, fatally wounded, orders magazine doors closed and flooded (men inside are sacrificed) posthumus VC awarded.
4.26 pm Queen Mary struck by salvo, almost instantaneously, a terrific upheaval and a dense cloud of smoke rose high in the air. Tiger was behind her, passed through the smoke, heavy fall of debris on her decks, no sign of Queen Mary. 1266 crewmen died, eighteen survived
6.15 pm Defence and Warrior had been engaging enemy LCs crossed ahead of Lion and were exposed to heavy enemy fire. Defence blew up and sank, Warrior received severe damage but was saved when Warspite’s steering jammed and she kept turning in circles around her. Engadine took Warrior in tow but she sank before reaching harbour. Warspite badly damaged and ordered back to harbour (Rosyth).
6.34 pm Lutzow badly damaged. Hipper had to move his flag ship Seydlitz, also badly damaged and then to Molke.
Invincible at head of line badly hit, blew up and sank. Later her bow and stern were just visible, midships resting on the bottom, she had broken in two. 1026 killed, only six survived.
11.25 pm Fourth Destroyer Flotilla comes into action with a large ship, Broke hit by shells destroying her lower bridge and jamming her helm. She hits Sparrowhawk and they are then rammed by another. Five feet of her stern cut off. Tipperary was set on fire and sank (185 lives). German Elbing was abandoned and sank.
12.10 am Black Prince which had lost touch with main fleet when she closed on the rear of the First German Squadron and was sunk at point blank range.
1.48 am German Lutzow sinking.
2.06 am Leader Faulknor and three Destroyers commence attack on ships sighted by Obedient. Onslaught badly hit, Destroyers fire torpedoes and German Pommern is hit and sinks.
7.30 am Warrior abandoned, Engadine takes crew.
In the years following the battle the wrecks were slowly discovered. Invincible was found by the Royal Navy minesweeper HMS Oakley in 1919. After the Second World War some of the wrecks seem to have been commercially salvaged. For instance, the Hydrographic Office record for SMS Lützow (No.32344) shows that salvage operations were taking place on the wreck in 1960. From 2000–2001 a series of diving expeditions involving veteran shipwreck historian and archaeologist Innes McCartney located the wrecks ofDefence, Indefatigable and Nomad. It was discovered that Indefatigable too, had been ripped apart by salvors at some unknown time. In 2003 McCartney led a detailed survey of the wrecks for the Channel 4 documentary "Clash of the Dreadnoughts"The film examined the last minutes of the lost ships and revealed for the first time how both 'P' and 'Q' turrets of Invincible had been blasted out of the ship and tossed into the sea before she broke in half. On the 90th anniversary of the battle, in 2006, the UK Ministry of Defence belatedly announced that the 14 British vessels lost in the battle were being designated as protected places under the Protection of Military Remains Act.
German Casualties in Ships Sunk - (as is often the case numbers may vary by source, so read this as approximate)
Pommern (sunk) -844 killed
Lutzow (sunk) -115 killed 50 wounded
Wiesbaden (sunk) -589 killed
Elbing (sunk) - 4 killed, 12 wounded
Rostock (sunk) -14 killed, 6 wounded
Frauenlob (sunk) - 32- killed, 1 wounded
V48 -90 killed
V35 - 88 killed
V29 - 33 killed, 4 wounded
V27 - 3 wounded
V4 - 18 killed and 4 wounded
TOTALS - 2115 killed, 80 wounded, total 2195 casualties
...........
British Casualties in Ships Sunk - (again read this as approximate)
Queen Mary (blown up) - 1266 killed, 6 wounded, 2 prisoner
Indefatigable (blown up) - 1017 killed, 2 prisoner
Invincible (blown up) - 1026 killed, 1 prisoner
Defence (blown up)-903 killed
Black Prince (blown up) - 1026 killed, 1 wounded
Warrior - 71 killed and 36 wounded
Nestor - 6 killed, 8 wounded, 80 prisoner
Nomad - 8 killed, 4 wounded, 72 prisoner
Turbulent - 96 killed, 13 wounded
Ardent - 78 killed, 1 wounded
Fortune - 67 killed, 2 wounded
Shark - 86 killed, 3 wounded
Sparrowhawk - 6 killed
Tipperary (sunk) - 185 killed, 2 wounded, 8 prisoners
TOTALS - 5857 killed, 67 wounded, 185 taken prisoner, total 6007 casualties
Pommern (sunk) -844 killed
Lutzow (sunk) -115 killed 50 wounded
Wiesbaden (sunk) -589 killed
Elbing (sunk) - 4 killed, 12 wounded
Rostock (sunk) -14 killed, 6 wounded
Frauenlob (sunk) - 32- killed, 1 wounded
V48 -90 killed
V35 - 88 killed
V29 - 33 killed, 4 wounded
V27 - 3 wounded
V4 - 18 killed and 4 wounded
TOTALS - 2115 killed, 80 wounded, total 2195 casualties
...........
British Casualties in Ships Sunk - (again read this as approximate)
Queen Mary (blown up) - 1266 killed, 6 wounded, 2 prisoner
Indefatigable (blown up) - 1017 killed, 2 prisoner
Invincible (blown up) - 1026 killed, 1 prisoner
Defence (blown up)-903 killed
Black Prince (blown up) - 1026 killed, 1 wounded
Warrior - 71 killed and 36 wounded
Nestor - 6 killed, 8 wounded, 80 prisoner
Nomad - 8 killed, 4 wounded, 72 prisoner
Turbulent - 96 killed, 13 wounded
Ardent - 78 killed, 1 wounded
Fortune - 67 killed, 2 wounded
Shark - 86 killed, 3 wounded
Sparrowhawk - 6 killed
Tipperary (sunk) - 185 killed, 2 wounded, 8 prisoners
TOTALS - 5857 killed, 67 wounded, 185 taken prisoner, total 6007 casualties
Hover curser over images above to read caption.
Admiral Jellicoe reported twenty four battleships ready for action the day following the battle.
German newspapers naturally claimed a glorious victory based on the numbers of ships sunk. It was significant, however, that the German High Seas Fleet did not put to sea again for the rest of World War I and the Royal Navy's British Grand Fleet continued to remain in command of the sea.
The most far reaching result of Jutland was that it convinced Scheer and the German Naval staff that the only way of gaining naval victory was via unrestricted submarine warfare, and not by defeating the British in battle. The Germans had fought Jutland as well or better than could be expected, whilst the British could be expected to perform better next time, and yet nothing had changed. However it was not the German submarine blockade of Britain but the British blockade of Germany, maintained under the guns of the Grand Fleet, that eventually did most to bring the war to an end.
Source of information –
Battle of Jutland – Info. from RA Harper’s 'The Truth About Jutland'
Jutland- An Analysis of the Fighting, by John Campbell (Conway Maritime Press, 1996).
http://www.battle-of-jutland.com
You can read more information about Jutland and the men who are buried in Queensferry Cemetery Commonwealth Graves further in this section, 'Commonwealth Graves'
German newspapers naturally claimed a glorious victory based on the numbers of ships sunk. It was significant, however, that the German High Seas Fleet did not put to sea again for the rest of World War I and the Royal Navy's British Grand Fleet continued to remain in command of the sea.
The most far reaching result of Jutland was that it convinced Scheer and the German Naval staff that the only way of gaining naval victory was via unrestricted submarine warfare, and not by defeating the British in battle. The Germans had fought Jutland as well or better than could be expected, whilst the British could be expected to perform better next time, and yet nothing had changed. However it was not the German submarine blockade of Britain but the British blockade of Germany, maintained under the guns of the Grand Fleet, that eventually did most to bring the war to an end.
Source of information –
Battle of Jutland – Info. from RA Harper’s 'The Truth About Jutland'
Jutland- An Analysis of the Fighting, by John Campbell (Conway Maritime Press, 1996).
http://www.battle-of-jutland.com
You can read more information about Jutland and the men who are buried in Queensferry Cemetery Commonwealth Graves further in this section, 'Commonwealth Graves'
© Queensferry History Group 2016