Jutland Bank

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

NAVAL BATTLE OF, a naval engagement of the first magnitude, fought between the German and British fleets during the European War, on May 31, 1916. For months previous to this date the British fleet had been making a practice of occasionally sweeping the North Sea with all its available ships, to discourage any attempt on the part of the German ships to raid the British coast. On May 31, 1916, one of these patrols in force was in progress, under the command of Admiral Jellicoe, who, himself, occupied a position near the middle of the North Sea, while Vice Admiral Beatty, commanding two battle cruiser divisions, supported by a division of dreadnoughts of the Queen Elizabeth Evansunder Rear-Admiral class, Thomas, was some seventy miles to the southward. The weather at the time was calm, but inclined to be foggy, rendering it impossible to see any great distance. In the middle of the afternoon one of Beatty's ships, the light cruiser "Galatea," unexpectedly sighted smoke, being then about ninety miles west of the Danish coast. The "Galatea" steamed forward to investigate, and an hour later found herself engaged with a squadron of five German battle cruisers. Beatty immediately attempted to intercept the German ships in their attempt to retire, whereupon the German Admiral, Vice Admiral von Hipper, turned and gave battle, at a range of about nine miles. Ten minutes after the first heavy firing began, the "Indefatigable," the rear ship of the British column, was struck by a number of heavy shells fired by the Germans and sunk. Twenty minutes later the "Queen Mary," the latest and best of the British battle cruisers, also sank under the German fire. For the time being the advantage in armament Vol V-Cyc-T and number of ships was with the Germans, but presently Rear Admiral with the Ger Thomas' dreadnought division came with- Best Admiral in range, and again the British had the sion came withsuperiority of strength on their side. British had the For the next half hour von Hipper's five Lon their side battle cruisers fought four British battle cruisers and four dreadnoughts, suffering severe punishment. The British ships were making every effort to cut off the retreat of the Germakin ever man ships, and with every prospect of of the Ge success, which would have compelled von prospect Hipper to run to the northward, in the compelled v direction toward Jellicoe's fleet of dreadhward, in noughts. But presently the British made out the head of a column of Gerthe Brit man dreadnoughts approaching, to the column of G relief of von Hipper. aching, to Immediately Beatty changed his tactics, for he was now hopelessly outnum- Langed his bered. Instead of trying to drive the elessly outn Germans toward the main British fleet, to drive he turned and ran, hoping to draw the In British Germans after him in pursuit. The ruse ng to drave worked well, and von Hipper immediately suit. The began the pursuit, unconscious of the per immed near approach of the main British fleet. nscious o The German dreadnought column, under in British Admiral von Scheer, followed along be- :column, hind. owed alon Meanwhile Jellicoe, seventy miles to the northward, with three squadrons of the most powerful fighting ships in the world-twenty-five in all, including his flagship, the "Iron Duke," had received wireless communication of what was going on and was steaming toward the scene of battle at top speed. At about six in the evening the foremost ships of Jellicoe's column, three battle cruisers foremo under Admiral Hood, sighted Beatty's battle fleeing fleet, and swung into the action. gated But hardly had the "Invincible," Hood's into th flagship, opened fire, when she disapincible peared amidst a great burst of shell and en s smoke. rst of The main fleet of the British, however, was by this time close at hand, coming to Beatty's rescue. As has already been stated, the weather was overcast and foggy, and this greatly handicapped the British Admiral, as he was therefore unable to distinguish friend from foe on his approach, and did not, therefore, dare to open fire until very close to the scene of action. As Jellicoe approached, Beatty's column opened before him, and the main British fleet swept through, southward, heading for the head of the German line. Beatty's ships also swung southward, parallel with the main fleet, and presently the Germans found themselves in the focus of the fire of practically the whole British fleet. According to the British reports, the German " crumpled " under this tack. The British had succeeded lishing what is technically " cap "; they enveloped column. But to the advantage Germans, night was coming on. Scheer, who, as von Hipper's was in command of the a whole, turned from east tory by t sent his whole fleet of destroyers mameu the British. Fortunately command tected the strategy, and had fled forward his destroyers, and Neverthel destroyers took place pla in the little of the two main fleets. At the superior the German fleet drew off mans. ward, the British fleet passed Consider around the German flank ever, the position to the southward, sh victory between the German fleet na missi at Helgoland. oubt; the o By this time complete missi set in and firing had practically Ortherly p as neither side could dies from from foe. During the night hole fleet, frequent encounters between ck in port stroyers of the respective e time of d daylight came, at about German the fog had lifted, but the er the were no longer in sight. ed.ont ported that he conducted search, but the British ships approach much nearer toward man base, which was thickly mines. On the following day fleet was back in its home stock of its losses. These TUBEA three battle cruisers, sus, change cruisers and eight destroyers whose w mans later reported that ring virgin one battleship, one battle light cruisers, and five destroyers. VENAR The total tonnage of British VS JUVE was 117,150. The Germans tirist; bow edged a loss of 60,720. The ania, abou by the British was 6,105. of Clandiu Germans was 2,414. the most Of the small number of 1 to have lost, four were flagships. Hig rear admirals, Hood and was dire went down with their ships and for mirals, the German von nd he in British Burney, shifted honorable the thickest of the fight; mmander from the " Luetzow " to Burney from the " Marlborough "Revenge." last of th One of the outstanding ld and un battle is the little indication ands with development in naval tactics ires are of fighting during the war, to the many radical to de appeared in the land fighting submarines nor aircraft way w olovi fferent att nd that its valiable te in the engagement, though available to column and lose of lives unexpected atboth sides. had the advan In material damage and loss of lives this fact was the Germans obviously had the advanin estaba great victage in the battle, and this fact was known as a the fact remade the basis for claims of a great victhe German still retained of the tory by the Germans. But the fact re- Germans mained that Great Britain still retained Von of action. superior, command of the sea, and the Germans ish fleet had lost a had fled from the of action. German ships as scene on account of the Nevertheless, the British fleet had lost a to west, and shown by the Gerlittle of its prestige on account of the against superior gunnery shown by the Ger- Jellicce delargest aspect, Lowmans. himself sent a undoubtedly a Brit- Considered in its largest aspect, howa battle of ernan fleet had sailed fog between ever, the battle was undoubtedly a Britse object is still in ish victory. The German fleet had sailed same time espatches described it on a mission whose object is still in to the westth" The most doubt; the official despatches described it completely tched was only 180 as "a mission to the north." The most and reached a arman base, and the northerly point reached was only 180 at a point was left of it, was miles from the German base, and the and its base thirty-six hours of whole fleet, or what was left of it, was Whatever it was, darkness had back in port within thirty-six hours of failed. More ceased, the time of departure. Whatever it was, ever again ven distinguish friend the German object had failed. Moresining in port there were over, the German fleet never again ven- Considering tured out to battle, remaining in port the de- Considering fleets. When until the end of the war. a, the Battle of three o'clock, its influence in bringing the war to a ionably an Allied German shi favorable end for the Allies, the Battle of ships Jutland was unquestionably an Allied Jellicoe rea thorough victory. n'-), the daughter of Jupiter into a foun dared not