Oldham Historical Research Group

'THE GREAT WAR',     'THE WAR TO END WAR',     'WORLD WAR 1'
'What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
- Only the monstrous anger of the guns.'
                                                                                                  from 'Anthem for Doomed Youth' by Wilfred Owen

31st MAY - 1st JUNE 1916
THE NAVAL SEA BATTLE OF JUTLAND

Transcript from: 'The Fighting at Jutland' (abridged edition)
edited by H.W. Fawcett, Royal Navy & G.W.W. Hooper, Royal Navy.
Published 1921
(Book available to read or download freely from the Internet Archive HERE)

APPENDIX " C."
Chronology of Principal Events,
(Note. - These times are not based upon authentic records, but are taken from the Jutland despatches, checked with narratives, Jellicoe's "Grand Fleet," 1914-1916, and Von Scheer's "High Seas Fleet.")

PHASE I. - Battle Cruiser Action, ...... Roughly 4.0 to 6.0p.m.
PHASE 1I. - Battle Fleet Action, ...... Roughly 6.0 to 9.0p.m.
PHASE III. - Night Action, ...... Roughly 10p.m. to 2a.m., June lst.

2.20 p.m.
Galatea. reports enemy ships in sight. Rosyth battle cruiser force steer to intercept enemy.

2.40 p.m.
Grand Fleet raise steam for full speed and prepare to join Rosyth Force.

3.8 p.m.
Engadine's Seaplane is hoisted out and commences reconnaissance flight.

3.25 p.m.
Rosyth battle cruisers sight 5 enemy battle cruisers bearing north-east. Range, 23,000 yards (111⁄2 sea miles). Course, E.S.E.
p. 222

3.25 p.m.
13th Destroyer Flotilla takes station ahead of battle cruisers, near to 2nd L.C.S.; lst and 3rd L.C.S. are astern - i.e., to the northward of battle cruisers. 5th Battle Squadron (4 ships Queen Elizabeth class) are about 5 miles astern of battle cruisers.

3.48 p.m. Lion opens fire. Princess Royal, Queen Mary, Tiger, New
Zealand, Indefatigable, following astern in single line, also open fire.

4.4 p.m. Indefatigable sunk.

4.8 p.m. 5th B.S. open fire; range 20,000 yards (a very long range).

4.26 p.m. Queen Mary sunk.

About 4.15 to 5p.m.
13th Destroyer Flotilla attack enemy battle cruisers with torpedoes, engage enemy destroyers with gunfire, and eventually attack enemy battle fleet. Nestor and Nomad sunk. Two German destroyers sunk.

4.38 p.m.
2nd Light Cruiser Squadron (Southampton, Nottingham, Birmingham, Dublin) ahead of Lion, report enemy battle fleet in sight.

4.46 p.m.
Rosyth battle cruisers alter course 16 points to starboard in succession on to northerly course.

4.52 p.m.
German battle cruisers alter course 16 points to port (outwards) in succession on to northerly course.

4.57 p.m.
5th Battle Squadron pass our battle cruisers, then turn 16 points, and form up about 2 miles astern - i.e., to the southward of them. Course North. They engage van of German battle fleet.

5.0 p.m.
Grand Fleet is approximately 40 miles north-north-west (true) from H.M.S. Lion.

5.0 to 6.0 p.m.
Four remaining battle cruisers - Lion, Princess Royal, Tiger, New Zealand - continue gunnery duel with 5 German battle cruisers on a northerly course, range about 13,000 to 18,000 yards. There are intervals during which fire is checked; enemy are periodically obscured by mist. 5th B.S. engage German battle cruisers and van of German battle fleet.

About 5.30 p.m.
Hood's battle cruiser squadron (Invincible, Inflexible, Indomitable), having been detached from Grand Fleet at 2.30 p.m.. to support Rosyth battle cruiser force, sight gun-flashes.

About 5.40 p.m.
Light cruiser Chester engages enemy light cruisers, and soon afterwards other ships under Admiral Hood come into action.

5.59 p.m. Shark sunk.
p. 223

About 6.0 to 9.0 p.m. BATTLE FLEET ACTION.

About 5.50 p.m.
Arbuthnot's Cruiser Squadron, Defence, etc., commence action with German light cruiser.

5.56 p.m.
Marlborough, western wing battleship of Grand Fleet, sights Lion.

About 5.55 to 6.25 p.m.
Windy Corner period.

6.5 p.m.
Onslow attacks German light cruiser, then battle cruisers, then battle fleet. Is damaged, and about 7.15p.m. is towed out of action by Defender.

6.14 p.m.
Battle Fleet deploys. Immediate course as they deploy E.N.E., ships then altering course in succession to S.E. by E. King George V. leading 2nd B.S. in the van; Iron Duke with 4th B.S. in the centre; Marlborough
with lst B.S. in the rear. 5th B.S. form astern of lst B.S.

6.16 p.m.
Defence blown up, Warrior disabled.

6.17 p.m.
Battle Fleet opens fire, 1st B.S. in the rear commencing. German light cruiser Wiesbaden set on fire, sinks soon afterwards.

6.20 p.m.
Warspite's helm jams.

6.21 p.m.
Hood's battle cruisers form ahead of Lion and engage enemy battle cruisers at about 8,000 yards range.

6.25 p.m.
3rd Light Cruiser Squadron (Falmouth, etc.) attack enemy battle cruisers.

6.30 to 7.20 p.m.
Battleships in the centre and van firing at enemy.

6.33 p.m.
Invincible blows up.

6.38 p.m.
Battle fleet deployment complete; fleet in single line ahead steering S.E. by E.

6.47 p.m.
Acasta, lying disabled, is passed by Iron Duke and the battle fleet.

6.54 p.m.
Marlborough (4th battleship from the rear) hit by a torpedo.

7.0 to 7.14 p.m.
Six British battle cruisers in van, hauling round through south to a south-westerly course, regain contact with
enemy, which had been lost; range, 15,000 yards. British battle cruisers are roughly 5 to 7 miles ahead of leading battleship.

7.10 p.m.
lst German destroyer attack on battle fleet.

7.0 to 7.40 p.m.
Course of battle fleet south, with periodical alterations to the eastward to neutralise torpedo attacks.

7.12 p.m.
Rear ships of battle fleet (Colossus, Neptune, etc.) engage enemy battleships or battle cruisers.
p.224
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