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.")

About 7.20 p.m.
Rear ships of battle fleet dodging torpedoes.

About 7.25 p.m.
Second German destroyer attack. German battle line makes large turn away under cover of this attack and of smoke screen. Probably two German destroyers sunk.

7.45 p.m.
Obedient, Marvel, Mindful, and Onslaught sink a German destroyer, flying a Commodore's pendant, that lay damaged between the fleets.

7.45 p.m. Battle cruisers lose touch with enemy.

About 8.20 p.m.
lst and 3rd L.C.S. locate head of enemy's line again. Battle cruisers on a westerly course regain touch. Enemy appear to suffer heavily from gunfire.

8.22 p.m.
4th Light Cruiser Squadron (Calliope, etc.) engaging enemy.

9.5 p.m.
Caroline fires torpedoes at enemy battle cruisers.

9.0 p.m. Battle fleet course south; speed, 17 knots; take up night dispositions.
Day action finished. ยท

9.32 p.m.
Abdiel detached to lay mine-field off Horn Reefs. Lays mines about 1.0 a.m.

10 p.m. to 2 a.m. NIGHT ACTION.

10.4 p.m.
H.M.S. Castor and part of 11th Destroyer Flotilla in action (Castor's lst Night Action).

10.20 p.m.
Light cruiser action of 2nd L.C.S. (Southampton, Dublin, Nottingham, Birmingham) with German light cruisers. German light cruiser Frauenlob sunk by torpedo from Southampton.

About 11.30 pm;
Actions of Tipperary's (4th) Flotilla commence.1
Rough chronology was :-
About 11.30 p.m.; 4th Flotilla in action at close range with German cruisers. Tipperary is set on fire. Spitfire is damaged.
About 11.45 p.m.; Ardent, Ambuscade, Garland, and Fortune engage enemy big ship; Fortune is sunk.
About 11.30 p.m. Spitfire closing the burning Tipperary is rammed by a German cruiser.
Soon after Midnight ... Burning ship, possibly H.M.S. Black Prince,
passes close by Spitfire.

1 It is probable that during these actions one or more German cruisers or battleships were sunk by torpedoes but there is not sufficient evidence upon which to base a definite statement.
p. 225

About 12.15 p.m.1
Broke, followed by Sparrowhawk and others, in action with German battleship. Broke collides with Sparrowhawk.

Soon after Midnight.
Ardent sunk by German battleships.

About 2 a.m.
Tipperary sinks. Survivors take to rafts.

About 3 a.m. Sparrowhawk sights German light cruiser. German light cruiser sinks. .

About 4 a.m.
Garland and Contest engage four German destroyers.

About 5.0 a.m.
Survivors of Tipperary on a raft reach Sparrowhawk.

8.0 a.m.
Sparrowhawk is sunk. Her crew with survivors of Tipperary are taken on board Marksrnan.

12.15 a.m.
H.M.S. Castor's 2nd night action (one German destroyer probably sunk).

12.30 (?)
Part of 13th Destroyer Flotilla (Petarel, Nicator, etc.) in action with German battleships. Turbulent rammed and sunk.
Note. - Sometime during the night or early morning H.M.S. Black Prince foundered.
German battle cruiser Lutzow was abandoned and sank as result of damage received during day action. One German light cruiser, perhaps two, also sank during the night.

June lst.
1.45 a.m.
12th Destroyer Flotilla (Faulkner, Obedient, etc.) sight enemy battle squadron. Manoeuvre into position of torpedo advantage.

2.0 a.m.
Attack. One German battleship hit by torpedo and sunk. Onslaught damaged, but no British ship lost.

2.25 a.m.
H.M.S. Maenad turns back and delivers a second attack by herself. Probably one of her torpedoes hit.

2.30 a.m.
Vice-Admiral Sir C. Burney, Commanding lst Battle Squadron, transfers his flag from Marlborough to Revenge. Marlborough proceeds to England.

2.47 a.m.
Grand Fleet Battle Squadrons, accompanied by cruisers and a few destroyers, turn to north. German battle fleet at this time was passing or past Horn Reefs, which bore roughly north-east 40 miles from Iron Duke.

1 Available evidence is conflicting as to whether the time of this action was just before midnight or just after.
p. 226

3.0 to 6.30 a.m.
Several cruisers or destroyers sight enemy light craft disappearing in the mist. No action is fought.

3.30 to 4.0 a.m.
Zeppelin in sight from various British ships.

7.30 a.m.
H.M.S. Warrior abandoned. Engadine takes off crew.

1.15 p.m.
British Battle Fleet shapes course for Scapa Flow.

June lst.
Damaged Ships proceeding Home Independently -
BATTLESHIPS:
H.M.S. Marlborough
H.M.S. Warspite.
DESTROYERS:
H.M.S. Onslow in tow of H.M.S. Defender.
H.M.S. Acosta in tow of H.M.S. Nonsuch.
H.M.S. Broke.
H.M.S. Spitfire.
H.M.S. Garland, with H.M.S. Contest and H.M.S. Porpoise.
H.M.S. Onslaught.

German battle cruiser Seydlitz very badly damaged in the day action, reaches Cuxhaven, but (it is believed) sinks or is purposely grounded at the entrance. She is later salved.
German battleship Ostfriesland (?) strikes a mine in the vicinity of Horn Reefs.

June 2nd.
8.0 a.m. H.M.S. Marlborough arrives safely in the Humber.

Forenoon.
Battle fleet returns to Scapa Flow.

9.45 p.m.
Battle fleet refuelled and reported ready for sea.

June 3rd.
About 8.0 p.m.
Broke enters the Tyne. All damaged British ships now back in harbour.

p. 227
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