A NORTH SEA DIARY 1914-1918

=A NORTH SEA DIARY 1914-1918 COMMANDER STEPHEN KING-HALL =

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THERE is no doubt that this action at which the most powerful fleets that have ever sailed the seas met in battle, will provide material for discussion for many years. Trafalgar has been discussed and studied for over a hundred years, and it seems likely that the problems of Jutland will displace the problems of Trafalgar in the minds of the students of naval war. Such being the case, I feel that anything written about Jutland should be written, if it is meant to be a serious contribution to naval literature, with a due sense of responsibility. In the battle of Jutland, I was by the chance of war placed in certain positions, at certain times, in such manner that in looking back on the action, I do not believe that a single observer could have seen more, except from an aeroplane. Most of the time I was engaged in taking notes, and it is of what I saw that I proposed to write. It may thus be accepted that, unless otherwise stated, the incidents described are facts for which I am pre- pared to vouch to the extent of my belief in my own eyesight.

On the afternoon of the 3oth May, 1916, we were lying at Rosyth, and I was walking up and down the quarter- deck on watch when a string of flags rose from the Lion's signal bridge.

I recognized it to be a steaming signal, and it turned out to be " Flag : Lion to Battle-cruiser Force and Fifth

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Battle Squadron. Raise steam and report when ready to proceed." We at once began to get the ship ready for sea. Our sub-lieutenant, one H. B by name, was in the hospital ship close at hand, where he had been sent to, have his tonsils cut out. I had a curious feeling that we were going to have a " show," and quite without authority I sent him this note in our steamboat. " DEAR H. B , I believe we are going out on a stunt, the steamboat is going to be hoisted, but if you want to come and can get away from the hospital ship, nip into her and come over." The Commodore had just come back from the shore, and I told him what I had done, and though he did not exactly disapprove, I saw that he thought it rather unnecessary.  When H. B arrived straight from bed I believe he practically broke out of the hospital ship our Fleet Surgeon was scandalized, and promptly ordered him to bed. I remember that I felt rather foolish when I went down to see him, and could only reply in answer to his inquiries as to how long the Huns had been out, that as far as I knew they were not out at all.  We sailed at 9 p.m.  The three light cruiser squadrons were up to strength, but the Third Battle-cruiser Squadron was at Scapa doing gunnery exercises ; they were commanded by Admiral Hood .  We were reinforced by the Fifth Battle Squadron, consisting of the Malaya, Warspite, Barham, and Valiant, under the command of Rear-Admiral Evan Thomas. The only other absentee was the Australia, away refitting. We did not know why we were going out, and to this moment I have never been able to find out officially what we hoped to do, but the on dit was and still is,

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that we were to support an air raid or perhaps a mine- laying expedition in the Bight. At all events our immediate destination was a rendezvous near the Horns Reef. The Germans stated after the action that their forces were engaged on an enterprise to the North. I strongly suspect that this enterprise consisted in getting the British Battle-cruiser Force between their battle-cruisers and battle-fleet, for they knew very well that the region of the Horns Reef was a favourite spot of ours when we were making a reconnaissance towards the German coast. Everything points to the fact that for once they expected us there and laid their plans accordingly ; or else they were out to do a raid on North-sea trade. It will be seen how very nearly this former state of affairs materialized, though it is impossible to assert definitely whether it was by accident or design. We did not appear to be expecting Huns, as we cruised along to the eastward at no great speed ; I think we were making good either 17 or 19 knots. At noon we received orders to have full speed ready at half an hour's notice, but as we were getting well over towards the Danish coast, this order partook of the nature of pre-cautionary routine. The order of the Fleet was the usual cruising formation by day. Course approximately east. The battle-cruisers were in two lines and close to them was the cruiser Champion and the attached destroyers. The seaplane-carrier Engardine was also in company. Five miles ahead of the Lion, the light-cruiser screen was spread on a line of bearing roughly north and south. The squadrons were in groups of two ships 5 miles apart, and the order from north to south was First Light Cruiser Squadron under Commodore Sinclair, with his broad pennant in the Galatea ; Third Light

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Cruiser Squadron under Rear-Admiral Trevelyan Napier, with his flag in the Chatham ; and Second Light Cruiser Squadron, consisting of Southampton flying the broad pennant of our Commodore , the Birmingham (Captain Duff) , the Dublin (Captain Scott) , the Nottingham (Captain Miller).