expectation of an attack British destroyers were ordered to take station ahead, but none of them except the " M " class had the speed to do so and the remainder accordingly dropped back to clear the range. At 9:35 the " Lion " made the signal to engage corresponding ships in the enemy's line, not intending it to refer to the " Indomitable," which had dropped some way astern, but the " Tiger " took it to include the " Indomitable," and instead of firing at the " Derfflinger," the second ship, concentrated on the " Seydlitz," leaving the " Derfflinger " unfired at. ft was not till 9:45 that the Germans scored their first hit on the " Lion," sending an n-in. through her armour aft. Five minutes later a i3-5-in. crashed into the after turret of the " Seydlitz," wrecking a portion of the stern and igniting a charge in the working chamber under the turret. The flames roared up through the turret and passed through a connecting door into the adjoining one, setting the charges alight there and turning both turrets into furnaces where all the guns' crews perished. The " Blucher " was now having trouble with her engines, and at ten o'clock drew out of the line going heavily. The range increased for a time partly due to the " Lion " slowing down to 24 knots at 9:53 to allow the line to close up, partly to the enemy turning away for a time. The " Bliicher " was on fire by this time and had dropped behind to a position 3 or 4 m. on the " Seydlitz's " port quarter. At 10:22 Adml. Beatty, to bring the rear of his line into action, ordered his battle cruisers to form on a line of bearing N.N.W. and to proceed at utmost speed. But repeated hits were telling on the " Lion," and at 10:45 she was dropping back. As it was clear that she could no longer maintain her place at the head of the line, Beatty at 10:47 made a signal " to close the enemy as rapidly as possible consistent with keeping all guns bearing," but the " Tiger " was the only one to receive it and then only the words " close the enemy." About 10:50 A.M. the " Lion " received a bad hit on the port side aft, which holed the feed tank and did serious damage in the engine room. This was the crisis of the action; at this moment the wash of a periscope was seen on the starboard bow (in a position Lat. 54 9' N. 5 15' E.), and Beatty immediately made a signal to alter course eight points to port. This was hauled down at 11:02 A.M. and the squadron turned to N.N.E. (see fig. 2).
Position tl a.m
FIG. 2.
But the " Lion " was no longer able to perform the duties of a flagship. Her wireless and her searchlights were out of action, she had fallen out of line and the rest of the squadron was drawing every moment farther and farther away to the northward. The " New Zealand " was some way behind, and Rear-Adml. Sir Archibald Moore, the second in command, whose flag was flying in her, had not grasped the intention or nature of the turn.
It was urgently necessary to resume the chase. Beatty therefore ordered two signals to be made compass B (course N.E.) and A.F. (attack the rear of the enemy), and then a third: " Keep nearer to the enemy. Repeat the signal the Admiral is now making." These all went up practically at the same time, and had they been understood in the sense in which they were made would have redeemed the situation. Unfortu- nately Rear- Adml. Moore only received the first two at 11:21 A.M. and then read them as meaning " attack the rear of the enemy bearing N.E." The " Blucher " was then bearing roughly N.E., and taking them as an order to attack the " Blucher " he steered
towards her. Hipper altered for a few minutes to the S., bringing, a heavy fire to bear on the " Tiger," which received seven hits at this time, then resumed his course E.S.E. and drew rapidly out of range. The " Lion " in a crippled state steamed slowly to the north-westward, while the remainder of the squadron some 6 or 7 m. off began to circle round the " Blucher," whose fate was now sealed. The destroyers " Meteor " and " Miranda " attacked her, but she was still m action and sent four shots into the " Meteor," wrecking her boiler room. At 11:38 A.M. the " Are- thusa " came up and fired two torpedoes into her. She ceased firing, listing heavily with fires raging fore and aft. Hipper was. now some ism. off, only 70 m. from Heligoland, and Rear-Adml. Moore apparently did not think it worth while to continue the chase. It was not till n 152 A.M. that he assumed active command and made his first signal to form single line ahead and steer west. Beatty meanwhile had transferred his flag to the destroyer " Attack " and was racing after his squadron. About half-past twelve he reached the " Princess Royal," hoisted his flag in her and was about to resume the chase. But pursuit was now hopeless, and the situation not too favourable. The " Lion " could only go 10 knots and the High Sea Fleet was supposed to be coming up. Accordingly at 12:45 P.M. the squadron turned back. Hipper meanwhile made for home and got in touch with the German battle-fleet about 2:30 P.M. The " Blucher " had been lost, the " Seydlitz " seriously damaged and the " Derfflinger " hit three or four times. When Beatty turned home Jelh'coe was hastening down to him with the battle- fleet. They met at 4:30 P.M. and it remained only to get the " Lion " home. In tow of the " Indomitable " and screened by the ist and 2nd Light Cruiser Squadrons and two flotillas she reached Rosyth safely the next morning.
The loss of the " Blucher " was quickly reflected in German naval policy. Adml. von Pohl took Adml. von IngenohPs place as commander-in-chief of the High Seas Fleet with definite instructions to revert to a more cautious policy.
On the British side the results were generally regarded as disappointing. It was believed that, had the pursuit been pressed, the " Seydlitz " and " Derfflinger " might have shared the " Bliicher's " fate, but it must not be forgotten that the range was still over 18,000 yd. and the enemy's speed not serious- . ly diminished. The battle, however, had a very real result. It fettered the initiative of the German commander-in-chief, and put an end to raids on the English coast for over a year.
See also Filson Young, With the Battle Cruisers (1921).
The following is a list of the forces engaged :
BRITISH 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron.
" Lion " (flag), Vice-Adml. Sir David Beatty, Capt. Alfred Chat- field, 28 knots (designed).
" Princess Royal," Capt. Osmond de B. Brock, 28 knots. " Tiger," Capt. Henry B. Pelly, 30 knots.
Armament 8 13-5-111., 16 4-in. (" Tiger " 16 6-in.). 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron.
" New Zealand " (flag), Rear-Adml. Sir Archibald Moore,
Capt. Lionel Halsey, 26 knots. " Indomitable," Capt. Francis W. Kennedy, 25 knots.
Armament 8 12-in., 16 4-in. 1st Light Cruiser Squadron.
" Southampton," Commodore W. E. Goodenough, Comm. E. A.
Rush ton.
" Birmingham," Capt. Arthur A. Duff. " Nottingham," Capt. Charles B. Miller. " Lowestoft," Capt. Theobald W. Kennedy.
Armament 9 6-in., " Southampton " 8 6-in., 25 knots. Harwich Flotillas.
" Arethusa," Commodore Reginald Tyrwhitt, Comm. E. K. Arbuthnot. loth Flotilla: " Meteor " (Comm. Hon. Herbert Mead), " Miranda," " Milne Mentor," " Mastiff," " Minos," " Morris," speed 34 knots.
3rd Flotilla: " Undaunted," Capt. Francis St. John, " Lookout, " Lysander," " Landrail," " Laurel," " Liberty," " Laertes, " Lucifer," " Lawford," " Lydia," " Louis," " Legion," " Lark, speed 29 knots.
1st Flotilla: " Aurora," Capt. Wilmot S. Nicholson, " Acheron, " Attack," " Hydra," "Ariel," " Forester," " Defender, " Druid," " Hornet," " Tigress," " Sandfly," " Jackal, " Goshawk," " Phoenix," " Lapwing," speed 27 knots.
