Figure 1.--John Travers Cornwell (1900–16) or Boy Cornwell fought at the Battle of Jutland. 'Boy' at the time a Bitish military rank designation in both the Armybnd Navy. He ws a deivery boy who volunteered for the Royal Navy without his father's permission. He was aboard the 'HMS Cheter' when the light cruiser was ordered out of Rosyth, Scotland to assemble with the Grand Fleet. In the ensuing bttle, 'Chester' received a total of 18 hits, but partial hull armour meant tht the interior of the ship wascnot badly damaged. he situation on deck, however, was very diffeent, gun crews had lost limbs and were dead or deing. Jonn was, however, remined at his position. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. The recommendation for citation from Admiral David Beatty, reads: "... the instance of devotion to duty by Boy (1st Class) John Travers Cornwell who was mortally wounded early in the action, but nevertheless remained standing alone at a most exposed post, quietly awaiting orders till the end of the action, with the gun's crew dead and wounded around him. He was under 16½ years old. I regret that he has since died, but I recommend his case for special recognition in justice to his memory and as an acknowledgement of the high example set by him." Cornwell is the third-youngest recipient of the VC after Andrew Fitzgibbon and Thomas Flinn.

The principal World War I surface engagement at sea was fought in the North Sea off Jutland (May-June 1916). It was the only major fleet engagement. The British Royal Navy maintained two major naval concentration. One was in the Channel at Portsmouth and Plymouth. The other was in the North Sea at Rosyth, Cromarty, and Scapa Flow. The Admiralty concluded that that the German High Seas Fleet would not try to run the English Channel and face the British Navy in the narrow confines of the Channel. Thus the Admoralty believed that if there was to be a full-scale fleet engagement, it would come in the North Sea. Thus the Royal Navy was deployed there to defend the central and northern areas of the North Sea and stop the German High Seas Fleet from breaking theough to the Atlantic where it could disrupt the vital convoy system keeping Britain alive. The Royal Navy aided by the French Navy had at the beginning of the war blockaded Germany nd by 1916 the blockade was significantly affected both German industry and the population as awhole. Food in particular was an increasing problem as Germany like Britain w not self suffint in food production. Here the British had a relativly easy task. The German northern coastline was very small. And even if Denmark, the Netherlands,abd occupied Belgium was added to the equation, and effective blockade was well within the capabilities of the Royal Navy. The High Seas fleet was commnded by Admiral von Poul. But with the growing impact of the Royal Navy blockade, incrasing crititicism w levedled at him for being ineffective and passive. The Kaiser replaced him with the more aggressive Admiral Reinhardt von Scheer (1916). Speer decided that the High Seas Fleet given the impact of the blockade had to challenge the Royal Navy regardless of the odds against them. Given the sacrifice being made by German soldiers nd huge casualties, German admirals felt increasing pressure. Scheer decided on a tactic of luring part of the Royal Navy into the North Sea and fight them before the entire fleet was assembled. He assembled a force bases parts of the British fleet and using a combination of U-boats and surface boats attack and destroy them. German ships shelled the British North Seax coastal ports of Lowestoft and Yarmouth (April 24-24, 1916). The Germans believed that the British, not understanding that the High Sea Fleet had come out in force, would send out a small force which could be engaged and destroyed. Scheer ordered Admiral von Hipper to sea with 40 ships, the most powrful German squadron assembled during the War. The Germans moved north long the Danish coast. Admiral Jellicoe at his headquarters in Rosyth learned of this movement. He was unsure of Von Hipper's intentions decided to assemble the Grand Fleet. Jellicoe more than any other commanderof the War held the success of the allies in his hands. Army commanders might win or lose a battle and only a few kilometers of gound would change hands. Losing a fleet engagemnts to the German High Seas Fleet would doom the Allied war effort. The Battle of Jutland commenced (May 31). The German fleet performed well, but was unable to overcome the numerical superiority of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet. It was thus essentially a draw. It was a tactical victory for Germany in that they caused more damage to the British fleet, but the British fleet was very large and could absorb the damage. It was a strategic victory for the British because the debilitating Royal Navy blockade of Germany was left in place. The German fleet became esentially useless. After the battle, the Kaisr refused to grant permission for the High Seas Fleet to do battle in force again, afraid that the fleet would be destroyed. The Fleet became a kind of prison for the sailors. They were prisoners in their own ships in their own harbors. Admiral John Jellicoe's tactics at the battle received some criticism. What is indisputable is that after the battle, the British Royal Navy remained a dominant fighting force whereas while the the German High Seas fleet sat uselessly in port.

Jutland

Jutland is historically known as Cimbria. There are refrences to Cimbria in early Englih history. Jutland is the peninsula that juts out from Germany or Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia. It is dominated by modern Denmark. It was the hime land of the Danes or Vikings that invaded Anglo-Saxon Enlnd (8th century AD). It faces the Borth Sea to the west, the Skagerrak to the north, and the Kattegat and the Baltic Sea to its east. The principal World War I surface engagement at sea was fought in the North Sea off Jutland. It was the only major fleet engagement of the War.

Royal Navy Deployment

The British Royal Navy for the Home Fleet maintained two major naval concentrations during World War I. One was in the Channel at Portsmouth and Plymouth. The other was in the North Sea at Rosyth, Cromarty, and Scapa Flow. The Admiralty concluded that that the German High Seas Fleet would not try to run the English Channel and face the British Navy in the narrow confines of the Channel. Thus the Admiralty believed that if there was to be a full-scale fleet engagement, it would come in the North Sea. Thus the Royal Navy was deployed there to defend the central and northern areas of the North Sea and stop the German High Seas Fleet from breaking theough to the Atlantic where it could disrupt the vital convoy system keeping Briutain alive.

Allied Blockade of Germany

The Royal Navy aided by the French Navy had at the beginning of the war blockaded Germany and by 1916 the blockade was significantly affected both German industry and the population as a whole. Food in particular was an increasing poblem as Germany like Britain was not self suffint in food production. Here the British had a relativly easy task. The German northern coastline was very small. And even if Denmark, the Netherlands,abd occupied Belgium was added to the equation, an effective blockade was well within the capabilities of the Royal Navy.

New German Naval Commander

The German High Seas fleet was commnded by Admiral von Poul. But with the growing impact of the Royal Navy blockade, incrasing crititicism w levedled at him for being ineffective and passive. The Kaiser replaced him with the more aggressive Admiral Reinhardt von Scheer (1916).

German Tactics

Speer decided that the High Seas Fleet given the impact of the blockade had to challenge the Royal Navy regardless of the odds against them. Given the sacrifice being made by German soldiers nd huge casualties, German admirals felt increasing pressure. Scheer decided on a tactic of luring part of the Royal Navy into the North Sea and fight them before the entire fleet was assembled. He assembled a force bases parts of the British fleet and using a combination of U-boats and surface boats attack and destroy them.

German Coastal Shelling (April 1916)

German ships shelled the British North Sea coastal ports of Lowestoft and Yarmouth (April 24-24, 1916). The Germans believed that the British, not understanding that the High Sea Fleet had come out in force, would send out a small force which could be engaged and destroyed.

German Fleet Sails

Scheer ordered Admiral von Hipper to sea with 40 ships, the most powrful German squadron assembled during the War. The Germans moved north long the Danish coast.

Grand Fleet

Admiral Jellicoe at his headquarters in Rosyth learned of this movement. He was unsure of Von Hipper's intentions decided to assemble the Grand Fleet. Jellicoe more than any other commander of the War held the sucess of the allies in his hands. Army commanders might win or lose a battle and only a few kilometers of ground would change hands. Losing a fleet engagemnts to the German High Seas Fleet would doom the Allied war effort.

Signals Intelligence

Advances in radio meant that ships for the first time in could signal other ships and hedquarters over long distances. This is why RMS Titantic could signal for help (1912). This signals capability was of course a game chaganger in naval warfare. But it also created a new danger for naval forces, the enemy could learn about your locations and intentions. It meant that anyone with an antenna could recieve a wealth of information that was never before available. The Germans of course codes many of their signals, bit the whole process was so new that securityprocedures werevnot well developed. Locations could be fixed by directional finders and intenntions revealed by by code breaking. And this was an area in which the British excelled. The British at Jutland had not only a numerical advantage, but they had broken German Naval signal codes. The British early in the War were given a copy of the main German codebook by the Russians. The German light cruiser SMS Magdeburg had been boarded by the Russian Navy after the ship ran aground in Russian waters (1914). The British as a result could easily dechipherGerman naval signials. The British Admiralty as aresult was well infomed bout German naval activities. The British Admiralty's famed Room 40 oversaw direction finding and interception operatins fovcused on German naval signals. Room 40 cipher clerks intercepted and decrypted a German signal ordering all ships to be ready for sea on May 30. Further signals were intercepted, although not decrypted. it became clear that a major fleet action was possible. ellicoe was thus warned that the High Seas Fleet was likely to sail the following morning (May 30). A signal from Scheer convinced the Jelicoe and his staff that a major fleet actioin was imminent. [Tarrant, pp. 63-64.] Jelicoe did, however, know Scheer's intentions. He surmised it wseother tobreak out into the Atalantic sea lanes or enr the Baltic through the Skagerrak. Jellicoe thus decided to position the fleet off the tip of Norway wher he could oppose either move.

Opposing Forces

The British Royal Navy had a substantial nymerical advantage over the German HighbSeas Fleet. The Germans had one major advantage. They could choose wear to strike and thus with high mobile naval warfare gain achieve eith er a local advantage or relatively equal odds in any given area. The Royal Navy because it was engaged in a blockade of Germany and protecting convoys from U-boats and raiders a well as conducting operations in the Mediterranean was much mote dispersed than he German High Sea Fleet. In addition the Home Fleet had ywo areas oc concentration, the Channel an the North Sea. The Cherams could thus focus their attack on either of two fleet concentary=tions, narroing the odd considerably. The British Grand Fleet that Jelicoe assembled in the North Sea had a substantial, but not overealing advantage, especually in capital ships. The Royal Navy advantage was 37:27 in heavy units and 113:72 in smaller support craft.

Fighting (May 31, 1916)

The Battle of Jutland commenced during the aternoon (May 31). Eventually some 250 ships and 100,000 men would fight it out in the North Atlantic off the coast of Denmark. It was fought out in two major phases.

Phase One (4:48 pm)

Jelicoe based on signals intellignce position the Grand Fleet off the tip of Norway and disparched Admiral Beatty with fast battlecruisrs to find the German Highseas Fleet. German and British scouting ships began exchanging fire in the afternoon a 4:48 pm (May 31). The two forces were commanded by Vice Admirals David Beatty and Franz Hipper. They began a running artillery duel at some 9 miles apart at the Skagerrak. This is a strait between the southeast coast of Norway, the southwest coast of Sweden, and the tip of the Danish Jutland peninsula which connects the North Sea and the Kattegat Sea leading to the Baltic Sea. The British scored several direct hits, but manage to surviuve because of their superior engineerd honeycomb hull construction. The British force lost lost three battle cruisers. The subsequent Admuiralty inquiry attrivuted this to the absence of antiflash protection in the gun turrets. Thus fires ignited by eneny fire reached the powder magazines. Beatty at the time famously commented “... there seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today.” Beatty then turned north in an effort to lure Hipper and Scheer into the assembling Grand Fleet.

Phase Two (7:15 pm)

Scheer thinking that Hippr had made contact with a mall British force pursued Beatty's ships right into the Grand Fleet. He ha no idea that Jelicoe had been avle to asemble the Frand Fleet. As the the larger capital ships came into range, Admiral Jellicoe maneuvered his shoips in the era before radar to take advantage of the fading daylight. The second phase of the battle began (7:15 pm). Admiral Jellicoe ordered his ships into a single massive battle line by executing a text book 90-degree turn to port. This gave him an enormous advantage in the fading light. It cut the German High Seas leet off from their home base. Jelicoe twice crossed the High Sea Fleet’s “T” -- the classic naval mnuever. Scheer’s ships were merciously pounded with 70 direct hits. The German ships managed only 20 hits on the British ships. This could have mean destruction of the German Imperial Fleet. Admiral Scheer was forced to withdraw. He managed to escape annihilation by executing three brilliant 180-degree battle turns away from the British and escape in the fading liht. Had the battle been fought a few hours ealier, the reults would have been very different. . By the full darkness at 10:00 p.m., the battle was over and the Highseas Fleetbmaking for the safety of Wilhelmshaven.

Aftermath (June 1)

Kaiser Wilhelm showered the sailors who fought the battle with Iron Crosses. Press releases informed the Grman people of a grrat victory because of the greater British losse and he durability of the Germsn ships. The failure of the High Seas Fleet to break the British Blockade was all to obvious. By the morning, Admiral Jellicoe had 24 undamaged dreadnoughts (battleships) and battle cruisers standing off Wilhelmshaven. Sheer kept his remaining 10 battle-ready heavies safely in port, declining to continue the battle. Three heavily damaged German battle cruisers and three dreadnoughts needed major repairs.

Results

The German fleet performed well, but was unable to overcome the security breach and the numerical superiority of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet. It was thus essentially a draw. It was a tactical victory for Germany in that they caused more damage to the British fleet. The Royal Navy losses amounted to 6,784 men and 111,000 tons, The German High Seas flet lost 3,058 men and 62,000 tons. The much larger British fleet was very large and could absorb the damage. It was a strategic victory for the British because the debilitating Royal Navy blockade of Germany was left in place. The German fleet became esentially useless. After the battle, the Kaisr refused to grant permission for the High Seas Fleet to do battle in force again, afraid that the fleet would be destroyed. The Fleet became a kind of prison for the sailors. They were prisoners in their own ships in their own harbors. Admiral John Jellicoe's tactics at the battle received some criticism. What is indisputable is that after the battle, the British Royal Navy remained a dominant fighting force whereas while the the German High Seas fleet sat uselessly in port.

Impact

Jutland in strategic terms proved as decisive as the Battle of Trafalgar a century earlier. Jellicoe did no score th oblitration of the enemy fleet as Nelson did, but the strategic victory was just as absolute. The British public was disappointed with Jutland, but Jelicoe had achieved his objective. Not only would the German High Sea Fleet not make another major effort in th North Sea. There were be three minor sweeps, but no major fleet effort. And three decades latter the NAZI fleet would not be the same challenge posed by the High Seas Fleet. The Germanswould turn primarilt to commerce raiding. Adm Sheer delivered an after-action report to the kaiser (July 4,). He advised against future surface fleet actions with the British Grand Fleet as a result of the Royal Navy's 'great material superiority' and advantageous 'military-geographical position'. He instead advised 'the defeat of British economic life–that is, by using the U-boats against British trade.' And pressure for renewing unrestriucted naval wrfare would rise asthe losses continued on the Western Front and the blockade caused conditioins on the Hime Font to woren. Not only had the High Seas Fleet ben defeated, but the other arm of the Getman Navy, the U-boat fleet, wiyldthe folloing year bring America into th wr,ennsuing Grmny's defeat.

Sources

Tarrant, V.E. Jutland: The German Perspective – A New View of the Great Battle (Weidenfeld & Nicolson).

Created: 6:10 PM 8/28/2014
Last updated: 6:10 PM 8/28/2014