Home
Greatest naval battle in history in North Sea
British lose three battlecruisers, three cruisers and eight torpedo-boat destroyers.
Two German dreadnoughts sunk - Foe battle cruiser blown up, another disabled and stopping and third seriously damaged.
Enemy cruiser and six destroyers sunk - Our losses include Queen Mary, Indefatigable, Invincible, Defence and Black Prince, and Warrior abandoned.
Foe Fleet Avoid Long Action With Our Main Force
Three German Battleships Hit Repeatedly, Two Cruisers Disabled, U-Boat Rammed and Sunk
Press Bureau, Friday 7pm, The Secretary of the Admiralty makes the following announcement: On the afternoon of Wednesday, May 31, a naval engagement took place off the coast of Jutland. The British ships on which the brunt of the fighting fell were the battlecruiser fleet and some cruisers and light cruisers, supported by four fast battleships. Among these the losses were heavy.
The German battle fleet, aided by a low visibility, avoided prolonged action with our main forces, and soon after these appeared on the scene the enemy returned to port, though not before receiving severe damage from our battleships.
The battlecruisers Queen Mary, Indefatigable, Invincible and the cruisers Defence and Black Prince were sunk. The Warrior was disabled and, after being towed for some time, had to be abandoned by her crew. It is also known that the destroyers Tipperary, Turbulent, Fortune, Sparrowhawk and Ardent were lost, and six others are not yet accounted for.
No British battleships or light cruisers were sunk.
The enemy's losses were serious. At least one battle cruiser was destroyed and one severely damaged; one battleship reported sunk by our destroyers during a night attack; two light cruisers were disabled and probably sunk. The exact number of enemy destroyers disposed of during the action cannot be ascertained with any certainty, but it must have been large.
Admiral Sir John Jellicoe's Estimate of German Losses in Jutland Fight
Admiralty, 1.30am: Since the foregoing communiqué was issued a further report has been received from the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet stating that it is now ascertained that our total losses in destroyers amount to eight boats in all. The Commander-in-Chief also reports that it is now possible to form a closer estimate of the losses and damage sustained by the enemy fleet.
One Dreadnought battleship of the Kaiser class was blown up in an attack by British destroyers, and another Dreadnought battleship of the Kaiser class is believed to have been sunk by gunfire. Of three German battle cruisers, two of which it is believed were the Derflinger and the Lutzow, one was blown up and another heavily engaged by our battle fleet and was seen to be disabled and stopping, and the third was observed to be seriously damaged.
One German light cruiser and six German destroyers were sunk, and at least two more German light cruisers were seen to be disabled. Further, repeated hits were observed on three other German battleships that were engaged.
Finally, a German submarine was rammed and sunk.
Published: 2002-01-01
Bookmark with:
What are these?