To return to the action impending between the battle cruisers. About 2:10 the " Elbing," on the left wing of Hipper's screen of light cruisers, sighted a neutral steamer and despatched a de- stroyer to examine it. The " Galatea " sighted the steamer and destroyer and proceeded to close them. The two forces were in touch and the light cruisers began to stream down to the point of contact, while Beatty altered course to S.S.E. at 2:32 P.M. to cut the enemy off from Horn's Reef. The sth B.S. unfortunately did not immediately follow suit, but continued on its northerly course till 2:40 P.M., opening its distance from 5 to over 7 m. so that subsequently a considerable delay was caused in its coming into action. Hipper's light cruisers proceeded to chase the "Galatea " to the N.W., while the battle-cruiser forces, working up to full speed, came hurrying up to the support of their light cruisers.
At 3:24 P.M. the smoke of Hipper's battle cruisers could be seen, and at 3:30 they came in sight of the " Lion " bearing N.E. and steering N.N.W. Beatty now increased to 25 knots, and ordered the 2nd B.C.S. to take station astern. The enemy were still some 23,000 yd. off. Everything augured well for the com- ing battle. The visibility was good, the sun was behind the British squadron and the wind southeast. At 3:45 Beatty made a signal to the battle cruisers to form on a line of bearing N. W. to clear the smoke ; but he had hardly done so when, at 3 148 P.U., the "Liitzow" opened fire at 14,250 yd., and both squad- rons turned to the S. to engage. Beatty's battle cruisers were now in single line ahead, Hipper's in starboard quarter line, and a fierce action ensued between the two squadrons, running to the S. on parallel courses at ranges varying from 14,500 to 20,000 yards. The action had hardly lasted a quarter of an hour when one of the*' Lion's " turrets was hit by a shell which burst inside and put the turret out of action. Maj. Francis Hervey, R.M.A., the officer of the turret, though mortally wounded, ordered the magazine doors to be closed, a precau- tion which saved the ship from destruction and won him a V.C. in death. Almost at the same time a salvo from the " Von der Tann " struck the " Indefatigable " (Capt. C. F. Sowerby) by the after-turret at 4:2 P.M., and drove her out of line, sinking by the stern. As the fleet went on, another salvo struck her for- ward and she turned over and disappeared.
The sth B.S., which was some 7 m. behind Beatty when the action began, did not get within range till about 4:11 P.M.; it then opened fire at 19,000 yd. on the rear ship, the " Von der Tann." By 4:16 the " Moltke " was also under its fire, but the light was becoming difficult and the enemy could not be clearly seen. Another disaster now befell the British battle cruisers. At 4^26 P.M. a salvo from the " Derfflinger " struck the " Queen Mary," causing an explosion in the forepart of the ship, and she sank by the bows with the stern high in the air. Then followed a terrific explosion, which rent the whole ship, and she disap- peared in a dense pall of smoke. The " Tiger " and " New Zealand " passed through the dreadful cloud with a rain of de- bris falling on their decks. But the fire of the British battle cruisers, joined to that of the 5th B.S., was now telling heavily on the enemy; and at 4:30 P.M. Hipper turned abruptly four points to port and proceeded E., with the " Liitzow " on fire.
The loss of these two British battle cruisers must be attributed to insufficient armour protection and defective turret construction, which allowed flash and flame to pass into the magazines. The Germans had profited by the lesson learnt at the Dogger Bank, when the turrets of the " Seydlitz " were burnt out, and their turrets had been equipped with suitable safeguards.
As early as 4:15 P.M. the I3th Flotilla, on the " Lion's " starboard side, had been ordered to attack and, crossing the " Lion's " bows about 4:30 P.M., rushed to the S.E. to do so. The German destroyers came out to meet them, and a sharp destroyer action developed between the two lines. Two German boats were lost V27 sunk by gunfire and V2p by a torpedo from the "Petard." The "Nestor" (Comdr. Hon. E. A. Bingham), " Nomad " and " Nicator " pressed boldly on to the E. and pushed home their attack, but were badly hit, and the first two were left helpless between the lines, to be sunk by a tornado of
fire from the German battle fleet as it came up. Their crews were saved by German destroyers, and Comdr. Bingham was awarded a V.C. No torpedoes got home on either side.
- " MARLBOROUQH So
402 Mrfatigrtl*
FIG. 2
BATTLE CRUISER ACTION
3.40-6.65 P.M. , , * . . mite*
SCHEER
It was now 4:33 P.M. The battle cruisers had run some 20 m. to the S. since the action commenced, when the " Southampton," 4 m. ahead of the " Lion," suddenly sighted the enemy's battle fleet to the S.E. for the first time during the war. The great opportunity so eagerly awaited in the British fleet seemed to have come at last. The German fleet was some 14 m. off, and at 4:40 P.M. Beatty, still well beyond its range, turned to the N. to draw it back on Jellicoe and the battle fleet. The 5th B.S. was coming down from the N. and at 4:48 P.M. he signalled to them to turn. Unfortunately the rear-admiral delayed his turn till 4:56 and ran past the battle cruisers, perhaps with the intention of covering them, but with the result that the squadron came under a heavy fire from the leading division of Scheer's battle fleet, and the " Barham," " Warspite " and " Malaya " were severely hit. Scheer, on receiving information of the British battle cruisers at 3:35, had closed his line to battle formation (ships 545 yd. and squadrons 1,090 yd. apart). At 4:5 P.M. he altered course N.W. and increased to 15 knots, and at4:2o altered course to' W., in- tending to catch Beatty between two fires. But hearing that five battleships had joined in the fight he thought better of it and turned to north. At 4:30 the British forces were in sight. The weather was clear, with a light breeze from north-west. At 4:45 fire was opened by the Konigs in the van on the sth B.S. Hipper, as he saw the battle fleet coming up, turned to star- board at 4:48 and took station 7 m. ahead of it.
Now commenced a long rush to the N., with Scheer some 10 m. on Beatty's starboard quarter and Hipper 9 m. or so to the east- ward. At 4:45 P.M. Jellicoe was some 66 m. to the N.W., and Hood with the 3rd B.C.S. some 30 m. to the N.N.E., so that Scheer was approaching the mouth of a trap, with Jellicoe to the N.W.,Hoodto the N.E., and Beatty to the W. shepherding him in. Beatty's squadron had suffered severely, but if he could once bring Scheer within reach of the thunderbolt coming down on him from the N.W. his losses should be amply avenged.
Jellicoe meanwhile, going S.E. by S. at 19 knots, had received news of the enemy battle cruisers at 3 :4o P.M., and had increased to 20 knots at 3:59. Hood had been ordered to proceed to Beatty's support at 4:5 and had shaped course S.S.E. at 25
