There was much destroyer-work in the Battle of Jutland. The actual
battle field may not have been more than twenty thousand square miles,
but the incidental patrols, from first to last, must have covered many
times that area. Doubtless the next generation will comb out every
detail of it. All we need remember is there were many squadrons of
battleships and cruisers engaged over the face of the North Sea, and
that they were accompanied in their dread comings and goings by
multitudes of destroyers, who attacked the enemy both by day and by
night from the afternoon of May 31 to the morning of June 1, 1916. We
are too close to the gigantic canvas to take in the meaning of the
picture; our children stepping backward through the years may get the
true perspective and proportions.
To recapitulate what every one knows.
The German fleet came out of its North Sea ports, scouting ships
ahead; then destroyers, cruisers, battle-cruisers, and, last, the main
battle fleet in the rear. It moved north, parallel with the coast of
stolen Schleswig-Holstein and Jutland. Our fleets were already out;
the main battle fleet (Admiral Jellicoe) sweeping down from the north,
and our battle-cruiser fleet (Admiral Beatty) feeling for the enemy.
Our scouts came in contact with the enemy on the afternoon of May 31
about 100 miles off the Jutland coast, steering north-west. They
satisfied themselves he was in strength, and reported accordingly to
our battle-cruiser fleet, which engaged the enemy's battle-cruisers at
about half-past three o'clock. The enemy steered south-east to rejoin
their own fleet, which was coming up from that quarter. We fought him
on a parallel course as he ran for more than an hour.
Then his battle-fleet came in sight, and Beatty's fleet went about and
steered north-west in order to retire on our battle-fleet, which was
hurrying down from the north. We returned fighting very much over the
same waters as we had used in our slant south. The enemy up till now
had lain to the eastward of us, whereby he had the advantage in that
thick weather of seeing our hulls clear against the afternoon light,
while he himself worked in the mists. We then steered a little to the
north-west bearing him off towards the east till at six o'clock Beatty
had headed the enemy's leading ships and our main battle-fleet came in
sight from the north. The enemy broke back in a loop, first eastward,
then south, then south-west as our fleet edged him off from the land,
and our main battle-fleet, coming up behind them, followed in their
wake. Thus for a while we had the enemy to westward of us, where he
made a better mark; but the day was closing and the weather
thickened, and the enemy wanted to get away. At a quarter past eight
the enemy, still heading south-west, was covered by his destroyers in
a great screen of grey smoke, and he got away.