[From The London Times, March 3, 1915.]
_Admiralty, March 3, 1915._
_The following dispatch has been received from Vice Admiral Sir David
Beatty, K.C.B., M.V.O., D.S.O., commanding the First Battle Cruiser
Squadron, reporting the action in the North Sea on Sunday, the 24th of
January, 1915:_
H.M.S. Princess Royal,
Feb. 2, 1915.
Sir: I have the honor to report that at daybreak on Jan. 24, 1915, the
following vessels were patrolling in company:
The battle cruisers Lion, Capt. Alfred E.M. Chatfield, C.V.O., flying my
flag; Princess Royal, Capt. Osmond de B. Brock, Aide de Camp; Tiger,
Capt. Henry B. Pelly, M.V.O.; New Zealand, Capt. Lionel Halsey, C.M.G.,
Aide de Camp, flying the flag of Rear Admiral Sir Archibald Moore,
K.C.B., C.V.O., and Indomitable, Capt. Francis W. Kennedy.
The light cruisers Southampton, flying the broad pennant of Commodore
William E. Goodenough, M.V.O.; Nottingham, Capt. Charles B. Miller;
Birmingham, Capt. Arthur A.M. Duff, and Lowestoft, Capt. Theobald W.B.
Kennedy, were disposed on my port beam.
Commodore (T) Reginald Y. Tyrwhitt, C.B., in Arethusa, Aurora, Capt.
Wilmot S. Nicholson; Undaunted, Capt. Francis G. St. John, M.V.O.;
Arethusa and the destroyer flotillas were ahead.
At 7:25 A.M. the flash of guns was observed south-southeast. Shortly
afterward a report reached me from Aurora that she was engaged with
enemy's ships. I immediately altered course to south-southeast,
increased to 22 knots, and ordered the light cruisers and flotillas to
chase south-southeast to get in touch and report movements of enemy.
This order was acted upon with great promptitude, indeed my wishes had
already been forestalled by the respective senior officers, and reports
almost immediately followed from Southampton, Arethusa, and Aurora as to
the position and composition of the enemy, which consisted of three
battle cruisers and Blücher, six light cruisers, and a number of
destroyers, steering northwest. The enemy had altered course to
southeast. From now onward the light cruisers maintained touch with the
enemy, and kept me fully informed as to their movements.
The battle cruisers worked up to full speed, steering to the southward.
The wind at the time was northeast, light, with extreme visibility. At
7:30 A.M. the enemy were sighted on the port bow steaming fast, steering
approximately southeast, distant 14 miles.
Owing to the prompt reports received we had attained our position on the
quarter of the enemy, and so altered course to southeast parallel to
them, and settled down to a long stern chase, gradually increasing our
speed until we reached 28.5 knots. Great credit is due to the engineer
staffs of New Zealand and Indomitable--these ships greatly exceeded
their normal speed.
At 8:52 A.M., as we had closed to within 20,000 yards of the rear ship,
the battle cruisers manoeuvred to keep on a line of bearing so that guns
would bear, and Lion fired a single shot, which fell short. The enemy at
this time were in single line ahead, with light cruisers ahead and a
large number of destroyers on their starboard beam.
Single shots were fired at intervals to test the range, and at 9:09 A.M.
Lion made her first hit on the Blücher, No. 4 in the line. The Tiger
opened fire at 9:20 A.M. on the rear ship, the Lion shifted to No. 3 in
the line, at 18,000 yards, this ship being hit by several salvos. The
enemy returned our fire at 9:14 A.M. Princess Royal, on coming into
range, opened fire on Blücher, the range of the leading ship being
17,500 yards, at 9:35 A.M. New Zealand was within range of Blücher,
which had dropped somewhat astern, and opened fire on her. Princess
Royal shifted to the third ship in the line, inflicting considerable
damage on her.
Our flotilla cruisers and destroyers had gradually dropped from a
position broad on our beam to our port quarter, so as not to foul our
range with their smoke; but the enemy's destroyers threatening attack,
the Meteor and M Division passed ahead of us, Capt. the Hon. H. Meade,
D.S.O., handling this division with conspicuous ability.
About 9:45 A.M. the situation was as follows: Blücher, the fourth in
their line, already showed signs of having suffered severely from gun
fire; their leading ship and No. 3 were also on fire, Lion was engaging
No. 1, Princess Royal No. 3, New Zealand No. 4, while the Tiger, which
was second in our line, fired first at their No. 1, and when interfered
with by smoke, at their No. 4.
The enemy's destroyers emitted vast columns of smoke to screen their
battle cruisers, and under cover of this the latter now appeared to have
altered course to the northward to increase their distance, and
certainly the rear ships hauled out on the port quarter of their leader,
thereby increasing their distance from our line. The battle cruisers,
therefore, were ordered to form a line of bearing north-northwest, and
proceed at their utmost speed.
Their destroyers then showed evident signs of an attempt to attack. Lion
and Tiger opened fire on them, and caused them to retire and resume
their original course.
The light cruisers maintained an excellent position on the port quarter
of the enemy's line, enabling them to observe and keep touch, or attack
any vessel that might fall out of the line.
At 10:48 A.M. the Blücher, which had dropped considerably astern of
enemy's line, hauled out to port, steering north with a heavy list, on
fire, and apparently in a defeated condition. I consequently ordered
Indomitable to attack enemy breaking northward.
At 10:54 A.M. submarines were reported on the starboard bow, and I
personally observed the wash of a periscope two points on our starboard
bow. I immediately turned to port.
At 11:03 A.M. an injury to the Lion being reported as incapable of
immediate repair, I directed Lion to shape course northwest. At 11:20
A.M. I called the Attack alongside, shifting my flag to her at about
11:35 A.M. I proceeded at utmost speed to rejoin the squadron, and met
them at noon retiring north-northwest.
I boarded and hoisted my flag on Princess Royal at about 12:20 P.M.,
when Capt. Brock acquainted me of what had occurred since the Lion fell
out of the line, namely, that Blücher had been sunk and that the enemy
battle cruisers had continued their course to the eastward in a
considerably damaged condition. He also informed me that a Zeppelin and
a seaplane had endeavored to drop bombs on the vessels which went to the
rescue of the survivors of Blücher.
The good seamanship of Lieut. Commander Cyril Callaghan, H.M.S. Attack,
in placing his vessel alongside the Lion and subsequently the Princess
Royal, enabled the transfer of flag to be made in the shortest possible
time.
At 2 P.M. I closed Lion and received a report that the starboard engine
was giving trouble owing to priming, and at 3:38 P.M. I ordered
Indomitable to take her in tow, which was accomplished by 5 P.M.
The greatest credit is due to the Captains of Indomitable and Lion for
the seaman-like manner in which the Lion was taken in tow under
difficult circumstances.
The excellent steaming of the ships engaged in the operation was a
conspicuous feature.
I attach an appendix giving the names of various officers and men who
specially distinguished themselves.
Where all did well it is difficult to single out officers and men for
special mention, and as Lion and Tiger were the only ships hit by the
enemy, the majority of these I mention belong to those ships.