As stated, Rear Admiral Hood took station ahead of Vice Admiral Beatty's
battle cruisers, with his advance squadron of battle cruisers (6:21)
closing to a range of 8,000 yards, (6:25.) A few minutes later his
flagship, the Invincible, was sunk by gunfire. Almost at the same time
three of Rear Admiral Arbuthnot's armored cruisers, Black Prince,
Warrior, and Defense, "not aware of the approach of the enemy's heavy
ships,"[5] were put out of action. (Defense was sunk; Warrior sank while
attempt was being made to tow her home; Black Prince was sunk later,
probably by gunfire.)
At this stage the British Grand Fleet formed in battle line astern of
the battle cruisers, and engaged the enemy on a course to the southwest,
the German fleet now being to the westward, as shown on the diagram. The
fifth battle squadron then took position astern of Admiral Jellicoe's
main body. It was here that the Warspite, a dreadnought of the Queen
Elizabeth class, jammed her helm, and was out of control for a time, as
described by her Captain after the action. The battleship was, however,
extricated from her predicament. The battle cruiser Lützow, the flagship
of the German advance force, had become totally disabled, and Vice
Admiral Hipper had trans-shipped his flag to another battle cruiser.
By this time smoke and mist hung over the sea, and the Germans took
advantage of these conditions, also using smoke screens, to fight the
only action possible for their fleet against the overwhelming force now
in line against them. The German ships would appear and disappear in the
smoke and mist. Admiral Jellicoe reports of this stage of the action:
Owing principally to the mist, but partly to the smoke, it was
possible to see only a few ships at a time in the enemy's battle
line. Toward the van only some four or five ships were ever
visible at once. More could be seen from the rear squadron, but
never more than eight to twelve. * * * The action between the
battle fleets lasted intermittently from 6:17 P. M. to 8:20 P.
M., at ranges between 9,000 yards and 12,000 yards. During this
time the British fleet made alterations of course from southeast
by east to west (168¾ degrees) in the endeavor to close, but the
enemy constantly turned away and opened the range under cover of
destroyer attacks and smoke screens. The alterations of course
had the effect of bringing the British fleet (which commenced
the action in a position of advantage on the bow of the enemy)
to a quarterly bearing from the enemy's battle line, but at the
same time placed us between the enemy and his bases.