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  1. Home
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  3. The Battle of Jutland
  • Cited by 7
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:
May 2016
Print publication year:
2016
Online ISBN:
9781316576779
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781316576779
Series:
Cambridge Military Histories
Subjects:
Twentieth Century British History, Regional and World History: General Interest, Military History, History
Information

Book description

This is a major new account of the Battle of Jutland, the key naval battle of the First World War in which the British Grand Fleet engaged the German High Seas Fleet off the coast of Denmark in 1916. Beginning with the building of the two fleets, John Brooks reveals the key technologies employed, from ammunition, gunnery and fire control, to signalling and torpedoes, as well as the opposing commanders' tactical expectations and battle orders. In describing Jutland's five major phases, he offers important new interpretations of the battle itself and how the outcome was influenced by technology, as well as the tactics and leadership of the principal commanders, with the reliability of their own accounts of the fighting reassessed. The book draws on contemporary sources which have rarely been cited in previous accounts, including the despatches of both the British and German formations, along with official records, letters and memoirs.

Reviews

‘At the centenary of Jutland, the most controversial of all naval battles, John Brooks' skilful, precise assessment, a masterclass in naval operational history, provides a new benchmark, the foundation text for all future studies.'

Andrew Lambert - author of The Challenge: Britain against America in the Naval War of 1812

‘A key element [of this book] is the careful examination of the ferocious but chaotic night actions which were so important to the final outcome. The difficulties of operating at night, the preparations, material and doctrinal, of both sides and the uncertainties which so often meant the difference between success and disaster are made clear, allowing a much more comprehensive assessment of what was inevitable and what might have been.'

James Goldrick - author of Before Jutland: The Naval War in Northern European Waters, August 1914-February 1915

'To sum up, John Brooks’s book is one of the best written on this battle. Of course, we do not learn anything about the situation on board during the battle, the horror of fighting and dying as well as the myth of Jutland both in Britain and in Germany. However, the author should not be blamed for this, for his topic was different - he wanted to give a true account of a great battle - no more, but also no less. He has achieved this aim marvelously.'

Michael Epkenhans Source: The International Journal of Maritime History

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Contents

Contents
References

Bibliography

I

I Abbreviated sources

AN

Admiralty, Narrative of the Battle of Jutland (London: HMSO, 1924)

ATFJ

Admiralty, Gunnery Branch, Analysis of Torpedo Firing in the Battle of Jutland, January 1918, ADM 186/586

BP I

Ranft, Bryan (ed.) The Beatty Papers, Volume I 1902–1918 (Aldershot: Scholar Press for Navy Records Society, 1989)

BP II

Ranft, Bryan (ed.) The Beatty Papers, Volume II 1916–1927 (Aldershot: Scholar Press for the Navy Records Society, 1993)

CAWFS 1860–1905

Chesnau, R and Kolensik, E (eds.) Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1860–1905 (London: Conway Maritime Press, 1979)

CAWFS 1906–21

Grey, Randal (ed.) Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1906–1921 (London: Conway Maritime Press, 1985)

DGBJ

Brooks, John, Dreadnought Gunnery and the Battle of Jutland. The Question of Fire Control (London: Routledge, 2005)

FCBD

Brooks, John, ‘Fire Control for British Dreadnoughts. Choices in Technology and Supply’ (University of London: PhD Thesis, 2001) – at http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.274933

F&H

Fawcett H W and Hooper G W (eds.) The Fighting at Jutland (Rochester: Chatham, 2001 – first published 1921)

FDSF

Marder, Arthur, From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow. The Royal Navy in the Fisher Era, 1904–1919 (Oxford University Press)

Vol. I. The Road to War, 1904–1914 (London: 1961)

Vol. II. The War Years: To the Eve of Jutland (London: 1966)

Vol. III. Jutland and After (May 1916–December 1916) (Oxford: 1978 – 2nd edition)

GF

Jellicoe, Viscount, The Grand Fleet 1914–1916. Its Creation, Development and Work (Ringshall: Ad Hoc Publications, 2006 – first published 1919)

GFBOs I

Grand Fleet Battle Orders Vol. I 1914–1916, ADM 116/1341 and 186/595 (A further collection for 1914–15 is in ADM 137/288)

GFBOs III

Grand Fleet Battle Orders Vol. III in force at Jutland, ADM 116/134 and 186/597 – reproduction by Brad Golding (Mitcham, Victoria: AAD Services, 1997)

GFG&TMs

Grand Fleet Gunnery and Torpedo Memoranda on Naval Actions 1914–1918, 1922, ADM 188/615

GFG&TOs

Grand Fleet Gunnery and Torpedo Orders, 1915–1918, ADM 137/293

GMS

‘Summary of the More Important German Wireless Messages and Visual Signals Relating to the Battle of Jutland’, Tarrant, App. 10, pp. 272–303

GOA

Groos, Captain O (trans. Bagot, Lieut-Cmdr. W T) The Battle of Jutland (The German Official Account), Naval Staff, Admiralty, 1 May 1926 and typed draft Ca889, both AL. Also ADM 186/626

GSB 1915

General Signal Book 1915, ADM 186/699

IDNS

Sumida, Jon, In Defence of Naval Supremacy. Finance, Technology and British Naval Policy 1889–1914 (London: Unwin Hyman, 1989)

JMSS

The Jellicoe Papers, Add. 48989–49057, BL. View at www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Add_MS_[number]

JP I

Patterson, A Temple (ed.) The Jellicoe Papers. Volume I, 1893–1916 (Navy Records Society, 1966)

JP II

Patterson, A Temple (ed.) The Jellicoe Papers. Volume II, 1916–1935 (Navy Records Society, 1968)

MoG I 1915

Admiralty, Manual of Gunnery (Volume I) for His Majesty’s Fleet, Ja254, AL

MoG III 1915

Admiralty, Gunnery Branch, Manual of Gunnery (Volume III) for His Majesty’s Fleet, Ja254, AL

NSA

Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division, Naval Staff Appreciation of Jutland with Appendices and Diagrams (Admiralty, 1922)

JMMS 49042 for Jellicoe’s annotated copy

Schleihauf, William (ed.) Jutland. The Naval Staff Appreciation (Barnsley: Seaforth, 2016)

OD

Battle of Jutland 30th May to 1st June 1916. Official Despatches with Appendices, Cmd.1068 (London: HMSO, 1920). https://archive.org/download/battleofjutland300grearich/battleofjutland300grearich.pdf

OD(M)

‘Record of Messages Bearing on the Operation’, OD, App. II, pp. 398–586

ODNB

Goldman, Lawrence (ed.) Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009)

REL

‘Record of Events during Action of 31st May from Records kept in Control Position and Transmitting Station. H.M.S. Lion’, BTY 6/6 and JMSS 49014 and transcription at: www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/H.M.S._Lion_at_the_Battle_of_Jutland

S&H

Steel, N and Hart, P, Jutland 1916. Death in the Grey Wastes (London: Cassell, 2003)

VNE

‘VABCF’s Personal Records. Battle of 31st May. Narrative of Events’ in BTY 6/3 and DRAX 1/57

II

II Archives

  • Admiralty Historical Library [AL]

  • British Library [BL]

  • Churchill College, Cambridge [CC]

DRAX

Admiral Sir Reginald Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax

DRYR

Admiral Sir Frederic Dreyer

FISR

Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher

  • Imperial War Museum [IWM]

  • National Maritime Museum [NMM]

BTY

Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty

CHT

Admiral of the Fleer Lord Chatfield

OLV

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Oliver

  • The National Archive [TNA]

ADM

Admiralty

HW

Government Code and Cypher School and Predecessors: Personal Papers, Unofficial Histories [etc.]

III

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