Themes

Conflict and Change

• Introduction

  • Timeline

  • Timeline: World Wars

  • HMS Warspite

  • HMS Premier

  • HMS Sovereign

  • HMS Fearless

• In Focus: 1900

• In Focus: World War One

• In Focus: Interwar

• In Focus: World War Two

• In Focus: Post War Conflict

• In Focus: Cold War Climate

• In Focus: Falklands and Beyond

• Special Exhibition: Falklands 25

Learning

• How To: Understand Propaganda

• Propaganda Image Galleries

• Education Project: Sea With Your Own Eyes

HMS Warspite

Article highlights

• HMS Warspite at the Battle of Jutland

• The 'super dreadnought'

• Position in the Grand Fleet

• Scheer's scheme

• Memories from the Battle

• Signal failure

• Fatal blows

• The Fifth Battle Squadron enter the action

• The Grand Fleet come to the rescue

• HMS Warspite's withdrawal and battle damage

Signal failure

At 1432 Beatty in HMS Lion makes a flag signal to all ships to turn to a course of SSE to support the British cruisers. However, funnel smoke and the direction of the flags obscured HMS Barham’s view and the 5th Battle Squadron did not take in this signal.

HMS Barham leading the Fifth Battle Squadron. May 31 1916, 2pm (just before the action). (RNM)

The 5th Battle Squadron continued in a northerly direction for 10 minutes before HMS Tiger repeated the signal by searchlight. Though only a short time of 10 minutes, the signalling error led to a critical gap of 10 miles between Beatty’s Battlecruisers and the 5th Battle Squadron.

In hindsight, many have criticised Beatty for his sloppy signalling. Beatty’s miscommunication with the 5th Battle Squadron resulted in the battlecruisers losing the advantage of backup from the most powerful squadron in the world.

HMS New Zealand sighted the German battlecruisers at 1525 and five minutes later both Hipper and Beatty changed courses to SSE, in a move that led Beatty towards Admiral Scheer’s High Seas Fleet.

Plan of the Battle. (RNM)

At 1545 the German battlecruisers open fire on their opposite numbers when Beatty’s ships were at a distance of about 14km. Minutes later the British battlecruisers responded, however, they had squandered their advantage.

The British ships out performed their German counterparts in speed, range and weight of projectile, and had the Germans in range for over 10 minutes.

But the Germans had the advantage of position. The sun was behind the British ships, giving the German gunners a clear advantage in ranging and spotting.

Smokescreen laid down by destroyers viewed by HMS Barham. Smokescreens were used to conceal ships and confuse the enemy’s gunnery. (RNM)

HMS Warspite and the rest of the 5th Battle Squadron were still catching up in the attempt to join the battlecruisers and support their action and were about eight miles distance away.

As a consequence of Beatty’s failed signals, the 5th Battle Squadron was unable to aid the battlecruisers with its superior firepower until 27 minutes after action.

During this crucial time the fierce action caused great damage to Beatty’s ships.