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

HMS Warspite's withdrawal and battle damage

HMS Warspite withdrew and halted for repairs. The 5th Battle Squadron’s Commander, Rear Admiral Philpott, considered Warspite too damaged to continue and ordered the ship to withdraw and return to Rosyth.

Illustration of HMS Warspite from the Admiralty's battle damage report.(RNM)

Poland recalls the repair work and the relief of seeing the Grand Fleet (GF) appear to aid the beleaguered squadrons:

'We had about ¼ hr of hammering and then the GF arrived. I’ve never been so thankful for anything in my life. It was like feeling ones feet on the bottom again after being carried away by a strong tide. Lord, did they look fine…We were stopped, and remained so for about an hour and the last I saw was the light cruisers scrapping briskly to the W. of us. Eventually we turned around and got underway at 15 knots.'

Details of damage to HMS Warspite from the Admiralty's battle damage report.(RNM)

For HMS Warspite the Battle of Jutland ends there, the action itself went on into the early hours of the next morning, only ending where Scheer’s High Seas Fleet were able to escape back to port during the night.

Aboard HMS Warspite however, Poland remembers arriving back to safety the next day:

'Eventually an escort of TBs (torpedo boats) met us 30 miles E. of May Island and we got under the bridge about 5pm Thursday, damn thankful to be afloat. We had worked up to full speed, although the experts were doubtful if she’d stand it. We made rafts all over the upper deck as one torpedo would have finished her. It was an anxious and busy forenoon. The chippies worked like Trojans shoring her up. The damage is pretty extensive and spectacular, though by the grace of Heaven not vital in any place.'

Damage to HMS Warspite suffered at Jutland, pictured at Rosyth. (RNM)