The Grand Fleet, 1914-1916 : $b its creation, development and workJellicoe, John Rushworth
History
The Grand Fleet, 1914-1916 : $b its creation, development and work
Jellicoe, John Rushworth
Great Britain. Royal Navy; Jutland, Battle of, 1916; World War, 1914-1918 -- Naval operations
During March the weather at the northern bases was not very boisterous,
but a great deal of mist and fog was prevalent during the first
fortnight, and during the last fortnight snow fell on at least seven
days. An average of fifty-six ships per week was intercepted by the
ships of the 10th Cruiser Squadron during the month.
During April, 1915, intended Fleet movements were prevented on several
occasions by bad weather, and the 10th Cruiser Squadron and other ships
at sea experienced exceptional gales; the principal movements carried
out were as follows:
From the 5th to the 8th the 3rd Battle Squadron, 3rd Cruiser Squadron
and five destroyers of the 1st Flotilla cruised in the North Sea
(central portion), and from the 5th to the 9th the Battle Cruiser Fleet
with eight destroyers of the 1st Flotilla cruised in the northern
portion of the North Sea.
On April 8th the _Lancaster_, of the 7th Cruiser Squadron, and the
_Caribbean_, of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, were detached to watch the
Norwegian coast between Lat. 62 and 64 N.
On April 11th the whole Grand Fleet proceeded to sea; the Battle Fleet
met the Battle Cruiser Fleet and 3rd Battle Squadron from Rosyth,
and cruised in the centre portion of the North Sea during the 12th
and 13th, returning to the various bases on the 14th to fuel. The
opportunity was taken of carrying out battle exercises.
Whilst the Dreadnought Battle Fleet was passing down east of the
Orkneys at 2.30 P.M., and was being met by the 2nd and 4th Flotillas,
which had come out to screen the ships in, the _Neptune_ reported
having sighted a submarine’s periscope, but as the Fleet was steaming
at 18 knots and the destroyers were taking up screening stations it was
not considered that successful attack was probable, and the Fleet held
its course for Scapa.
Submarines were also sighted during the day by the _Antrim_ in Lat.
57.18 N., Long. 1.2 E., and by the Battle Cruiser Fleet in Lat. 58.15
N., Long. 2.40 E., but no successful attack resulted.
The Grand Fleet proceeded to sea again for a sweep in southern waters
on the 17th, and at 8 A.M. on the 18th the Dreadnought Battle Fleet,
with the 1st, 2nd, and 7th Cruiser Squadrons looking out ahead and the
2nd and 4th Flotillas screening, was in Lat. 57.25 N., Long. 1.4 E.,
steering at 18 knots’ speed for a position in Lat. 56.30 N., Long.
3.30 E., where it was intended to meet the 3rd Battle Squadron and 3rd
Cruiser Squadron from Rosyth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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