The conviction was, however, forming in my mind that I should strike the enemy’s Battle Fleet on a bearing a little on the starboard bow, and in order to be prepared for deployment I turned the Fleet to a south-east course, leaders together and the remainder in succession, and the destroyer flotillas were directed by signal, at 6.8 P.M., to take up the destroyer position No. 1 for battle. This order disposed them as follows: [Illustration] There was, however, a very short interval between this signal to the destroyers and the signal for deployment, and consequently the destroyers did not reach their positions before deployment. The subsequent alterations of course to the southward and westward added to their difficulties and delayed them greatly in gaining their stations at the van of the Fleet after deployment. The correct position for the two van flotillas on deployment was three miles ahead of the Fleet, but slightly on the engaged bow. At 6.1 P.M., immediately on sighting the _Lion_, a signal had been made to Sir David Beatty inquiring the position of the enemy’s Battle Fleet. This signal was repeated at 6.10 P.M., and at 6.14 P.M. he signalled: “Have sighted the enemy’s Battle Fleet bearing south-south-west”; this report gave me the first information on which I could take effective action for deployment. At 6.15 P.M. Rear-Admiral Hugh Evan-Thomas, in the _Barham_, commanding the 5th Battle Squadron, signalled by wireless that the enemy’s Battle Fleet was in sight, bearing south-south-east. The distance was not reported in either case, but in view of the low visibility, I concluded it could not be more than some five miles. Sir Cecil Burney had already reported the 5th Battle Squadron at 6.7 P.M. as in sight, bearing south-west from the _Marlborough_. The first definite information received on board the Fleet-Flagship of the position of the enemy’s Battle Fleet did not, therefore, come in until 6.14 P.M., and the position given placed it thirty degrees before the starboard beam of the _Iron Duke_, or fifty-nine degrees before the starboard beam of the _Marlborough_, and apparently in close proximity. There was no time to lose, as there was evident danger of the starboard wing column of the Battle Fleet being engaged by the whole German Battle Fleet before deployment could be effected. So at 6.16 P.M. a signal was made to the Battle Fleet to form line of battle on the port wing column, on a course south-east by east, it being assumed that the course of the enemy was approximately the same as that of our battle cruisers. Speed was at the same time reduced to 14 knots to admit of our battle cruisers passing ahead of the Battle Fleet, as there was danger of the fire of the Battle Fleet being blanketed by them.