The operations of the 10th Cruiser Squadron were much restricted by the bad weather experienced, the weekly average showing:
Number of ships intercepted, 21; number sent in, 8; number of ships on patrol, 11; number absent at ports or en route to or from patrol, 10; number on special service, 2.
Gales were experienced at Scapa or the neighbourhood on January 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 30th. The weather during the month both at Scapa and in the whole northern area was exceptionally severe, and seriously hampered the work of the 10th Cruiser Squadron and the movements of all small craft.
Independent squadron exercises at sea by day and by night from the various bases were continued in January, as was the change of base of the Rosyth squadrons to Scapa and Cromarty for practices.
At 6 A.M. on February 1st the 1st Cruiser Squadron and four destroyers left Scapa, steering towards the little Fisher Bank, whence the destroyers returned to Scapa, and the squadron proceeded to sweep up the Norwegian coast during daylight hours and thence to Scapa. These sweeps up the coast were undertaken because it was considered probable that enemy raiders, attempting to pass out of the North Sea, would hug the coast on passage.
On February 2nd the 5th Light Cruiser Squadron, from Harwich, was at sea endeavouring to intercept zeppelins returning from raiding our east coast. The fishing trawler King Stephen on this day sighted Zeppelin L 19 in a sinking condition in the North Sea.
On February 5th Submarine D 8 left Blyth to operate off the Norwegian coast. She returned on the 13th.
On February 7th the 7th Cruiser Squadron proceeded to a position about 150 miles to the south-eastward from Scapa for patrol during the night and returned on the 8th, on which date the 1st Cruiser Squadron carried out a similar patrol, returning on the 9th.
On the night of February 10th the 10th Sloop Flotilla, operating from the Humber under the orders of the Rear-Admiral of the East Coast, was attacked by enemy torpedo craft in the vicinity of the Dogger Bank, and the Arabis was sunk. On receipt of the news, and pending further information as to the strength of enemy forces at sea, the Battle Cruiser Fleet left Rosyth during the night of the 10th–11th, and proceeded to the southward; the 5th Light Cruiser Squadron sailed from Harwich; and the remainder of the Grand Fleet left its bases at Scapa, Cromarty and Rosyth to rendezvous in the North Sea and move to the southward. The situation became clear during the 11th, when it was evident that the enemy’s force, which had consisted only of destroyers, had returned to its base.
At 10.30 P.M. (the Battle Fleet being then in Lat. 57.57 N., Long. 0.20 E.) orders were given for the Grand Fleet to return to its bases, and the squadrons arrived on the 12th.