[(Hi-res)]

The Iron Duke and the 1st and 4th Battle Squadrons, together with the 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron, and the newly commissioned light cruisers Chester and Canterbury, which had been carrying out gunnery and torpedo practices at Scapa, left that base during the evening of May 30th, and proceeded towards position (A), Lat. 57.45 N., Long. 4.15 E., having met the 2nd Battle Squadron en route at 11.15 A.M. in Lat. 58.13 N., Long. 2.42 E. Sir David Beatty had been informed before sailing that the Battle Fleet would steer towards the Horn Reef from the position in Lat. 57.45 N., Long. 4.15 E.

At 2 P.M. on May 31st the Battle Fleet was about 18 miles to the north-westward of the position (A), being actually in Lat. 57.57 N., Long. 3.45 E., in organisation No. 5. The Fleet had been slightly delayed for the purpose of enabling the usual and necessary practice of examining trawlers and other vessels met with en route to be carried out without causing the examining vessels to expend unnecessary fuel in regaining station. We had to be on our guard against scouts. The divisions were in line ahead disposed abeam to starboard in the order: 1st–6th Divisions (screened by the 4th, 11th, and 12th Flotillas) with the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron, three miles ahead of the Battle Fleet. The cruisers, with one destroyer to each cruiser, were stationed 16 miles ahead of the Battle Fleet, spread six miles apart on a line of direction N. 40 E. and S. 40 W.; the cruisers being eight miles apart and their positions being in the order from east to west:

(F.) (F.)
Cochrane Shannon Minotaur Defence Duke of Edinburgh Black Prince . .
. .
. Warrior .
.
Hampshire (linking ship 6 miles astern of the Minotaur)

The attached cruisers, the Active, Boadicea, Blanche, and Bellona, were on the flanks of the Battle Fleet, and the 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron, with the light cruisers Chester and Canterbury, about 20 miles ahead, the whole steering S. 50 E., and zigzagging, the speed of advance being 14 knots.

The disposition of the Battle Fleet is shown below:

Line of Advance.
↑
1st Div. 2nd Div. 3rd Div. 4th Div. 5th Div. 6th Div.
King George V.(F.) Orion (F.) Iron Duke (F.F.) Benbow (F.) Colossus (F.) Marlborough (F.)
Ajax Monarch Royal Oak Bellerophon Collingwood Revenge
Centurion Conqueror Superb (F.) Temeraire Neptune Hercules
Erin Thunderer Canada Vanguard St. Vincent Agincourt
F., Flagships; F.F., Fleet Flagship.

It may be added in further explanation that the flagships of the Battle Fleet were:

Iron Duke, Fleet-Flagship.—Flag of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe (Commander-in-Chief).