In spite of the difficult conditions the fire of many of our battleships was very effective at this period. Some instances may be given. At 7.15 P.M. the Iron Duke, as already mentioned, engaged a hostile battleship at 15,000 yards’ range and on a bearing 74 degrees from right ahead. At 7.20 she trained her guns on a battle cruiser of “Lutzow” type, abaft the beam, which hid herself by a destroyer smoke screen; at 7.17 P.M. the King George V. opened fire on a vessel, taken to be the leading ship in the enemy’s line at a range of about 13,000 yards; the Orion at a battleship[L]; the St. Vincent was “holding her target (a battleship) effectively till 7.26 P.M., the range being between 10,000 and 9,500 yards”; the Agincourt at 7.6 P.M. opened fire at 11,000 yards on one of four battleships that showed clearly out of the mist, and judged that at least four of her salvoes “straddled” the target; the Revenge was engaging what were taken to be battle cruisers, obtaining distinct hits on two of them; the Colossus from 7.12 to 7.20 P.M. was engaging a ship taken to be a battle cruiser, either the Derfflinger or Lutzow, at ranges between 10,000 and 8,000 yards, and observed several direct hits, two being on the water line; whilst the Marlborough, as already mentioned, “engaged a ship of the ‘König’ class.” Other vessels reported being in effective action during this period. The Royal Oak, the ship next astern of the Iron Duke, opened fire at 7.15 P.M. on the leading ship of three vessels taken to be battle cruisers, at a range of 14,000 yards; this ship was hit and turned away, and fire was shifted to the second ship which was lost to sight in the mist after a few rounds had been fired. It was difficult to be certain of the class of vessel on which fire was being directed, but one or more of the enemy’s battle cruisers had undoubtedly dropped astern by 7 P.M., as a result of the heavy punishment they had received from our battle cruisers and the 5th Battle Squadron, and were engaged by ships of the Battle Fleet.

[L] The Calliope reported at 7.1 P.M.: “Two enemy battleships, ‘König’ class, engaged by Orion’s division, observed to be heavily on fire.”

Both at this period and earlier in the action, the ships of the 1st Battle Squadron were afforded more opportunities for effective fire than the rest of the Battle Fleet, and the fullest use was made of the opportunities. This squadron, under the able command of Sir Cecil Burney, was known by me to be highly efficient, and very strong proof was furnished during the Jutland battle, if proof were needed, that his careful training had borne excellent results. The immunity of the ships of the squadron from the enemy’s fire, whilst they were inflicting on his vessels very severe punishment, bears very eloquent testimony to the offensive powers of the squadron.

APPROXIMATE POSITIONS OF SHIPS OF THE
GRAND FLEET
At 7. 15 P.M. 31st May 1916.

Probable approximate course of the German Battle Fleet, as evidenced by the positions of the ships engaged at the time, shown in Red.

[(Hi-res)]

The Battle Cruisers and 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron, have crossed from the port to the starboard bow of the Battle Fleet.

Note. Their battle station is between 5 and 6 miles slightly on the engaged bow of the Van of the Battle Fleet.

The 2nd Battle Squadron is forming ahead of the Iron Duke.