The movements of the enemy’s fleet could not be distinguished from our Battle Fleet owing again to their own funnel and cordite smoke, and, also, to the smoke screens which ships and destroyers were making to conceal their movements.
It will be realised that these conditions, which particularly affected the Battle Fleet, did not apply to the same extent to our ships ahead of our Battle Fleet. They had little but the smoke of the enemy’s leading ships to obscure the view. Farther to the rear, the Battle Fleet had the smoke of all our craft ahead of it as well as that of the enemy’s long line of ships.
H. M. S. “SUPERB” OPENING FIRE AT THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND
H. M. S. “CANADA” ASTERN OF “SUPERB”
Conditions which were perhaps difficult ahead of the Battle Fleet were very much accentuated in the Battle Fleet. Vice-Admiral Sir Martyn Jerram, in his report, remarked on this point: “As leading ship, in addition to the hazy atmosphere, I was much hampered by what I imagine must have been cordite fumes from the battle cruisers after they had passed us, and from other cruisers engaged on the bow, also by funnel gases from small craft ahead, and for a considerable time by dense smoke from the Duke of Edinburgh, which was unable to draw clear.”
The general position at 6.45 P.M. and again at 7.15 P.M. is shown in plans 8 and 9.
At 7.10 P.M., according to remarks from the Minotaur, flagship of Rear-Admiral W. L. Heath, commanding the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, the position as seen from that ship was as follows: “The 2nd Cruiser Squadron was in single line ahead three to four miles on the port side of the King George V., gaining on her slightly, but with all the destroyers and light craft between her and the King George V. The battle cruisers were about four miles distant on the starboard bow of the Minotaur; owing to their higher speed, the battle cruisers rapidly increased their distance from the Battle Fleet to some eight miles.”[N]
[N] Judged by reports from other cruisers the positions here described should be timed at about 6.50 to 7 P.M., and the diagrams show this accordingly.
At 7.5 P.M. according to a report from the Shannon, of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, the Shannon’s course was S. 10 W., “the 2nd Cruiser Squadron endeavouring to take station on the engaged bow of the Battle Fleet; the Battle Fleet still engaged, the battle cruisers not engaged and turned slightly to port.” And again at 7.22 P.M. a report says: “The Duke of Edinburgh had now taken station astern of the Shannon, the battle cruisers were engaged and had wheeled to starboard. Leading ships of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron were starting to cross the bows of the Battle Fleet from port to starboard. Battle cruisers firing intermittently, light cruisers making their way through the destroyer flotillas to attack the enemy light cruisers.” Rear-Admiral Heath stated: “At 7.11 P.M. I proceeded with the squadron at 20 knots to take up station astern of the Battle Cruiser Fleet, which was then engaged with the enemy.” He added: “One salvo fell short on the starboard bow of the Minotaur and some others in close proximity”; and later says, “even when the salvo referred to in the preceding paragraph fell, no more than the flashes of the enemy’s guns could be seen.”