Shortly after 3.30 A.M. the report of gunfire to the westward was audible in the Battle Fleet, and at 3.38 Rear-Admiral Trevelyan Napier, commanding the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron, reported that he was engaging a Zeppelin in a position to the westward of the Battle Fleet. Course was altered “by divisions” to west at 3.44 A.M., as it seemed that the presence of the airship might possibly indicate the presence also of the High Sea Fleet. At 3.50 A.M. a Zeppelin was in sight from the Battle Fleet, but nothing else; course was altered back again to north and fire opened on the airship, which, however, was too high for the fire to be effective. She disappeared to the eastward. She was sighted subsequently at intervals.
At 4.10 A.M. the Battle Fleet was formed into divisions in line ahead, disposed abeam to starboard, in order to widen the front and to reduce the risk of submarine attack. At 4.25 A.M. the cruiser Dublin reported by wireless that she had sighted an enemy cruiser and two destroyers, and she gave her position.
At 5.15 A.M. the Battle Cruiser Fleet joined the Battle Fleet in accordance with orders signalled, and was directed to locate the cruiser reported by the Dublin, whilst the Battle Fleet searched to the south-eastward for one of the enemy’s battle cruisers which was thought to be in a damaged condition and probably, therefore, still making for a German port. At 4.45 A.M. the Battle Fleet was in Lat. 55.29 N., Long. 6.02 E.; at 5 A.M. the Commodore of the flotillas (Commodore Hawkesley), with destroyers, reported himself as being in Lat. 55.48 N., Long. 6.22 E.; at 5.48 A.M. the Battle Cruiser Fleet was in Lat. 55.45 N., Long. 6.16 E., steering south-east at 18 knots, and at 6.15 A.M. altered course to south. At 6 A.M., not having met the destroyers, the Battle Fleet altered course to south-east, with the cruisers in company, steaming at 17 knots, and maintained that course until 7.15 A.M., at which time course was altered to north, the Battle Cruiser Fleet altering to north-east at 7.30 A.M. and to north at 8 A.M.
The Dublin was sighted at 7.55 A.M. and reported having lost sight in a fog, in Lat. 55.28 N., Long. 6.32 E., of the cruiser and torpedo boat destroyers she had reported, and, in reply to further inquiries, stated that the cruiser was apparently not disabled and was steaming fast.
At 8.15 A.M. the Battle Fleet was in Lat. 55.54 N., Long. 6.10 E., steering north at 17 knots, turning at 8.52 A.M. to a south-west course.
Between 8 A.M. and 9 A.M. a considerable amount of wreckage was passed, and the bodies of dead German bluejackets were seen in the water. The wreckage of the destroyer Ardent was also passed. Drifting mines in considerable numbers were seen during the whole forenoon of the 1st June, and there were one or two reports of submarines being sighted. At 10 A.M. the Battle Cruiser Fleet was again in sight, ahead of the Battle Fleet, and course was altered to north by west, the destroyers, which had now joined, being stationed to form a submarine screen.
At noon the Battle Fleet was in position Lat. 56.20 N., Long. 5.25 E., and at 12.30 P.M. the Battle Cruiser Fleet was in Lat. 56.32 N., Long. 6.11 E.
It was now clear that all disabled enemy vessels had either sunk or had passed inside the mine-fields en route to their bases. It had been evident since the early morning, from the definite information obtained by our directional stations, that the enemy’s fleet was returning to port. All our own injured vessels were also en route for their bases, and I decided to return with the whole Fleet, and gave the necessary instructions to the Rosyth force to return independently. Diagram 4 shows the movement of the Fleet during the night of May 31st and the forenoon of June 1st.
The Harwich force, under Commodore Tyrwhitt, had been kept in port by Admiralty orders on May 31st, and was despatched to sea on the morning of June 1st, when I was informed that it was being sent out to join me and to replace vessels requiring fuel. At 7 A.M. I instructed Commodore Tyrwhitt to send four of his destroyers to screen the Marlborough to her base; he informed me at 2.30 P.M. that he had sighted the Marlborough. At 10.40 A.M. I had reported to the Admiralty that I did not require the Harwich force. I desired Commodore Tyrwhitt to strengthen the Marlborough’s escort and told him that I did not need his ships. They would have been of great use at daylight in June 1st had they been on the scene at that time, and it is needless to add how much I should have welcomed the participation of the Harwich force in the action had circumstances admitted of this. I knew well the extreme efficiency and the fine fighting spirit of this force which, under its gallant and distinguished commodore, had rendered such splendid service throughout the War.
The Marlborough reported at 11 A.M. that a torpedo had been fired at her and had missed. Some anxiety was felt about the ship on the morning of June 2nd, as bad weather set in and her pumps became choked; tugs were ordered out to meet her, but she arrived in the Humber at 8 A.M.