The officers commanding Light Cruiser Squadrons and destroyer flotillas had invariably fulfilled every expectation that I had formed of them. I had always admired the manner in which the personnel of these vessels had endured the conditions under which their work was so frequently performed.
Assisted as I was by a brilliant Staff, with Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Madden (my righthand man throughout) and Commodore Lionel Halsey as its chief members, seconded by such able and experienced Flag officers, and with captains who had on countless occasions shown their skill, I was indeed in a fortunate position.
To the above advantages I must add those obtained by the magnificence of the personnel of the lower ranks. The officers and ships’ companies were as keen as any Commander-in-Chief could desire. The long wait had never produced the slightest feeling of staleness. Officers and men were day after day striving to perfect the fighting efficiency of their ships, and well had they succeeded. The engine room staffs had demonstrated early in the War that they would respond magnificently to any demand that I called upon them to make, and they did it on the occasion of the Jutland Battle. The spirit and moral of the Fleet never stood higher than at the time of the Battle of Jutland, and because of that spirit I knew that the Fleet under my command was the most formidable fighting machine in the world.
Of the gallantry shown it is difficult to write with proper restraint. Whenever and wherever there was opportunity, officers and men displayed courage and self-sacrifice of the highest order. There were innumerable instances which proved that the personnel of the present Navy has nothing to learn in this respect from its forefathers. The dead died heroic deaths; the wounded behaved with marvellous fortitude. Forty-four years passed in the Service had given me unbounded faith in, and admiration for, the British officer and bluejacket, but they surpassed all my expectations, and so long as that spirit endures, this country will be fortunate, and with adequate forces will be safe.
It may not be out of place to quote the memorandum issued to the Fleet after the Jutland Battle:
Iron Duke,
June 4th, 1916.
H.F. 0022 349.
MEMORANDUM.
I desire to express to the Flag Officers, Captains, Officers and Men of the Grand Fleet my very high appreciation of the manner in which the ships were fought during the action on May 31st, 1916.
2. At this stage, when full information is not available, it is not possible to enter into details, but quite sufficient is already known to enable me to state definitely that the glorious traditions handed down to us by generations of gallant seamen were most worthily upheld.