“At 4.57 P.M. the 5th Battle Squadron turned up astern of me and came under the fire of the leading ships of the enemy battle fleet. Fearless with the destroyers of 1st Flotilla joined the battle cruisers, and, when speed admitted, took station ahead. Champion with 13th Flotilla took station on the 5th Battle Squadron. At 5 P.M. the 1st and 3rd Light Cruiser Squadrons, which had been following me on the southerly course, took station on my starboard bow; the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron took station on my port quarter.
“The weather conditions now became unfavourable, our ships being silhouetted against a clear horizon to the westward, while the enemy were for the most part obscured by mist, only showing up clearly at intervals. These conditions prevailed until we had turned their van at about 6 P.M. Between 5 and 6 P.M. the action continued on a northerly course, the range being about 14,000 yards. During this time the enemy received very severe punishment, and undoubtedly one of their battle cruisers quitted the line in a considerably damaged condition. This came under my personal observation and was corroborated by Princess Royal and Tiger. Other enemy ships also showed signs of increasing injury. At 5.5 P.M. Onslow and Moresby, who had been detached to assist Engadine with the seaplane, rejoined the battle cruiser squadrons and took station on the starboard (engaged) bow of Lion. At 5.10 P.M. Moresby, being 2 points before the beam of the leading enemy ship, fired a torpedo at the 3rd in their line. Eight minutes later she observed a hit with a torpedo on what was judged to be the 6th ship in the line. Moresby then passed between the lines to clear the range of smoke, and rejoined Champion. In corroboration of this, Fearless reports having seen an enemy heavy ship heavily on fire at about 5.10 P.M., and shortly afterwards a huge cloud of smoke and steam similar to that which accompanied the blowing up of Queen Mary and Indefatigable.
“At 5.35 P.M. our course was N.N.E. and the estimated position of the Grand Fleet was N. 16 W., so we gradually hauled to the north-eastward, keeping the range of the enemy at 14,000 yards. He was gradually hauling to the eastward, receiving severe punishment at the head of his line, and probably acting on information received from his light cruisers which had sighted and were engaged with the Third Battle Cruiser Squadron (vide Indomitable’s report). Possibly Zeppelins were present also. At 5.50 P.M. British cruisers were sighted on the port bow, and at 5.56 P.M. the leading battleships of the Grand Fleet bearing north 5 miles. I thereupon altered course to east and proceeded at utmost speed. This brought the range of the enemy down to 12,000 yards. I made a report to the Commander-in-Chief that the enemy battle cruisers bore south-east. At this time only three of the enemy battle cruisers were visible, closely followed by battleships of the ”König“ class.
“At about 6.5 P.M. Onslow, being on the engaged bow of Lion, sighted an enemy light cruiser at a distance of 6,000 yards from us, apparently endeavouring to attack with torpedoes. Onslow at once closed and engaged her, firing 58 rounds at a range of from 4,000 to 2,000 yards, scoring a number of hits. Onslow then closed the enemy battle cruisers, and orders were given for all torpedoes to be fired. At this moment she was struck amidships by a heavy shell, with the result that only one torpedo was fired. Thinking that all his torpedoes had gone, the Commanding Officer proceeded to retire at slow speed. Being informed that he still had three torpedoes, he closed the light cruiser previously engaged and torpedoed her. The enemy’s battle fleet was then sighted, and the remaining torpedoes were fired at them; having started correctly, they must have crossed the enemy’s track. Damage then caused Onslow to stop.
“At 7.15 P.M. Defender, whose speed had been reduced to 10 knots, while on the disengaged side of the battle cruisers, by a shell which damaged her foremost boiler, closed Onslow and took her in tow. Shell were falling all round them during this operation, which, however, was successfully accomplished. During the heavy weather of the ensuing night the tow parted twice, but was re-secured. The two struggled on together until 1. P.M. 1st June, when Onslow was transferred to tugs. I consider the performances of these two destroyers to be gallant in the extreme, and I am recommending Lieutenant-Commander J. C. Tovey of Onslow, and Lieutenant-Commander Palmer of Defender, for special recognition. Onslow was possibly the destroyer referred to by the Rear-Admiral Commanding, 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron, as follows:
“‘Here I should like to bring to your notice the action of a destroyer (name unknown) which we passed close in a disabled condition soon after 6 P.M. She apparently was able to struggle ahead again, and made straight for the Derfflinger to attack her. The incident appeared so courageous that it seems desirable to investigate it further.’”
Proceedings of Battle Fleet
7. On receipt of the information that the enemy had been sighted, the British Battle Fleet, with its accompanying Cruiser and Destroyer Force, proceeded at full speed on a S.E. by S. course to close the Battle Cruiser Fleet. During the two hours that elapsed before the arrival of the battle fleet on the scene the steaming qualities of the older battleships were severely tested. Great credit is due to the engine-room departments for the manner in which they, as always, responded to the call, the whole Fleet maintaining a speed in excess of the trial speeds of some of the older vessels.
The Third Battle Cruiser Squadron, commanded by Rear-Admiral the Hon. Horace L. A. Hood, which was in advance of the battle fleet, was ordered to reinforce Sir David Beatty. The difference in reckoning between Lion and the Iron Duke, which was inevitable under the circumstances existing, apparently caused the Third Battle Cruiser Squadron to press rather too far to the eastward, and it was not until 5.30 P.M. that this squadron observed flashes of gunfire and heard the sound of guns to the south-westward. Rear-Admiral Hood sent the Chester (Captain Robert N. Lawson) to investigate, and this ship engaged three or four enemy light cruisers at about 5.45 P.M. The engagement lasted for about twenty minutes, during which period Captain Lawson handled his vessel with great skill against heavy odds, and although the ship suffered considerably in casualties her fighting and steaming qualities were unimpaired, and at about 6.5 P.M. she rejoined the Third Battle Cruiser Squadron.
The Third Battle Cruiser Squadron had turned to the north-westward, and at 6.10 P.M. sighted our battle cruisers, the squadron taking station ahead of the Lion at 6.21 P.M. in accordance with the orders of the Vice-Admiral Commanding, Battle Cruiser Fleet. He reports as follows: