The Monarch returned from being repaired at Devonport on the 20th. Temporary repairs to the Conqueror had been completed about January 18th, but the ship was detained pending more favourable weather conditions; on the 21st she left for a southern dockyard, escorted by four destroyers. On clearing the Pentland Firth, however, she found that the sea was too heavy for the passage to be made with safety in her damaged condition, and the ship returned to Scapa, where further work was taken in hand and it was decided that it would be necessary to dock her in the floating-dock at Invergordon to effect more permanent repairs for the passage south than could be carried out by divers at Scapa. She reached Invergordon on January 24th.
On January 23rd the 1st and 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadrons and the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron at Rosyth left for a sweep in the southern portion of the North Sea, in conjunction with the Harwich force. The remainder of the Grand Fleet acted in support. The 1st and 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadrons (except the Queen Mary, which was absent refitting) and the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron were directed to a rendezvous, where the Commodore (T), with available destroyers and light cruisers, was ordered to meet them.
The 3rd Battle Squadron and 3rd Cruiser Squadron were ordered to the vicinity of the battle cruisers’ rendezvous.
The Iron Duke, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Battle Squadrons, the 1st, 2nd and 6th Cruiser Squadrons, and the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron, available destroyers of 2nd and 4th Flotilla (a total of 28 destroyers) left Scapa during the evening of the 23rd and proceeded towards the same rendezvous.
At 7.20 A.M. the Aurora, of the Harwich force, reported that she was in action with enemy vessels; at 7.30 A.M. Sir David Beatty reported enemy battle cruisers and cruisers in sight in Lat. 54.53 N., Long. 3.32 E., steering east. At 7.55 A.M. Commodore Goodenough, commanding the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron, reported his position as Lat. 55.10 N., Long. 3.32 E., and enemy vessels in sight, consisting of battle cruisers, light cruisers and destroyers, steering between south-east and south. On receipt of these reports the Battle Fleet increased to 19 knots speed, and steered to support the battle cruisers, and the 3rd Battle Squadron and 3rd Cruiser Squadron, which were further to the southward, were ordered to steer for Heligoland at full speed, to act in immediate support. The 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron was also sent on ahead at full speed to join the other forces.
The proceedings of the force under Sir David Beatty are best described in his report given in an Appendix.
During the early part of the engagement Sir David Beatty kept me informed of his position and proceedings, but at 11.30 A.M. a report was received from Sir Gordon Moore that he was heavily engaged with the enemy battle cruisers in Lat. 54.21 N., Long. 5.4 E. The fact that this report was made by this officer caused me some uneasiness at first, as it implied that the Lion could not signal, but as the Rear-Admiral made no mention of any casualty to the Lion, I concluded the cause was some breakdown in her wireless arrangements and that all was well.
At 11.50 A.M. Commodore Goodenough, commanding the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron, reported the enemy steering south-east at 25 knots, and at noon that he had lost touch with them; at 12.5 P.M. Rear Admiral Sir Gordon Moore reported that he was retiring north-west, and, later, north-north-west, that the Blücher was out of action, and that the remaining enemy battle cruisers were out of sight; he added that the Lion had hauled out of action. He gave his position as Lat. 54.19 N., Long. 5.22 E.
The Dreadnought Battle Fleet’s position at noon was Lat. 56.29 N., Long. 3.22 E., with the cruisers 15 miles ahead and the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron ahead of the cruisers. At 1.15 Rear-Admiral Moore reported in reply to my enquiry that Sir David Beatty was on board the Princess Royal, that the Lion was damaged and detached; Sir David Beatty then reported that the Lion’s speed was reduced to 12 knots, that the Blücher had been sunk, and two other enemy battle cruisers seriously damaged, and that he was covering the retirement of the Lion, which was steaming with her starboard engine only.
The hit which disabled the Lion was a piece of luck for the enemy.