This lack of understanding of Scheer’s turn and return is plainly shown by Admiral Jellicoe, who writes, concerning the situation after 7.00: “Our alteration of course to the south had, meanwhile, brought the enemy’s line into view once more.” The British Command did not realize that his enemy had actually voluntarily come back into the former position, and this was the real reason the German ships had reappeared.
At 7.05 the whole British battle line had been turned together three more points to starboard. But at 7.10 the sudden attack of the German torpedo flotillas was sighted, and shortly afterwards the British fleet was turned away to port two points, and then two points more, to avoid the run of the torpedoes. Admiral Jellicoe states that this move enabled his battleships to avoid many torpedoes, and that the range was opened by about 1,750 yards. The German Admiral claims that “the action of the torpedo-boat flotillas had achieved its purpose.” (S)
After accomplishing this result of making his enemy turn away, Admiral Scheer at 7.17 for a third time successfully executed the same manœuvre of ships-right-about (in this third turn Scheer’s flagship, Friedrich der Grosse, was cramped and made the turn to port), and again his fleet was on a westerly course screened by dense smoke. This swing-around again had the same effect of freeing the German fleet from the gunfire of the British fleet. The British Command again did not grasp the full import of the German move. He writes of the difficulty of observation in the mist and smoke. Some of his subordinates reported that the Germans had turned away at this time, but none realized that a ships-right-about had been carried out. It was not until 7.41 that the British battle fleet was altered by divisions three points to starboard to close.
Shortly after (at 7.47), Vice Admiral Beatty made signal to Lord Jellicoe: “Urgent. Submit that the van of battleships follow the cruisers. We can then cut off the whole of the enemy’s battle fleet.” Much has been made of this signal by ill-advised critics. In fact it will be self-evident that, at the time Beatty’s signal was sent, the German fleet was not in the assumed position, but had long before been extricated from its dangerous contact by the third “swing-around” (S) at 7.17, and the Germans ships were again safely proceeding on their altered course.
It is a strange comment on the battle to realize that the thrice executed German manœuvre of ships-right-about was not observed by anyone on the British fleet. None of the British maps or charts of the action shows any sign of these movements. [Chart No. 1] is a typical British diagram of this stage of the action. It will be noted that the times (6.15 to 7.41) in the indications of the course of the German fleet include the times of all three turns of ships-right-about. (6.35, 6.55, 7.17.) Yet there is no trace of these German manœuvres on the plan. [Chart No. 2] shows the contrast between the supposed movements of the Germans and their actual manœuvres in the battle.
CHART NO. 1
Typical British Chart, of the later manœuvres of the action which are in dispute.
It will be noted that, in the time covered, between 6.15 and 7.41, the course of the German Fleet gives no indication of the thrice executed change of direction of the German line by ships-right-about. All of these were carried out within this period (6.35, 6.55, 7.17).
Lord Jellicoe’s own maps show this lack of knowledge of the German manœuvres of ships-right-about, as they do not indicate these important moves of the Germans. In his report Admiral Jellicoe spoke of the “turn-away under cover of torpedo-boat destroyer attacks” (J) as “difficult to counter” (J)—but he did not understand the real reason that made the difficulty.