DISCUSSION: THE HIGH SEA FLEET AT JUTLAND
By Lieutenant Commander H. H. Frost, U. S. Navy
After the publication in the Proceedings of the paper entitled "A Description of the Battle of Jutland," the writer sent a copy of it to Admiral Jellicoe and three copies to the British Admiralty through the British Naval Attaché in Washington, with a request that any errors be corrected.
Admiral Jellicoe in a very courteous letter declined to comment on the paper in view of the fact that the Admiralty was about to publish its official account.
The British Naval Attaché later stated that the Admiralty had received the copies and very kindly furnished the writer with a copy of the official report which was recently issued by the Admiralty.
Upon the publication of the paper entitled "The High Sea Fleet at Jutland," copies were forwarded to Admiral Scheer, Admiral Hipper and Commander von Hase, author of that excellent book on the battle, "The Two White Nations." A request was made that any errors might be corrected and any comment considered pertinent might be made.
The following letter was received from Admiral Scheer:
"Weimar, 9.2. 1921.
"Dear Sir.—I thank you very much for sending me your article, which I have read with great interest.
"The description is throughout correct and quite impartial and fair.
"If I may take the liberty of making a comment I would say this: While the battle is progressing a leader cannot obtain a really clear picture, especially at long ranges. He acts and feels according to his impressions. In looking at the diagrams which are made subsequently it would seem as if we must have regarded our position as critical. In reality this was not the case. We were under the impression of the splendid effectiveness of our gunfire and of the fact that the entire battle line remained most conveniently arranged both while under fire and during the regrouping for the night march.
"Thus we were looking forward with confidence to a new engagement.
"The fact that on August 19 the German Fleet again proceeded in a direction which would have placed us in an even more difficult position may serve as proof of this.
"I would be greatly interested in hearing the criticism which is made by American Naval Officers concerning the behavior of the two fleets.
"With the expression of my highest esteem,
"I am, yours very sincerely,
"Scheer,
"Admiral."
The letter received from Admiral Hipper contains very interesting information, presented here for the first time. The letter follows:
"1 III 21
"Dear Sir.—Please accept my most sincere thanks for your courtesy in sending me your article: "The High Sea Fleet at Jutland," for which I am greatly obliged.
"I have read the article with much interest and thoroughly appreciate its thoroughness and inherent worth.
"If I might draw your attention to a few not very essential inaccuracies they would be as follows:
"Page 1727. Strength comparison. The Germans had only 65 torpedo boats in the battle.
"Page 1729. The small cruisers of the IV Scouting Group were not sent forward on a scouting line for the fleet, but were placed with the squadrons; they were therefore with the main body while the II Scouting Group was in the van with the battle cruisers.
"Page 1742. The movement was carried out only for the purpose of avoiding the enemy torpedoes.
"Page 1758. The smoke was not that of the burning Lutzow, but a smoke screen purposely thrown out by that vessel and the accompanying torpedo boats.
"Page 1761. Typographical error. 56° instead of 36°.
"Page 1762. The smallest distance between Scheer and Jellicoe during the night was not three but at least 7 or 8 nautical miles. The course of the German Fleet during the night was 136°.
"Page 1763. The Moltke and the Seydlitz had, during the night, gone to the head of the main body in order to support the II Scouting Group. The Moltke sighted a heavy enemy squadron twice during the night (probably the Battle Squadron which remained behind with the Marlborough) and was for a time forced southwards, but at daylight she succeeded in joining the main body of the German forces.
"Page 1765. The rumor of the torpedoing of vessels of the Konig class was not occasioned by the torpedoing of the Grosse Kurfurst and the Kronprins which occurred later, in November, 1916, but resulted from the English reports about the battle. Compare Jellicoe, "The Grand Fleet," page 381, where in fact four ships are mentioned besides the Pommern.
"If you have another copy of your article to spare, the Naval Archives of Berlin would be exceedingly grateful for it.
"I have the honor to be
"Yours respectfully
"Hipper,
"Admiral."
The correctness of Admiral Hipper's statement that the Grand and High Sea Fleets were at least 7 miles apart during the night is verified by a fresh estimate of the situation as shown by the recent official dispatches, which shows the minimum distance to have been about 7 ½ miles. The fact that the Moltke was in contact with a British Battle Squadron during the night is proved by Official British Despatches.
"About 12.30, what was first taken for destroyers approaching was observed and 6-in. guns turned on them and the order had been given to open fire, when it was seen that the object was a large ship. She was challenged and made the reply "PL" and rapidly disappeared astern. She had the appearance of a battle cruiser and resembled our own." (Revenge.)
"About midnight smoke was observed ahead of Marlborough, which crossed from starboard to port and back again from port to starboard, and then came down the starboard side. It appeared to be a large ship and was challenged by Revenge, who was answered by two letters, though they were not the correct ones. She then disappeared." (Vice Admiral, First Battle Squadron.)
Commander Georg von Hase replied in part as follows:
"Dear Sir.—I received some time ago your work "The High Sea Fleet at Jutland" and give you my best thanks for having sent it to me. Your work is excellent and it gives a superior picture of the sea fight off the Skagerrak. I can bear witness that you have handled the subject throughout impartially and concisely. The battle sketches are very excellent and give the specialist a much better and clearer picture than any professional book has done yet. I am very pleased to possess your interesting book.
"As a sign of my esteem I am sending you a copy of my book, 'The Two White Nations.'
"With friendly greeting, I am, yours sincerely,
"Georg Von Hase,
"Fregattenkapitan, a. D."