H.M.S. Iron Duke at the Battle of Jutland
Report of Captain Dreyer, of the Iron Duke, to the Commander-in-Chief
The attached notes on the action by the following officers are forwarded as they are of interest, not only in describing events, but also any difficulties they had to cope with: Commander (G) Geoffrey Blake, R.N. (in Gun Control Tower—Principal Control Officer); Lieut.-Commander Thomas F. P. Calvert, R.N. (in "B" Turret); Lieutenant Richard Shelley, R.N. (in 13.5 in. Transmitting Station—In Charge); Mr. Herbert D. Jehan, Gunner, R.N. (in 6 in. Control Top, aloft, 6 in. Control Officer) ; Mr. Francis W. Potter, Gunner, R.N. (in 13-5 in. Director Tower, aloft—13-5 in. Director-Gunner).
All times given are G.M.T. All courses magnetic. I was in the conning tower with Captain Oliver E. Leggett, Master of the Fleet, and Lieut.-Commander (T) Edward W. MacKichan, R.N., throughout the action, and had a very good view of the whole situation. The communications worked very well. The navyphones were noticeably better than voicepipes, the former requiring no shouting, but it is fully realised that voicepipes possess the great advantage of reliability—in fact, they have to be blown away before being out of action. The light was bad, the weather being misty, the visibility varying during the actual firing from 10,000 to about 16,000 yards.
At 4.0 P.M.—" Action " was sounded, the hands having had tea, and the decks having been cleared up. All preparations for immediate action were then made.
At 6.0 P.M.—Course was S.E.—20 knots.
At 6.2 P.M.—Altered course by 9 pendant to S.—18 knots.
At 6.5 P.M.—Altered course by 9 pendant to S.E.
At 6.14 P.M.—Formed line of battle to port by equal speed pendant. Co. S.E. by E. Iron Duke being "straddled" at this time by two enemy's heavy projectiles, with large "spread."
Our battle-cruisers, which had shortly before come in sight on a southerly bearing, firing to south-westward, rapidly cleared the battleline, disclosing a German 3-funnelled cruiser somewhat like the Kolberg Class, but with larger funnels; she was apparently stopped and on fire.
6.23 P.M.—Opened fire with the turrets on the 3-funnelled cruiser. Bearing about 80 green. Range, 11,000. Fall of shot very easy to observe. The 3rd salvo "straddled." After the 4th salvo—ceased fire.
6.25 P.M.—Speed 15 knots.
6.30½ P.M.—Opened fire on a battleship of König class. Bearing 70 green. Range, 12,000. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th salvoes hitting her, with a total of at least 6 hits. Enemy steaming in the same direction as Iron Duke on a slightly converging course.
6.33 P.M.—Course S. 71° E. 17 knots. The bearing of the enemy was now S. 14° W. The bearing of the sun was N. 54° W. The enemy was lit up by the sun, whereas Iron Duke was probably invisible to them in the mist. However that may be, the König battleship did not return Iron Duke's fire, although heavily hit. 9 salvoes, comprising total of 43 rounds, were fired at her in 4 minutes 50 seconds.
At 6.40 P.M.—Course 8. 56° E.
At 6.44 P.M.—Course 8. 46" E.
At 6.51 P.M.—Course S. 8° E.
At 7.05 P.M.—Course S.W. by S.
At 7.07 P.M.—Course S.
7.11 P.M.—6-in. Opened fire on enemy T.B.D.'s attacking the battle-fleet. Green, 63°. About 10,000 yards, and sank one enemy T.B.D., and fired on another.
7.13 P.M.—Opened fire with turrets on enemy battleship, green, 74. Range, 15,400 yards. Enemy steaming nearly directly away. 4 salvoes fired, no hits were observed.
7.18 P.M.—Ceased fire, as enemy was hidden by a very good smoke screen made by his destroyers.
7.20 P.M.—Trained turrets on enemy battle-cruiser bearing 99 green, but before fire could be opened she also was hidden by a smoke screen made by attending enemy's T.B.D.'s.
At 7.23 P.M.—Course S. 19° E.
At 7.24 P.M.—6-in. Opened fire on enemy's T.B.D.'s attacking battle-fleet. Green, 115. Range, 10,000.
At 7.27 P.M.—Turrets opened fire. Green, 110. Range, 9,600 yards, on enemy's T.B.D.'s which were attacking the battle-fleet. 1 salvo fired, which the director-gunner states blew up an enemy T.B.D.
At 7.31 P.M.—Ceased firing.
Total ammunition fired—13-5 in.—90 rounds ; 6 in.—50 rounds.
H.M.S. Oak reports that "at about 7.35 P.M. the track of a torpedo was observed to cross the track of our ships, about 200 yards ahead of Iron Duke. Torpedo was travelling slowly. Track finished about 2,000 yards on the port side of the line, and the torpedo sank. Direction of the track was S.E."
Another torpedo was also reported by Benbow, which was 4th ship astern of Iron Duke, at 8.31 P.M. "It is believed that the torpedo passed ahead of Iron Duke," but this was not seen by Iron Duke, although two signalmen were specially stationed under a signal officer aloft, to look out for torpedoes. It is quite possible that this is due to the difficult light conditions rendering the track invisible from Iron Duke.
During the night, in view of the proximity of heavy enemy's ships, the hands remained at action stations, the gun's crews at their guns, but being allowed to sleep in turn. The corned beef and biscuits provided at the quarters were served out. Cocoa was provided from 9.30 P.M. onwards, and breakfast brought to the quarters at 7.30 A.M.
The turrets were fired throughout by director, which system possesses enormous advantages over any other in action.
The close study which has been made of the silhouettes of German ships enabled those sighted to be recognised, except a battle-cruiser with very large square funnels, which might have been the Lützow. The range-finders obtained very good results, notwithstanding the bad light, and were of the greatest assistance in keeping the range. The range-takers reported that the enemy's pole masts were easier to range on than those of our own ships.
No torpedoes were fired as the large number of our own ships which from time to time crossed the space between the battle-fleets rendered it inadvisable to fire the slow E.R. torpedoes and the enemy wore out of range for the 30-knot setting. The engine room department experienced no difficulties during the action.
