Jutland Redux- A shattering summer solstice
- Thread starter johnboy
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No enemy in sight-as yet
1515 22 June 1916, Skaggerak, North Sea, 250 nautical miles from Rosyth
The day had been uneventful so far for Beatty's squadron, with no trace of the German High Seas Fleet to be found. The strength of the wind that had only just started to abate had precluded any aerial reconnaissance. He had gone directly East for 230nm, then turning North-East and had now commenced a run back to the North-West, back towards Jellicoe's Grand Fleet, now only 48 nautical miles to the North and coming South.
Beatty was not to know that he had actually proceeded far enough East that he had inadvertently split the gap between the two German Fleets, passing exactly between the two German forces led by Hipper and Scheer, placing his own battlecruisers to the East of both, an invidious position to be in.
Likewise Scheer was blissfully unaware that Beatty was, in fact, South East of his force and now steaming back to the North-West. Whilst this seemed to on the surface to have trapped the British force, the added complication was that he was steaming North-northwest, directly into the face of Jellicoe's Grand Fleet, now only 32 nautical miles to the North.
Both battlecruiser forces were in a tight spot, although both remained unaware of the fact until, at 1519, when Rear Admiral Napier's 3LCS, dispatched to investigate reports of smoke to the North-West, had run into Konteradmiral Boedicker's IInd Scouting Group. This was the impetus for both Hipper and Beatty's heavy forces to close and investigate and battle to commence.
The day had been uneventful so far for Beatty's squadron, with no trace of the German High Seas Fleet to be found. The strength of the wind that had only just started to abate had precluded any aerial reconnaissance. He had gone directly East for 230nm, then turning North-East and had now commenced a run back to the North-West, back towards Jellicoe's Grand Fleet, now only 48 nautical miles to the North and coming South.
Beatty was not to know that he had actually proceeded far enough East that he had inadvertently split the gap between the two German Fleets, passing exactly between the two German forces led by Hipper and Scheer, placing his own battlecruisers to the East of both, an invidious position to be in.
Likewise Scheer was blissfully unaware that Beatty was, in fact, South East of his force and now steaming back to the North-West. Whilst this seemed to on the surface to have trapped the British force, the added complication was that he was steaming North-northwest, directly into the face of Jellicoe's Grand Fleet, now only 32 nautical miles to the North.
Both battlecruiser forces were in a tight spot, although both remained unaware of the fact until, at 1519, when Rear Admiral Napier's 3LCS, dispatched to investigate reports of smoke to the North-West, had run into Konteradmiral Boedicker's IInd Scouting Group. This was the impetus for both Hipper and Beatty's heavy forces to close and investigate and battle to commence.
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Channel Fleet prepares
1518 22 June 1916, 20 nautical miles SouthEast of Lowestoft
It was a poor command for George Callaghan. He had done so much to ready the Grand Fleet for a war and when it had finally come he had been removed from command of the Grand Fleet and shuffled to the Nore Command instead. The main function was to ensure the security of the English Channel, however, with reports that the Germans may be readying a sortie, he had lead HMS Dreadnought and his seven remaining members of the "wobbly eight" to sea, taking HMS Swiftsure, normally deployed with the 9th cruiser squadron, with him. He had no desire to meet the main body of the High Seas Fleet at all with his eclectic collection of ships, most now only good for 18 or so knots. However, he could and would not let enemy forces break out into the English Channel and threaten both shipping and lighter bombardment forces located there.
If, however, the Germans dispatched a light raiding force into the Channel he would be ready. With 12 heavy ships, even if eight were pre dreadnoughts and three armoured cruisers, he could quickly dispatch anything that was not the main German body. In truth Callaghan wanted action, to prove both to others and himself that he could have successfully helmed the Grand Fleet as well as any other man. AS it was he would establish a patrol line between Lowestoft and The Hague, effectively blocking any entry to the Channel.
It was a poor command for George Callaghan. He had done so much to ready the Grand Fleet for a war and when it had finally come he had been removed from command of the Grand Fleet and shuffled to the Nore Command instead. The main function was to ensure the security of the English Channel, however, with reports that the Germans may be readying a sortie, he had lead HMS Dreadnought and his seven remaining members of the "wobbly eight" to sea, taking HMS Swiftsure, normally deployed with the 9th cruiser squadron, with him. He had no desire to meet the main body of the High Seas Fleet at all with his eclectic collection of ships, most now only good for 18 or so knots. However, he could and would not let enemy forces break out into the English Channel and threaten both shipping and lighter bombardment forces located there.
If, however, the Germans dispatched a light raiding force into the Channel he would be ready. With 12 heavy ships, even if eight were pre dreadnoughts and three armoured cruisers, he could quickly dispatch anything that was not the main German body. In truth Callaghan wanted action, to prove both to others and himself that he could have successfully helmed the Grand Fleet as well as any other man. AS it was he would establish a patrol line between Lowestoft and The Hague, effectively blocking any entry to the Channel.
Just a note to say that whilst I have been working quite energetically on my other timeline(Rudolf will Reign) Christmas time is coming and with it holidays and will attempt to pick this up, since the idea I originally had has not died, I just don't have as much time to write as I used to have.