The Jutland Controversy
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Ever since the 1st of June, 1916, which in the opinion of some might have been more glorious than any other First of June in our history, the Navy has been torn with a "Jutland controversy" and the public has been debating a "Jutland mystery."
—Captain R. R. P. E. E. Drax, 1925.[1]
The Jutland Controversy is a general term which can be applied to the debate in British naval, public, and later historical, circles, surrounding the Battle of Jutland in 1916.
Logs
In the Fair Signal Log (apparently since destroyed)[2] was a disclaimer at 16:55:
- 4.55 p.m.—Most of the records of the outgoing visual signals were lost and destroyed in the action. The records had been sent down to the Port Signal Station to be logged, but, on account of bursting shells and smoke and fire, they got lost or destroyed. This log was preserved with difficulty, not before a hose had been turned on it.[3]
It has been suggested by Andrew Gordon that the Rough Signal Log, far from being lost due by accident or enemy action, was deliberately lost in order to divest the flagship of responsibility for the delayed turn of the Fifth battle Squadron around 17:00.[4]
Footnotes
Bibliography
