Thirteenth D.F. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland

The Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla participated in the Battle of Jutland with ten destroyers under the lead of the light cruiser Champion, screening the First Battle Cruiser Squadron.

Eight of these vessels delivered a torpedo attack against the enemy battle cruisers at about 4.15pm, after gun and torpedo battle with enemy destroyers who were similarly tasked.

They were organised as follows:

• light cruiser Champion, flagship, Captain (D) J. U. Farie
  • Nestor (lost), Commander E. B. S. Bingham
  • Nomad (lost), Lieutenant-Commander Paul Whitfield
  • Narborough, Lieutenant-Commander Geoffrey Corlett
  • Obdurate, Lieutenant-Commander Cecil H. H. Sams
  • Petard, Lieutenant-Commander Evelyn C. O. Thomson
  • Pelican, Lieutenant-Commander Kenneth A. Beattie
  • Nerissa, Lieutenant-Commander Montague G. B. Legge
  • Onslow, Lieutenant-Commander John C. Tovey
  • Moresby, Lieutenant-Commander Roger V. Alison
  • Nicator, Lieutenant Jack E. A. Mocatta

At the same time, Nepean remained in harbour and Paladin, Negro, Nereus, Penn and Penn were in dockyard hands.

Their official reports from the Jutland Official Despatches are as follows.

Champion

On 3 June, Captain (D) James U. Farie issued a report from his flagship.

No. 60.
H.M.S. "Champion,"
3rd June 1916.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to forward the following report of
Proceedings of H.M.S. " Champion " and 13th Destroyer Flotilla
during the recent action of the 31st May–lst June 1916.
2. At 2.50 p.m., 31st May, H.M.S. " Onslow "and " Moresby "
were detached to join H.M.S. "Engadine," but attacked enemy
Battle Cruiser Fleet with remainder of Flotilla, as described in
paragraph 5.
3. At commencement of action station was taken up on the
starboard bow of .H.M.S. "Lion," Destroyers in company
being :—
" Nestor " - Commander Hon. Edward B. S.
Bingham.
" Nomad " Lieut. Commander Paul Whitfield.
" Narborough "- JP Geoffrey Corlett.
" Obdurate " tt Cecil H. H. Sams.
" Petard " 13 3/ Evelyn C. O. Thomson.
" Pelican " 3t Kenneth A. Beattie.
" Nerissa " Montague C. B. Legge.
" Onslow "1 )3 John C. Tovey.
"Moresby "1 tt PP Roger V. Alison.
" Nicator " Lieutenant Jack E. A. Mocatta.
" Termagant " Lieut. Commander Cuthbert P. Blake.
" Turbulent " - Dudley Stuart.
(The last two named Destroyers being temporarily attached.)
4. At 4.30 p.m. Enemy's Battle Fleet was sighted by
" Champion " and reported to you.
5. At 4.15 p.m. the whole Flotilla was ordered to attack
Enemy Battle Cruiser Fleet. This attack was well carried out,
and it is thought that at least two Enemy Destroyers were sunk.
I regret to state that H.M.S. " Nestor " (Commander Hon.
E. B. S. Bingham) and H.M.S. " Nomad " (Lieutenant Commander
Paul Whitfield) did not return from this action, and must be
considered to have been sunk.
6. At 7.45 p.m. H.M.S. " Onslow " was reported unable to
steam, and was taken in tow by H.M.S. "Defender."
7. No further opportunity of attacking Enemy occurred
during. the day.
8. At night station was taken astern of Battle Fleet, course
South. About 11.30 p.m. heavy firing was opened on our
starboard beam, apparently at some of our Destroyers between
the 13th Flotilla and the enemy. I hauled out to the eastward
as I was unable to attack with any of our own Flotilla, our own
forces being between me and the Enemy. I then resumed course
South ; firing was observed at intervals during the night on
our starboard beam. Destroyers of the 13th Flotilla, with the
exception of H.M.S. " Obdurate " and "Moresby," lost touch
with me during the night. H.M.S. " Narborough " as Senior
Officer, reports that he took charge IA the remainder, and rejoined
the Fleet at 9.45 a.m. on the 1st instant.
H.M.S. " Marksman " and " Maenad " joined me at about
2.30 a.m. At 2.50 a.m. course was altered to North to conform
with signal received from the Commander-in-Chief.
9. At 3.25 a.m. four Destroyers, steering southward, were
sighted ; owing to the mist I was uncertain at first who they
were ; but at 3.30 a.m. I made them out to be the enemy, and
opened fire, range about 3,600 yards. Two torpedoes were
fired at "Champion," the first one passing under our bows, the
second just missing close astern. Enemy passed on opposite
course, and when ship had been steadied after avoiding torpedoes,
the enemy had disappeared in the mist, and I resumed my same
course.
10. At 4.30 a.m. H.M.S. " Obdurate " picked up two
survivors, and H.M.S. " Marksman " one survivor, from H.M.S.
" Ardent."
At 5 a.m. two rafts were sighted, and H.M.S. " Moresby "
rescued seven men, and H.M.S. " Maenad " eleven men, survivors
from H.M.S. "Fortune."
11. At about 6 a.m. H.M.S. " Marksman " was detached to
examine vessel to westward, which appeared to be a disabled
Destroyer, and lost touch with me. Nothing further occurred,
and I returned to base, by your orders, arriving at 3.30 p.m.,
2nd June 1910.
12. Letter of Proceedings from H.M.S. " Narborough," the
Senior Officer surviving from Destroyer attack, is attached.
Reports have been called for from remainder of 13th Flotilla,
and an addendum to this letter will be forwarded when the
reports have been collected.
13. In addition to loss of H.M.S. " Nestor " and "Nomad,"
H.M.S. " Turbulent " '(Lieutenant-Commander Dudley Stuart)
is reported by H.M.S. " Narborough " to have been lost sight of
at 0.30 a.m. on the 1st instant, and was probably rammed, or
sunk by gunfire.
Total casualties and names have not yet been ascertained.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

J. U. Farie,

13th Flotilla.

The Vice-Admiral Commanding

Battle Cruiser Fleet, H.M.S. " Lion."

On the 7th, Farie forwarded a collection of reports from his flotilla destroyers he'd collected in the previous days, as follows.

Obdurate

Extract from a report submitted to Farie on 3rd June.

On receiving the signal to carry out torpedo attack on enemy
battle cruiser fleet, Obdurate turned towards the enemy
and soon became engaged with their destroyers and one light
cruiser. Range varied from 6,000 to 3,000 yards, and during the
destroyer action one of the enemy's destroyers was blown up
and two others badly damaged; probably one of these two sank
as the guns firing at her lost sight of her.
The enemy destroyers and light cruiser were driven back to
the protection of their big ships, and " Obdurate " was then too
far astern to deliver a torpedo attack. " Obdurate " was hit
twice by a 4.1 shell, but suffered no casualties.

Petard

Extract from a report submitted to Farie on 2nd June.

On receiving the signal to attack with torpedoes, I attacked
with H.M.S. "Turbulent." The first torpedo fired was set for
high speed, six feet deep, and was aimed at the bead of the
German destroyer flotilla, which was crossing over to meet our
attack. The track was closely followed, and tube's crew state
that they undoubtedly saw it hit a German Destroyer about
amidships and explode. I opened fire with my gun on this
destroyer a few minutes later, and she was then lying stopped,
with her upper deck awash and obviously sinking.
" Petard " then took part in the general engagement with
the German Destroyers, and the three remaining torpedoes were
fired at a range of about 7,000 yards on the bow of the German
Battle Cruiser Fleet. All these torpedoes must have crossed
the track of the German line.
At 12.15 a.m. course was altered to S.W. by W., and ten
minutes later the line crossed ahead of a division of German
Battleships. I sighted the leading battleship about six points
on my starboard bow steering S.E. at about 400 or 500 yards.
This ship switched on recognition lights, consisting of two red
over one white light and, as some destroyer ahead of me in the
line then switched on her "fighting lights," I think the Germans
at once knew we were enemy. As " Petard " had no torpedoes
left I could not attack, so I increased to full speed, and altered
course slightly to port to avoid being rammed. I passed about
200 yards ahead of the German ship, who appeared to be one
of the " Wittelsbach " class. As soon as we were clear of her
stem, she illuminated us with searchlights, and we came under
a heavy fire from her and the next ship in the line. Two salvoes
seemed to strike us, and, in all, I think, we received six hits.
I regret that I never saw " Turbulent," who was in station
astern of " Petard," after passing the German Squadron ;
according to the evidence of some of my Ship's Company, I
am afraid she must have been rammed and sunk.

Pelican

Extract from a report submitted to Farie on 4th June.

" Pelican " was unable to fire torpedoes owing to the other
two divisions being engaged by enemy torpedo craft between
the fleets, and by a division of the 9th Flotilla, who were coming
up in the opposite direction.
At about 10.35 p.m. there was heavy firing in N. Westerly
direction, and destroyers were seen in the searchlight rays of
attacking ships. Shortly afterwards there was a huge explosion
in that direction. At 0.40, June 1st, when on a course S.W.,
speed 30 knots, I observed two ships on starboard quarter,
which were at first taken to be our Light Cruisers. They switched
on three vertical lights, the upper two being red and lower green,
at the same time " Pelican's " stem was lit up by a searchlight
which was immediately transferred to " Petard" and " Turbu-
lent," who were astern. When sighted position was unfavourable
for attack.

Nerissa

Extract from a report submitted to Farie on 5th June.

4.30 p.m., commenced attack on a northerly course, owing
to enemy turning 16 points, this attack had eventually to be
carried out on a southerly course, which I did in company with
" Termagant," but firing two torpedoes, range 7,000 yards.
Just previous to this attack " Nomad " was observed quite
close, stopped and apparently badly damaged in the engine
room. One torpedo apparently took effect on rear ship.

Onslow

Extract from a report submitted to Farie on 2nd June.

At about 6.5 p.m., sighting an enemy Light Cruiser, class
uncertain, with 3 funnels, with topgallant forecastle only about
6,000 yards from 1st B.C.S., I decided to attack her. All guns
engaged enemy Light Cruiser, and 58 rounds were fired at a
range of 2,000 to 4,000 yards ; undoubtedly a large number of
hits were scored, as they were easily spotted at this range. I
then gave orders for all torpedoes to be fired. I saw the first
torpedo leave the ship, and immediately was struck by a big
shell amidships the starboard side. There was a big escape of
steam, completely enveloping both torpedo tubes. Sub-Lieu-
tenant Moore, Leading Signalman Cassin, also several other
ratings and myself saw the torpedo hit Light Cruiser below
conning tower, and explode.
Owing to two shells having exploded in No. 2 Boiler room,
and badly damaged main feed tank and all the water in the
reserve feed tank being now used, at 7.0 p.m. ship stopped and
electric current was lost. At 7.15 p.m. " Defender " closed
" Onslow " and asked if assistance was required. On learning
" Defender " could only steam 10 knots, I asked to be taken in
tow whilst endeavouring to effect repairs; this " Defender "
did under very trying circumstances, and with large enemy
ships rapidly approaching. In tow of " Defender " I then
proceeded W. by N. Using salt-water feed, Engineer Lieutenant
Commander Foulkes raised speed for slow speed to enable me
to use steering engine, and when weather got worse to lessen
strain on towing hawser. Owing to ship's condition I decided
to make for the nearest port—Aberdeen—arriving there about
1.0 p.m. the 2nd June.

Moresby

Extract from a report submitted to Farie on 3rd June.

At 5.0 p.m. an enemy Dreadnought squadron then observed
steering Northward was attacked. At 5.10 p.m., being two
points before the beam of the leading ship 6-8,000 yards, a long
range torpedo was fired at the third ship. About 8 minutes later
I observed an upheaval due to a torpedo, and am informed it
was on the 6th ship. This agrees with the director setting.
The enemy were then straddling frequently ; my smoke was
bad; I therefore turned towards the enemy and ran between
the lines, in order to clear the range from smoke nuisance.
At about 2.35 a.m., four " Deutschland " class ships were
seen bearing West, 4,000 yards. I hauled out to port, firing a
U.S. torpedo at 2.37 G.M.T. No more could be fired as left
tube was empty, and the fore director was pointed skywards
when the sight bore of that tube. Mist and smoke prevented
the enemy being seen again.

Nicator

Extract from a report submitted to Farie on 4th June.

At 4.15 p.m. torpedo attack was carried out. Two torpedoes
were fired at a range of about 6,000 yards. During this attack
enemy's Destroyers were continually engaged with gunfire, and
were observed to be retiring, leaving at least two in a disabled
condition. A third torpedo was fired at second ship of enemy's
Battle Fleet at a range of about 3,000 yards. " Nestor " and
" Nicator " continued to close until within about 2,500 yards,
when " Nestor " was hit in the region of No. 1 Boiler Room;
she immediately altered course 8 points to starboard, and
" Nicator " was obliged to alter inside her to avoid collision,
thereby failing to fire a 4th torpedo.
At 3.30 p.m., June 1st, in Lat. 55.50 N., Long. 0.55 W., a
torpedo fired by a hostile submarine was observed approaching
from abaft the starboard beam at an angle of 30 degrees, running
on the surface; helm was at once put hard a starboard and
telegraphs to full speed. Torpedo passed ahead. On resuming
course a submerged explosion was very distinctly felt all over
the ship, but no damage could be found. Submarine was not
sighted.

Narborough

Narborough submitted her own report on 2 June.

SIR,
I HAVE the honour to report in accordance with your
orders the following movements of the 13th Flotilla on 31st May
and 1st June 1916.
Previous to action commencing the Flotilla was stationed
ahead of Battle Cruiser Squadron. Shortly after the action had
commenced Destroyers were ordered to attack with torpedoes,
second and third Divisions drew out to Port of " Champion "
in accordance with orders signalled to get ahead for attacking.
Third Division followed second Division down to the attack,
but " Petard " and " Turbulent " were separated by "Notting-
ham " crossing " Petard's " bows. " Petard " and " Turbulent "
proceeded independently.
Previous to turning, the German High Sea Fleet were
observed coming up from the Southward.
Before getting into the favourable position to fire Torpedoes,
enemy's Light Cruisers and Destroyers, fourteen or fifteen in
No., came across towards our Battle Cruiser Squadron, and were
intercepted by 13th and 9th Flotillas. General firing took place;
the Third Division were unable to open fire owing to the 9th
Flotilla, who had come up in the opposite direction, getting
between them and enemy Destroyers. Enemy's flotilla retired
to their own Battle Cruiser Squadron after short action. It is
thought that at least two enemy Destroyers were sunk.
The position of enemy's Battle Cruiser Squadron was then
unfavourable for firing Torpedoes, and in view of enemy's Battle
Fleet having been sighted, I decided not to fire Torpedoes at
long range at Battle Cruiser Squadron, but to retain all
Torpedoes for use pending Fleet action. Accordingly " Nar-
borough " and " Pelican " rejoined " Champion." The remaining
Destroyers of the 13th Flotilla rejoined " Champion " except
" Nestor " and "Nomad," who had been observed badly
damaged.
Proceeded in company of " Champion " from 8 p.m. till
midnight. Firing was observed to starboard beam at intervals
between 10 and 11 p.m. and a heavy action at 11.30 p.m.
Several ships were seen on starboard beam about midnight, but
it could not be made out whether hostile.
At 0.30 a.m., 1st June 1916, a large vessel making much
smoke was observed crossing the rear of the Flotilla from
starboard to port at a fast speed. This vessel was thought to
be one of our Light Cruisers or an Armoured Cruiser of the
" Warrior " class, one of whom had been on our starboard
quarter during the First Watch. When on starboard quarter at
about 1,000 yards vessel switched on two red lights over one
green for a few seconds, then switched searchlights on to rear
boats and opened heavy fire. " Petard " was struck and
severely damaged; " Turbulent " was either rammed or heavily
shelled and no further note of her was obtained. Vessel was
immediately lost sight of owing to heavy smoke.
Flotilla then proceeded to the Westward.
At Daylight it was noticed that Destroyers ahead were not
in touch with " Champion." I took charge of Destroyers
13th Flotilla, consisting of " Narborough," " Pelican," " Ne
rissa," " Nicator," and " Petard," and placed myself under
orders of " Lydiard " of 9th Flotilla. " Termagant " had
previously rejoined 9th Flotilla.
On receiving orders by W/T to join Battle Cruiser Squadron
I proceeded as requisite, rejoining Fleet at 9.45 a.m., having
previously despatched " Petard " and " Nicator " to base as
they were running short of fuel. At 7 p.m., 13th Flotilla were
ordered to join " Badger " and return to base. Arrived base at
2 p.m. 2nd June 1916.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

GEOFFREY CORLETT,

Lieutenant-Commander.

To Captain (D)

13th Destroyer Flotilla,

H.M.S. " Champion."

Obdurate

Obdurate submitted her own report on 3 June.

SIR,
I BEG to report that at the commencement of the action
on 31st May between H.M. Battle Cruisers and the German
High Sea Fleet, H.M.S. " Obdurate " was separated from the
remainder of the 13th Flotilla, and was about 1,000 yards on
the engaged side of H.M.S. " Lion."
Every endeavour was made to join the flotilla, but this was
not accomplished when the signal was made to carry out a
Torpedo Attack on the enemy.
On receiving the Signal, " Obdurate " turned towards the
enemy's Battle Cruiser Fleet and soon became engaged with
their destroyers and one Light Cruiser, who were apparently
approaching to carry out a torpedo attack on our Battle Cruisers.
Range varied from 6,000 to 3,000 yards, and durIng the
destroyer action one of the enemy's destroyers was blown up,
and two others badly damaged; probably one of those two sank
as the guns firing at her lost sight of her.
The enemy Destroyers and light cruisers were driven back
to the protection of their big ships' guns, and the "Obdurate
was then too far astern to deliver a torpedo attack.
H.M.S. " Obdurate " was hit twice by a 4.1 shell, but suffered
no casualties.
" Obdurate " then rejoined H.M.S. "Champion," and re-
mained with her till ordered to return to base at 1 p.m. on
1st June.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

C. H. HUTTON SAMS,

Lieut.-Com.

Captain (D),

13th FLotilla,

H.M.S. " Champion."