On This Day… The Battle Of Jutland
Written by: George Chittenden : 24 May 2019
It was on this day, 31st May back in 1916 when one of the largest surface battles in naval history began, the Battle of Jutland. It was the only major battle of the Great War that was fought at sea, and it was so significant that it actually changed the course of the war. The German High Seas Fleet planned to devastate the Royal Navy by launching an ambush on the British Grand Fleet in the North Sea. Luckily for the British their codebreakers were able to warn the Royal Navy who took action.
The Germans planned to sink the British Battlecruiser Force and then their Grand Fleet one after another, but with warning the British launched both fleets earlier than planned. The Battle that followed lasted thirty-six hours and involved 250 ships and around 100,000 men. The Royal Navy lost fourteen ships and over 6,000 men but were still ready for more the very next day. Germany lost eleven ships and over 2,500 men. Despite the fact that the British lost more ships and men than the Germans, in some ways they were victorious. Jutland in many ways had no winner, as both sides failed to achieve their objectives, however the British secured their dominance over essential shipping lanes, which allowed them to implement the blockade that would contribute to Germany’s eventual defeat in 1918.
Search
By Era
To 5000 BCE 5000 - 2000 BCE 2000 BCE - 0 0 - 400 CE 400 - 800 CE 800 - 1100 CE 1100 - 1500 CE 1500 - 1700 CE 18th Century 19th Century 1900's 1910's 1920's 1930's 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's 2010'sBy Topic
Royal British Roman North American Egyptian Nautical European Social WW1 Military Viking Asian African Australian South American Political Celebrity WW2 Religion
We promote history by...
offering free articles and videos, providing free history experiences for children in schools and on weekends. Next year we will be visiting hospitals and providing unforgettable experiences to children who really need it and give them a chance to forget their condition, their treatment and their reality.
Please join others who support our free projects by giving a small donation. We can only continue our great work with your help.
