Jutland

The Naval Staff Appreciation

William Schleihauf

• Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN:
  9781848323179
• eBook ISBN:
  9781848323193
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

The legendary hidden report on the Royal Navy's failures at the WWI Battle of Jutland is revealed for the first time in this transcribed edition.
Jutland, the largest naval battle of the First World War, was the most controversial engagement in the Royal Navy's history. Falling well short of the total victory expected by the public, it sparked fierce debate among senior naval officers, many of whom had been directly involved in the battle.
The first attempt to produce an objective record was delayed and heavily censored. That report was followed by a no-holds-barred critique of the fleet's performance intended for training purposes at the Naval Staff College. This became the now-infamous Naval Staff Appreciation, which was deemed too damaging to be published. All proof copies were ordered destroyed.
Despite the orders, however, a few copies survived. Now this long-suppressed work is finally revealed in this edition featuring expert modern commentary and explanatory notes.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of Diagrams
• Abbreviations
• William Roger Schleihauf, 22 September 1958 – 27 January 2009: An Appreciation
• A Note on the Text
• A Note on the Diagrams
• Editor’s Introduction – The Mists of Jutland
• A Cautionary Note
• A Few Basics
• Naval Staff Appreciation of Jutland
• Introduction
• Chapter I: The Situation in 1916
• Chapter II: The Grand Fleet Battle Orders of May, 1916
• Chapter III: Preliminary Movements, May 28–30
• Chapter IV: The Battle Cruiser Action from 3.40 pm to 4.40 pm
• Chapter V: German Battle Fleet in Sight. The Action from 4.40 pm to 5.40 pm
• Chapter VI: Commander-in-Chief’s View of the Situation, 2 pm to 5 pm
• Chapter VII: Commander-in-Chief in touch with Battle Cruiser Force, 5.35 pm to 6.15 pm
• Chapter VIII: Remarks on the Deployment at 6.15 pm
• Chapter IX: The First Half Hour, 6.15 pm to 6.40 pm
• Chapter X: The Second Engagement and Scheer’s Turn Away. The Turn to South-East and South
• Chapter XI: Proceedings during the Night
• Chapter XII: Destroyer Actions during the Night
• Appendices
• Editor’s Afterword
• Annexe I: Jellicoe’s Letter to the Admiralty, 30 October 1914
• Annexe II: Excerpts of the Grand Fleet Battle Orders in Force at Jutland
• Annexe III: Cover Letter for Admiral Jellicoe’s Despatch
• Annexe IV: Enemy Sighting Reports, 8 pm Through Midnight, 31 May
• Annexe V: Pre-war Tactical Instructions, 1913–1914
• Annexe VI: Surviving Copies of the Naval Staff Appreciation of Jutland: A Bibliographical Note
• Bibliography