Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 22 December 1920, page 9


JUTLAND BATTLE.

DECISIVE FACTOR IN WAR." Impressions of Rear-Admiral Grant.

When the Jutland battle was fought Rear-Admiral Sir Percy Grant, who is now first naval member of the Australian Naval Board, was chief of staff with Sir Cecil Burney, squadron commander on the battle-ship Marlborough in the course of the engagement eight torpedoes were launched at the Marlborough, but only one reached its mark, blowing a hole in the side of the v ease) 20ft by 20ft Partly crippled the Alarlboiough, ii slater ship to Admiral Jellicoe's flagship, Iron Duke remained in the line, but during the night Sir Cecil Burney Su Penv (trout, and other members of the staff transferred to the Revenge In view of the fact that the official report on the battle has just been issued and that it has raised much controversy observations made by Rear Admiral Sir Percy Grant yesterday are of special

interest

"If you turn Inch, to history,' he said, you will find that there was controversy of a somewhat similar nature in connection with the battle of lifting, but I venture to say that in 25 years-, time it will be recognised that Jutland was a decisive factor in ending the recent war the German fleet never came out again and when at the end of the war it surrendered the admission was made that Jutland was the reason " Rear -Admiral Grant said that he had not BCCU it clearly mentioned any whereat surprising omission th it on the morning after the German fleet had sent up a star shell in the darkness of night, turning 10 points, and sought safety in flight, there was an exceptionally dense fog TlieBiitish in their encircling move ment towards Heligoland had hoped to meet the enemy again that morning and wipe them out, but the fog was so thick that during most of that day the Revenge could not even see the other units of the British fleet On the preceding night, when daylight had gone, the British de-stroyed had engaged the enemy vessels us they made for their mine fields The Germans hoped perhaps that the British fleet would follow but for a victorious fleet to pursue a beaten foe during the darkness of night into the latter s were held and among the destroyers of both sides, would be the act of a m ninian " The cable messages this week had referred to a wireless signal by Admiral Beatty as follows -'Urgent Submit van of battleships should follow battle-cruisers We can

then cut off whole of enemy's battle fleet " that signal had been sent in daylight from an entirely different position The Marlborough

was in the rear of the line whilst the King George V (Admiral Sir Thomas Jerram) was in the van

Referring to signals which had been jammed ' by the Germans, Rear "Admiral Grant said that both sides were doing it When enemy vessels were in touch ' they sent out many coded signals but if they were not in touch the wireless was used with more caution so that no indication of a vessel's whereabouts might be gained It was wrong to assume that long delays had occurred in the receipt of signals They first had to be decoded I he messages in some cases were sent a long distance in the Jutland battle home of the British ships were 50 miles apart