The Battle Cruiser Fleet and destroyers proceeded to a position for supporting the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron, near the Horn Reef, with directions to arrive at daylight on the 4th, and the Battle Fleet, with its cruiser squadrons, the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron and the destroyer flotillas, to a supporting position to the northward of the Battle Cruiser Fleet. The list of ships absent from the Fleet on this occasion, owing to refit, repair, or to being engaged on other operations, is given below; it is useful as showing the reduction that takes place in the nominal numbers comprising a watching fleet at any given moment: Battleships, Ajax and Dreadnought; battle cruisers, New Zealand, Australia, Invincible; cruisers, Black Prince, Warrior, Donegal; light cruisers, Southampton, Gloucester, Blonde; destroyers, 3 from the 1st Flotilla, 6 from the 2nd Flotilla, 3 from the 11th Flotilla. During the passage south, the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron was detached to endeavour to locate a zeppelin reported by directional wireless to be in the centre of the North Sea (zeppelins had been seen off the north-east coast on the night of the 2nd). The search was unsuccessful, but the zeppelin descended off Stavanger later and was destroyed.

On the morning of the 4th the conditions for sea-planes seemed from the Battle Fleet to be ideal, but, once more, the difficulty of getting these machines to rise from the water was experienced, a slight sea being sufficient to prevent all, except one, from carrying out the attack. This one sea-plane reported having dropped bombs on the objective. The remainder were damaged by the sea.

At 10 A.M. a zeppelin, L 7, was sighted by the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron and attacked by gunfire by the Galatea and Phaeton. She was damaged sufficiently to cause her to descend near submarine E 31 in the vicinity of the Vyl Lightship. E 31 completed her destruction and rescued seven survivors.

The Fleet cruised in the vicinity of the Horn Reef during May 4th, no enemy vessels being sighted, and then returned to its various bases. A thick fog was experienced during the return passage, which was made without incident; the Cromarty force was, however, taken to Scapa, as a submarine had been reported off Tarbet Ness in the Moray Firth.

On May 9th the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron left Scapa to carry out another sweep on the Norwegian coast between the Naze and Udsire Lighthouse. The squadron was divided, two ships proceeding to the Naze and two to Udsire, arriving in position at daylight on the 10th and then sweeping towards each other. One neutral steamer, carrying iron ore for Lübeck, was intercepted outside territorial waters and sent in. On the same day the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron left Rosyth for Scapa, searching the central portion of the North Sea en route.

On the 9th, 11th and 13th the ships on the northern patrol off the Shetlands moved in to Stadlandet for a short period, on the chance of intercepting ships outside territorial waters.

On the 14th an unsuccessful search for a reported submarine was carried out to the south-east of the Pentland Firth.

On the 15th Submarines D 7 and E 30 left for the Kattegat to operate at the northern end of the Sound and off Anholt Island. One German merchant-steamer was intercepted and sunk outside territorial waters off the Kullen on the 22nd by E 30. On the 18th another submarine was sent to operate off Goteberg in Sweden. She returned on the 25th, not having sighted any enemy vessels.

On the same day a reliable report was received that an exceptionally large force of enemy submarines was now operating in the North Sea, and additional precautions were taken at all the bases to strengthen the patrols and to protect inward- and outward-bound vessels. The Vice-Admiral of the 10th Cruiser Squadron was warned to be ready to move all his patrol lines to given alternative positions, and on the 19th was directed to move his ships to the most western of these lines. Precautions against mine-laying by submarines were also taken, and the waters to the eastward of the “Long Forties,” through which the Fleet usually passed when on passage south, were examined by the Fleet mine-sweepers, protected by destroyers, on the 21st and subsequent days. These vessels searched without result on the 22nd for a submarine which was being chased by a patrol vessel in this neighbourhood.

On the 21st the Donegal and two destroyers were sent to the vicinity of the entrance to Bergen to intercept a steamer which, it was thought, had passed through the 10th Cruiser Squadron blockade during a fog. The ship however, called later at Kirkwall, and the force was recalled.

On the 23rd the first of a series of deep mine-fields in the Moray Firth, which I had requested might be laid with the object of catching enemy submarines, was placed in position by the mine-layer Biarritz.

On the 24th the Donegal and an armed boarding-steamer were sent to patrol off Stadlandet with a view to intercepting ships engaged in the iron ore trade from Narvik. This, as before stated, was one of the few positions at which ships were obliged for navigational reasons to leave territorial waters.

On the 24th the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron, with destroyers, which had been at Rosyth, left for another search off the Norwegian coast from the Naze to Udsire, and thence to Scapa. The search was unproductive.

On the 26th two submarines were despatched to operate against enemy submarines off the Norwegian coast, and, on the same date, the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron, with six destroyers, left, via the searched channel, to carry out a reconnaissance to the southward of the German North Sea mine-field. The squadron proceeded as far east as Long. 6 E., but, unfortunately, sighted nothing.

The Broke and 12 destroyers left on the 27th to search for a submarine reported to have been sighted to the eastward of the Pentland Firth, and returned on the 28th, not having seen her; but on the 27th Trawler Unit No. 42, working from Peterhead, reported having engaged and sunk a submarine at 12.45 P.M. in Lat. 57.10 N., Long. 1.20 E., thus adding one more success to the record of this patrol. On the 30th Fleet-sweeper Gentian was missed, in a position about 40 miles due east of the Pentland Firth, by a torpedo fired evidently by the submarine that had been hunted on the 28th. A half flotilla and sea-planes were sent out to search, and a submarine was sighted at 3.45 P.M. near the position given, but she dived and got clear away.

The movements of the Fleet between the time of leaving and returning to the bases in connection with the Battle of Jutland are given in Chapter XI., but some mention may be made of an incident which occurred on the night of May 31st. A report was received at Scapa that an enemy raider might be attempting to escape into the Atlantic. The Vice-Admiral of the 10th Cruiser Squadron was directed to assume a patrol north of the Shetlands in accordance with a plan which had been pre-arranged to meet such a case. On June 3rd, after the return of the Fleet to its bases, light cruisers were sent out to patrol to the north-westward of the Orkneys, and the 10th Cruiser Squadron was then directed to fall back to a position farther west to form a second patrol line. Nothing came of the matter.

During the month of May the weekly average results of the 10th Cruiser Squadron showed: Number of vessels intercepted, 55, besides 17 trawlers; number sent in, 18; number of ships on patrol, 11; number absent at ports or en route to or from patrol, 9; number on special service, 2.

A good deal of fog and mist was experienced during the month, the worst periods being from the 17th to the 20th, 24th, 26th, and the 28th to 30th.

During the month of May the firing exercises in the Pentland Firth continued, as did the usual exchange of bases between squadrons.

During the months of March, April and May, a flotilla of submarines had been gradually organised as a unit of the Grand Fleet. It was named the 11th Submarine Flotilla, was based on Blyth, with the Titania as parent ship and the Talisman and Trident as attendant destroyers. Separate spheres of activity for the Grand Fleet submarine flotillas and for the submarine flotillas based on Harwich and Yarmouth were also arranged, the dividing line running from a position a little to the southward of the Horn Reef to Flamborough Head. The line was subsequently slightly altered once or twice as the strength of the Grand Fleet submarine flotillas increased, but the general principle was that the Grand Fleet submarines worked to the northward of such a line and the remaining submarines to the southward.

It may not be out of place here to mention the organisation for getting the Grand Fleet to sea from its bases to any desired point of concentration with rapidity and safety, and of bringing the Fleet back into the bases in face of probable submarine or mine attack.

As the Grand Fleet increased in size, and the danger from mine and submarine grew, so the problem of leaving Scapa Flow and re-entering that base with safety became more complicated. The necessity for the Fleet leaving harbour in the shortest possible time and with the fewest possible number of signals was obvious. Similarly on returning the various squadrons had to enter the base with the least practicable delay in order to avoid giving submarines engaged in watching the approaches an opportunity for getting into positions for attacking the squadrons in rear, after having sighted those in the van. The operations, both of departure and entry, were rendered all the more difficult owing to the very strong and erratic tides experienced in the Pentland Firth, while all ships navigating at night had to be navigated without showing lights.

The usual method of departure from Scapa was as follows: A “Preparatory Signal for leaving Scapa” consisting of one word was made as soon as I decided to take the Fleet to sea. On receipt of this “Preparatory Signal” all ships raised steam for 18 knots at two hours’ notice. Patrol destroyers were recalled by the Commodore (F) for refuelling. All officers and men absent on patrol duty in drifters were also recalled, and every preparation was made for leaving harbour. The Admiral Commanding the Orkneys and Shetlands warned the outer patrols that the Fleet might be leaving shortly.

Whilst the Fleet was raising steam in readiness to be off at two hours’ notice a signal was made which indicated the time at which the first squadron to leave was to move ahead from the anchorage, together with the speed to be maintained after passing the submarine obstructions. No further signals were necessary. The organisation provided for the order in which squadrons were to leave, as well as the interval between squadrons or divisions, which in daylight was usually one mile from the rear ship of one squadron, or division of four ships, to the leading ship of that following, or two miles at night. The organisation also provided for successive squadrons or divisions being taken alternately north or south of the Pentland Skerries if the Fleet proceeded to the eastward, in order that the interval between those following the same course might be increased.

In the strong tides, particularly at night, some such procedure had to be adopted, because the tide was not felt until the ships were clear of Swona Island, and then the effect of it, if running to the westward, and particularly at the period of spring tides, when it has a speed of 10 knots, was to bring a leading squadron or division back on top of that in rear of it. Frequently also a ship, emerging from slack water into the strength of the tide, would be caught by the tide on the bow, and, unless the greatest possible care was taken to watch the steering (and even sometimes in spite of every care), the ship would be turned round through 8, 12 or even 16 points,F becoming a danger to those astern of her, as she would be almost unmanageable for a time. Such a situation on a dark night, with a large fleet showing no lights, was not pleasant, and it speaks well for the skill shown in handling the ships that no accident occurred from this cause.

The practice in regard to the destroyers, when they accompanied the Fleet (as was necessary after the first twelve months of war), was for the various groups which were detailed by the Commodore (F) to screen the squadrons or divisions of the heavy ships, to meet them just outside the submarine obstruction and screen them from there in daylight, or on moonlight nights, and to form astern on dark nights, in readiness to re-establish the screen at daylight. In the early days of the War, and indeed for the first eighteen months, the practice was for the destroyer flotillas to be stationed some 10 miles from the Battle Fleet at night in order to avoid any chance of their being sighted and mistaken for enemy destroyers; but this procedure caused considerable delay in forming the submarine screen at daylight, and in thick weather the destroyers frequently experienced difficulty in finding the Battle Fleet. Consequently, it became the practice to keep the destroyers actually in company at night, and this procedure was undoubtedly preferable.

After the various squadrons had passed the Pentland Skerries, the organisation provided for their taking certain defined routes; the usual practice was to use three routes with the squadrons divided between them, the routes being about seven miles apart.

A concentration point, which the squadrons would reach at the ordered speed shortly after daylight, was given in the departure signal, and the squadrons closed in on this point at the appointed time, so that the whole Battle Fleet, including detachments coming from Cromarty, was concentrated shortly after daylight, with the cruisers in their assigned positions scouting ahead.

The organisation of the Battle Fleet provided for the strongest squadron being on the eastern flank, because it was considered that the enemy would invariably make towards his bases if touch was gained, and it was desired to have our strongest squadron in the van.

The “departure” organisation was carefully worked out by my Staff and very minutely described in the Grand Fleet orders. It was most useful, the whole Fleet, comprising frequently 50 or more battleships, cruisers and light cruisers, and as many as 50 destroyers, being in daylight under weigh in one hour, and clear of the harbour in an hour and a half after the signal was made to proceed; on dark nights this time was lengthened by half an hour.

When returning to Scapa Flow, the usual practice was for the time of entry to be arranged so that the leading squadrons passed the Pentland Skerries shortly before dawn, in order to minimise the danger from submarine attack; but it was not, of course, always possible to arrange the time of entry in this manner. In returning to Scapa, when the arrival was thus timed for dawn, the different squadrons were disposed, as a rule, in two separate lines, the lines being some five miles apart and the squadrons in each line having an interval of about three miles between them. One line would enter the Pentland Firth by passing north of the Pentland Skerries and the other by passing south of these rocks, the object being to confuse any enemy submarines that might be watching the approaches, and also to get the Fleet into the Firth as quickly as possible, as once in the tideway there was little to fear from submarine attack.

If the Fleet entered Scapa Flow during darkness, the ships anchored in the centre of the Flow in certain specified berths, and waited for daylight before taking up their berths in the Fleet anchorage; towards the end of my period of command, however, coloured lights were arranged to be placed as leading-marks for the Fleet anchorage, so that ships could proceed to their final berths under all conditions.

As regards mines, an exploratory search of the channel intended to be used was always carried out, if time permitted, before the Fleet left, and similarly before it returned. Three channels were used, each some 7 to 10 miles in width—one passing up the east side of the Orkneys, one running to the eastward from the Pentland Skerries, and one passing down the Scottish coast for a short distance and then to the eastward. Usually the second of these channels was used.

The principal difficulty with which we had to deal when leaving or returning was fog. In a really dense fog there was great risk in attempting to leave Scapa with a large fleet, owing to the strong tides to be encountered in the Pentland Firth, and nothing but the gravest emergency would have justified the attempt being made. If it became really necessary, an organisation had been provided to meet the case, and the attempt would have been made. The interval between the various squadrons would have been considerably greater, and the time occupied in leaving would have been correspondingly increased.

The conditions for leaving the other two fleet bases, Cromarty and Rosyth, were, of course, simpler, owing to the absence of the very strong cross-tides, but fog was even more prevalent at Rosyth than at Scapa, and the operation of leaving with a considerable number of ships was not at all an easy one. It was skilfully performed under difficulties on very numerous occasions and with remarkable freedom from accident during my period of command. The approach to the Firth of Forth in thick weather was difficult, and many anxious moments were experienced in making the land when the position of the ships had not been accurately ascertained by sights for some time before approaching the base. These approaches could have been mined by the enemy with great ease by surface ships had they been sufficiently enterprising, and it was a standing wonder to me that the attempt was never made.