Smithsonian Network The Battle of Jutland

[Frances_iom]

There were several losses (including 2 near Southend) of naval vessels blowing up with significant loss of life during the loading of ammunition

[Historian]

There were several losses (including 2 near Southend) of naval vessels blowing up with significant loss of life during the loading of ammunition

Yes, the battleship HMS Bulwark is the one I recall: indeed, having checked she is one of the two you mentioned in your post. 788 of her crew died: even more (835) died with the loss of HMS Vanguard in 1917. These losses and others are discussed in this article from the Western Front Association.

I was referring (not specifically enough) to ammunition and propellant handling during action. Cordite propellant charges were brought up in a non-regulation way in order to keep up the rate of fire. This effectively helped form a gigantic fuse to the magazine if an enemy shell hit on a turret caused a flash fire.

[Tevot]

Hello there,

I've yet to see the documentary but a couple of weeks ago I happened across an archive from The Imperial War Museum called Voices from The First World War. It was fascinating listening to the accounts of sailors ( presumably recorded in the early 1960s) who saw action at Jutland and witnessed at first hand ships like Queen Mary. being blown apart by accurate German gunnery.

The link is below if anyone is interested.

Best Wishes,

Tevot

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices-of-the-first-world-war-jutland

[richardfinegold]

Yes, the battleship HMS Bulwark is the one I recall: indeed, having checked she is one of the two you mentioned in your post. 788 of her crew died: even more (835) died with the loss of HMS Vanguard in 1917. These losses and others are discussed in this article from the Western Front Association.

I was referring (not specifically enough) to ammunition and propellant handling during action. Cordite propellant charges were brought up in a non-regulation way in order to keep up the rate of fire. This effectively helped form a gigantic fuse to the magazine if an enemy shell hit on a turret caused a flash fire.

Interesting link, thank you.
Unrelated, but one question that I have been pondering is that in view of German Air attacks in WWI, which seemed to be devoid of military value and designed to produce panic, given the superiority of the Royal Navy and the German lack of will to engage, was there any consideration given to retaliatory shelling attacks on German ports such as Hamburg?

[Historian]

Interesting link, thank you.
Unrelated, but one question that I have been pondering is that in view of German Air attacks in WWI, which seemed to be devoid of military value and designed to produce panic, given the superiority of the Royal Navy and the German lack of will to engage, was there any consideration given to retaliatory shelling attacks on German ports such as Hamburg?

Thank you Tevot: I will make sure to have a listen.

The Imperial German Navy also carried out 'tip and run' bombardments of English coastal towns early in the war e.g. Hartlepool, Scarborough and Whitby on 16th December 1914. The commander of the High Seas Fleet hoped to draw out elements of the Grand Fleet and destroy them piecemeal. However, in answer to your question rfg, the waters around the German coast were too dangerous for the Royal Navy to think of retaliation by the same means. The British capital ships would have been vulnerable to submarine attack and, especially, mines. For the same reason the British pursuit after Jutland was curtailed.

Eventually the newly-created RAF developed their first strategic bombing unit - the Independent Force - in mid 1918. This carried out raids on German cities although the tonnage of bombs dropped and the casualties were much smaller than in the Second World War.