Evan-Thomas Letter to ''The Times'', 13 February, 1927

Letter from Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas which appeared in The Times newspaper on 16 February, 1927. The Times, Wednesday, Feb 16, 1927; pg. 15; Issue 44507; col F.

Letter

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—In your issue of February 9th is a portion of an account of the Battle of Jutland. This account is written by Mr. Winston Churchill, who holds one of the most important positions in the Government, and therefore his writings are read by a very large number of people, quite apart from the fact that he is such an able writer.

As that first part of the battle of Jutland concerns me, and as no remarks from me have ever been asked for, by either the Chief of the Naval Staff or those under him, who I presume have written the so-called official account, it appears necessary for another and more detailed account to be given of the time when German light craft had just been sighted by Galatea. The signal for "Steam for full speed" had been made and all the battle-cruisers were drawing their coal fires forward and making a tremendous smoke, which made it impossible to distinguish flag signals from the Fifth Battle Squadron, stationed five miles off, except possibly on very rare occasions. Had signals been made by searchlight, as they had been on other occasions on the same day, they would have been seen immediately.

So far as the Rear-Admiral Commanding Fifth Battle Squadron was concerned he knew that two enemy light cruisers had been reported, and that the battle-cruisers were turning, but to what course it was impossible to see; and they rushed off into space without his having received a signal from the Vice-Admiral in command, neither searchlight nor wireless having been used by Lion.

The only way I could account for no signals having been received by me was that the Vice-Admiral was going to signal another course to Fifth Battle Squadron—possibly to get the enemy light cruisers between us. Anyway, if he wished us to turn, the searchlight would have done it in a moment. It was not until Tiger asked Lion by wireless whether the signal to turn was to be made to Barham, that the Vice-Admiral seemed to realise the situation. But these lost minutes turned out afterward to be a most serious matter. After all isn't it one of the fundamental principles of naval tactics that an admiral makes sure that his orders are understood by distant parts of his fleet before rushing into space, covered by a smoke screen? Also, if, as I believe, he knew that German heavy ships were at sea, should he not have seen that his most important ships were at hand?

With regard to the remarks of Mr. Churchill about the later stages of the Battle of Jutland, I would submit, as one of the Flag Officers who were there, that they are a mixture of armchair criticism, want of vision from a sailor's point of view, and utter disregard of the effects of smoke, gunfire and fog, added to a terribly partisan account.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

HUGH EVAN-THOMAS,

Admiral (Retired).

Charlton House, Shaftesbury, Feb. 13.