Books and Men

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 36, 15 March 1935, Page 22

Books and Men

Beatty the Hero-Jellicoe an Enigma

Not by any means did the Battle of Jutland finish when in June. 1916, the German High Sea Fleet dragged its battered. force into the docks of Wilhelmshaven, and Jellicoe, cautiously counting the toll exacted and’ inflicted, steamed back to Scapa Flow in silence. Dyer since then, and particularly after the hysteria of immediate warfare, the greatest naval engagement of all time has been fought, won and lost again-wwith both spoken and written word. But now this issue, which still flares up in the wardrooms of navies, in the councils of admiralties and among the rank and file the world over. appears to have been answered most completely and finally in "Phe Riddle of Jutland," by an American naval historian and a British admiral,

NGLAND wou the battle, in the opinion of these judges, who dissect the whole affair with such care that their verdict is amply supported hy their impartial presentation of both sides of the story. The decision, moreover, is based not only on the devastating contact between the British Grand Fleet and the German High Sea eet, but upon the whole trend of the World War, which it briefly traces. KEvery blunder, every stroke cf naval genius, British or German. is recount: od for what it is worth with cold, uncoloured facts which must inspire respect for the courage and skill of bor) sides, Two most commanding phases of (ie book revolve around the naval leaders und the terrific shock of action. One figure dominates the critical deliberation of this verbal aftermath-Sir John Jellicoe. commander-in-chief of the Grand Fleet, now Earl Jellicoe and a former Governor-General of New Zealand, Germany claimed the vic. tory in the engagement off Jutlani, and after the news of the: whole battle had been digested by the MIEnglish people a large proportion of those thought their enemies had every right to the claim. Jellicoe was made the butt of much bitter argument, and countless tongues, out of ignorance ar otherwise, have since heaned upon him the calumny which is customary whet x hero apparently lets his public down. For the battle itself, fear and uncertainty gripped those in England when the early rumours _ trickled through, then followed an emotional re action among them, based on Admiru! David Beatty’s battering. Two of his six battle-cruisers had been blaw» up-a pounding interpreted. by the public in terms of action and leader: ship. Beatty was the hero, Jellicne an enigma, Details of the four dis: tinct movements Which marked the nro gress of ,the battle ave provided by the naval authors of this latest .book movements which are not new tv thousands of readers, The post-war mind eannot truly comprehend the frightful, orgy of devastation which was the battle. Beatty hore the British brunt of the running duel to the south, Indefatigable and

(Queen Mary exploding into atoms in a sky of yellow flame and hurtling me: and metal. . At the first contact with, Jellicoe, Scheer bore the German brunt in a fierce concentration of fire. Both commands held unwaveringly to plans of action through an inferno of raging destruetion. Evan-Thomas’s Fifth Rattle Squadron wins praise for ex(vleating Beatty in his strategic re-

{reat upon Jellicoe’s farce. Beatty is held liable by the anthors for rashness in engaging Hipper's units without waiting for Eyan-Thomas to join in the action. Commadore . Goodenough stands out for his sconting wlertness, us Jellicoe’s fingertips. A Grand Fleet detachment wuder Hoad gets credit for helping to drive HWipper into an encircling movement. Beatty then plays the trump of all naval tactics, crossing Itipper’s hows in the movement known as crossing the T-‘one desirable above all others in 2 fleet action because it opposes maximum strength to the cneny’s weakest point." Then comes Windy Corner, and Jellicoe’s deployment of the Grand Fleet for battle. "the most remarkable single evolution of ships the sea has ever seen," Magnificent as a marine spectacle, (Continued on paige 28.)

(Continued from page 22.) heartrending in its record of destruction, the action continued. ‘Twice the Germans failed to penetrate the screen of belching guns and bursting metal. On the second waye the Deutschlanders receded, back from the trap inviting them, back into naval obliyion, ‘Honour to Scheer and Hipper and to the High Sena Fleet," the authors nagree. "They, like Beatty and his battlecruisers, were part of a great saga of the sens," But the lion’s share in that great day at Jutland goes to a eal little man on the bridge of the Tron Duke. The answer fo the riddle of Jutiand, the authors conclude, is synonymous with the name of Jellicoe and with British victory.