Battle of Jutland begins May 31, 1916
The Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of WW1 began May 31, 1916.
For approx. 24 hours, 250 German and British ships with 100,000 men engaged in a battle off the Jutland peninsula, in the North Sea. At the end, over 8,500 men were killed and 25 ships sunk. The massive battle was a draw.
‘You know, it was a bit of a shambles really’
British survivor in an interview decades later.
Battle of Jutland
Issued 2016 by Isle of Man for the
100th Anniversary of WW1
Designer: EJC Design
EJC used two paintings from the period
This action packed miniature sheet features stamp designs by Francesca Jellicoe, daughter of Nick Jellicoe, and is divided into two parts, each showcasing a painting of HMS Iron Duke, the flagship of the Grand Fleet during the First World War, including Jutland. On the left is William Whyillie’s painting of HMS Iron Duke opening fire at Jutland on a stamp depicting Admiral Sir John Jellicoe and Admiral Scheer. To the right, is William Stӧwer’s painting of a German torpedo boat with portraits of Vice Admiral Sir David Beatty and Vice Admiral Franz Hipper on a stamp.
Isle of Man Post
The German High Seas Fleet hoped to weaken the Royal Navy by launching an ambush on the British Grand Fleet in the North Sea. German Admiral Reinhard Scheer planned to lure out both Admiral Sir David Beatty’s Battlecruiser Force and Admiral Sir John Jellicoe’s Grand Fleet. Scheer hoped to destroy Beatty’s force before Jellicoe’s arrived, but the British were warned by their codebreakers and put both forces to sea early.
Jutland was a confused and bloody action involving 250 ships and around 100,000 men. Initial encounters between Beatty’s force and the German High Seas Fleet resulted in the loss of several ships. The Germans damaged Beatty’s flagship, HMS Lion, and sank HMS Indefatigable and HMS Queen Mary, both of which blew up when German shells hit their ammunition magazines.
Imperial War Museum – Battle of Jutland.
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