WORLD WAR I - BATTLE OF JUTLAND Series of five naval signals sent from HMS Galatea on 31 May 1916, carbon copies, all dated 31.5.16 and timed as follows: i) 2.25pm 'Urgent 2 Cruisers probably hostile in sight, bearing ESE, course unknown' ii) 2.37pm 'Urgent 1 Cruiser, probably hostile in sight bearing E, course SSE' iii) 2.41pm 'The enemy reported... 2 destroyers are chasing' iv) 2.43pm 'Have sighted a large amount of smoke as though from a fleet bearing ENE' v) 3.00pm '...Smoke seems to be of vessels besides destroyers and cruisers - they have turned North' 5 pages, carbon copies, manuscript on printed Naval Signal form S.-1320b, dust-staining, some edges frayed, creased with some small holes at folds, 165 x 210mm., HMS Galatea, 31 May 1916 (5) Footnotes: 'URGENT 2 CRUISERS PROBABLY HOSTILE IN SIGHT': THE SIGNALS THAT BEGAN THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND. The Battle of Jutland was the largest naval battle of the First World War, involving 250 ships and around 100,000 men and was the last battle undertaken by 'dreadnoughts' alone. Both sides claimed victory, but it is seen as a strategic victory for the British Navy as it allowed them to retain control of the North Sea and maintain the naval blockade of Germany. It left 6,000 British and 2,500 German soldiers dead, with the loss of 14 British and 11 German vessels. Sent in the space of 35 minutes on 31 May 1916 from HMS Galatea, our signals demonstrate the fast pace of events as they unfolded in the first critical moments of the battle. On the evening of 30 May 1916, the British Admiralty ordered Admiral Sir John Jellicoe and Vice Admiral Sir David Beatty to sea after receiving intelligence that the German High Seas Fleet was due to sail that evening. The German fleet under Admiral Reinhard Scheer set off in the early hours of the following morning and, according to our signals, it was not until 2.25pm that the first sighting of the enemy was made by HMS Galatea. As a result, within minutes, Beatty had ordered his men to action stations, with Jellicoe following at 3pm. In his memoir of the battle, Francis William Newberry, Warrant Shipwright aboard the Galatea, described it thus: '...suddenly at 2.10 in the afternoon smoke was observed on the horizon. This did not excite our curiosity very much as we know that anything suspicious is soon observed by our signalman and look-outs on the bridge and we are soon making investigations but on getting a little nearer the masts and funnels of a 'Stranger' a man-of-war hove in sight, Us light cruisers being ahead of the battle cruisers, we knew that a Britisher should not be ahead in her position, so increasing speed we rapidly closed in on her making her out to be a large four funnelled destroyer, immediately behind her were more masts and funnels and more suspicious smoke. We at once made the challenge signal and she replied - 'the wrong answer'. The signal was immediately hoisted 'Enemy in sight' for information of the other three ships of our little squadron on of who was just astern whilst the other two were in the immediate vicinity but could not be seen. A wireless message had in the meantime been dispatched to Admiral Beatty on the battlecruisers who was somewhere a little distance behind us. The bugler had by the time sounded off 'Action' Gun's crews were at once at their posts and the supply party, Torpedo party, Fire Brigade were soon busy, the Carpenters repair party also being ready with their various appliances for stopping shot holes and repairing damage. A Great thrill passed though us all as we gradually worked up full speed and the Guns were order to load... A few more tense moments and then at 2.28 PM our foremost gun opened fire the first shot fired in the memorial Jutland Battle...' (Battle of Jutland Crew Lists online). Provenance: The owner's father, an officer in the Royal Navy, who served on a later HMS Galatea from September 1935 to June 1937. The signals have been exhibited as part of The National Museum of the Royal Navy's Battle of Jutland exhibition. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing