Catalogue description [Note: ADM 137/584, 584A-584C are produced as a single document: order as ADM 137/584 ]....

[Note: ADM 137/584, 584A-584C are produced as a single document: order as ADM 137/584].

Paper M 016313/17.

Folios 12-13: Admiral Sir David Beatty Commander in Chief Grand Fleet (Paper 2978/0022), 1 Dec 1917. Comments on: Regret that objective of destruction of enemy minesweepers was not achieved; the First Cruiser Squadron was not placed between the enemy and his base to cut off his escape route; handling of First Battle Cruiser Squadron; skill of handling of First and Sixth Light Cruiser Squadrons; enemy vessels first sighted mistaken as surfaced submarines. Enclosures:

Folios 14-17: Enclosure. Vice Admiral Sir William Christopher Pakenham Commanding Battle Cruiser Force (Paper 0826 S), 26 Nov 1917. Comments: Issue of entering mined area and risks taken; enemy using smoke screens effectively; eagerness of First and Sixth Light Cruiser Squadrons.

Folios 18: Enclosure. Commander in Chief Grand Fleet Telegram ? Orders. (Paper 0139), 16 Nov 1917. Objective to intercept enemy minesweepers possibly supported by light cruisers and destroyers. Forces involved and initial positions and movements.

Folios 19-20: Enclosure. Admiral Sir Charles Edward Madden Commanding First Battle Squadron, Second in Command Grand Fleet. Orders. (Paper 1437), 16 Nov 1917. Objective; Forces Employed being Force A First Cruiser Squadron First and Sixth Light Cruiser Squadrons and destroyers, Force B First Battle Cruiser Squadron and destroyers, Force C First Battle Squadron with Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla; Intelligence on movement of enemy submarines and location of British submarines; Movement orders for Forces A, B and C; Orders for W/T communications. Telegram ordering operation for 17 Nov 1917 (folio 20).

Folio 21: Enclosure. Statement of Forces employed. List of British ships participating in Forces A, B and C.

Folios 22-25: Enclosure. Vice Admiral Trevylyan Dacres Willes Napier Commanding Light Cruiser Force. (Paper 845), 20 Nov 1917. Sighting of enemy forces identified as submarines being escorted by destroyers and minesweepers and four light cruisers. Firing on submarines and destroyers. Enemy smoke screen obscuring enemy and 1ST Cruiser Squadron remaining on edge of mined area. Action discontinued on arrival of four German battleships. Captains of British ships involved.

Folios 26-28: Enclosure. Captain Arthur Bromley, HMS Courageous. (Paper 148), 22 Nov 1917. Sighting and firing on enemy warships. Fired upon by enemy light cruisers. Difficulty from enemy smoke screen. Stopped chase at edge of minefield.

Folios 29-33: Enclosure. Captain Charles Blois Miller, HMS Glorious. (Paper 363), 20 Nov 1917. Sighted enemy ships in poor visibility from smoke and mist and fired on light cruisers.

Folios 34-36: Enclosure. Commander John Cronyn Tovey, HMS Ursa, 19 Nov 1917. Leader of Third Division of destroyers (Ursa, Urchin, Nerissa & Umpire) screening Courageous and Glorious. Engaged enemy destroyers and light cruisers when sighted through smoke.

Folios 37-38: Enclosure. Lieutenant Henry Edward Horan, HMS Urchin, 19 Nov 1917. Problem with steering gear jamming throughout action.

Folios 39-42: Enclosure. Lieutenant-Commander Montague George Bentinck Legge, HMS Nerissa, 20 Nov 1917. Fired at a submarine, a destroyer and a light cruiser.

Folios 43: Enclosure. Lieutenant-Commander Roger Vincent Alison, HMS Umpire, 19 Nov 1917. Fired at a destroyer. Saw a trawler on fire.

Folios 44-50: Enclosure. Rear Admiral Richard Fortescue Phillimore Commanding First Battle Cruiser Squadron with Enclosures: (Paper 011), 19 Nov 1917. Flagship HMS Repulse. Left Battle Cruiser Force to support First Light Cruiser Squadron. Avoided submarine torpedo. Difficult in identifying enemy ships but fired at enemy light cruisers. Broke off action when enemy heavy ships approached.

Folios 51-52: Enclosure. Captain William Henry Dudley Boyle, HMS Repulse. (Paper 21/2472), 19 Nov 1917. After firing at light cruisers, fired at four-funnelled cruiser and a hit reported.

Folio 53: Enclosure. Captain W H D Boyle, HMS Repulse. (Paper 21/2483), 24 Nov 1917. Splashes nearby probably bombs from unseen enemy aircraft.

Folios 54-62: Enclosure. Rear Admiral Edwyn Sinclair Alexander-Sinclair Commanding Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron (Paper 30), 22 Nov 1917. Flagship HMS Cardiff with light cruisers Calypso, Ceres and Caradoc and destroyers Valentine, Vanquisher, Vimiera and Vehement. Destroyers fired on enemy destroyers and submarines while cruisers fired on enemy light cruisers when visible through smoke. Captain Herbert Laurence Edwards of HMS Calypso killed and ship continued in action when taken over by Lieutenant Henry Cecil Courtney Clarke. List of casualties sustained by HMS Cardiff and Calypso (folios 59-60). Recommendations of Officers and Men (folios 61-62).

Folios 63-68: Enclosure. Captain Claud Hamilton Sinclair, HMS Cardiff. (Paper 2/32/6), 20 Nov 1917. Details of action with enemy light cruisers. Description of damage sustained, list of casualties and recommendations of officers.

Folios 69-72: Enclosure. Lieutenant Henry Cecil Courtney Clarke, HMS Calypso. (Paper 66F/182), 20 Nov 1917. Engaged second enemy light cruiser when visible through smoke otherwise fired on leading light cruiser. Following hit on bridge which killed Captain Herbert L. Edwards and severely wounded the Navigating Officer Lieutenant-Commander Wilson, command of ship taken over by Lieutenant Henry Cecil Courtney Clarke. Missed by bombs dropped by unseen German aircraft. Description of damage and list of casualties. Recommendations of Officers and Ratings.

Folios 73-75: Enclosure. Captain the Hon. H.Meade, HMS Ceres, 20 Nov 1917. Fired on third enemy light cruiser when visible through smoke with eight hits reported.

Folios 76-77: Enclosure. Captain William Munro Kerr, HMS Caradoc, 20 Nov 1917. Fired on an enemy destroyer and then engaged light cruisers. Observered several hits on opposite number. Received no damage and no casualties.

Folios 78-80: Enclosure. Commander Charles Arthur Fremantle, HMS Valentine, 17 Nov 1917. Attempted to fire torpedoes at enemy light cruisers by failed when both impulse charges failed. Destroyers under heavy fore from light cruisers but not hit. Unable to get into another torpedo firing position. Recommendations.

Folios 81-82: Enclosure. Commander D F Moir, HMS Vimiera, 19 Nov 1917. Observed enemy trawler sinking and fired on others. Folios 83-84: Enclosure. Lieutenant-Commander Keith Adair Beattie, HMS Vanquisher, 19 Nov 1917. Fired a torpedo at enemy light cruiser and believed to have hit her. Fired at minesweepers endeavouring to escape. No damage and no casualties. Folios 85-87: Enclosure. Lieutenant Vernon Hamersley Heenan, HMS Vehement, 19 Nov 1917. Fired on and hit enemy armed trawler.

Folios 88-90: Enclosure. Commodore Walter Henry Cowan Commanding First Light Cruiser Squadron. (Paper 001), 19 Nov 1917. Fired on enemy light cruisers when visible. A number of torpedo tracks were observed by squadron.

[Listing continued in ADM 137/584B].