The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle fought in the North Sea between the
British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet.
The battle was fought between the 31 May and 1 June 1916
Fourteen British and eleven German ships were sunk with tremendous loss of life.
Over 6000 British and 2500 German lives were lost and this marked one of the
Royal Navy's darkest times.
It was the only major battle fought at sea and marked a turning point in WW1.
The Verdict
by
Rudyard Kipling
Jutland , 1916
Not in the thick of the fight,
Not in the press of the odds,
Do the heroes come to their height,
Or we know the demi-gods.
That stands over till peace.
We can only perceive
Men returned from the seas,
Very grateful for leave.
They grant us sudden days
Snatched from their business of war;
But we are too close to appraise
What manner of men they are.
And, whether their names go down
With age-kept victories,
Or whether they battle and drown
Unreckoned, is hid from our eyes.
They are too near to be great,
But our children shall understand
When and how our fate
Was changed, and by whose hand.
Our children shall measure their worth.
We are content to be blind . . .
But we know that we walk on a new-born earth
With the saviours of mankind.
More information about the centenary commemorations can me found
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Watched the Dan Snpw programme last night. So interesting and what a loss of life. Def worth watching on catch up.
ReplyDeleteHi Rosalind, yes, I too watched the Dan Snow programme as I knew very little about Jutland. Such a tragic waste of life, so many lost and wounded on both sides.
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