A packed audience at TS Rye on Shipyard Lane listened to a fascinating presentation by Commodore John Rodley from Winchelsea about the battle of Jutland last weekend.
Many of the audience had come out of curiosity and to support this first annual TS Rye lecture, but went away interested and informed. The subject was the great naval battle of the First World War, May 31 – June 1, between the Germans and the British. There is a lot of talk now about land battles such as at the Somme and Verdun,but at Jutland, two thirds of the British casualties died, whereas in the famous land battles, it was only one third.
Who won? Perhaps as Mao Tse Tung was reputed (incorrectly) to say about the significance of the French revolution, well over a hundred years on, it is too soon to tell.
Rodley introduced us to the personalities commanding the ships and took us through an hour by hour analysis of the battleground. It was a complex situation and there were many unexplained circumstances.
Communications in particular were poorly organised. The HQ on land knew a lot more about what was happening than the ships at sea but kept the information to itself. The battle took place with some good luck, some bad luck and a lot of chaos.
Rodley was a fascinating speaker. He served in the Royal Navy for 34 years and clearly knew and loved his subject. Also he seemed to have attracted an expert audience whose questions at the end seemed no less erudite or meaningful.
Photo: library