Today in 1916 the British & German fleets clashed at Jutland in one of history's largest naval battles. The only time in the 20thC that the 2 main battlefleets of the world's greatest navies fought each other
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One of my great uncles served aboard the HMS Malaya at Jutland after his time on the training ship Mars. He was horribly burned after Malaya was hit and died 5 days later, 18 days short of his 19th birthday.
My great grandfather was on HMS Malaya, in charge of a gun crew. He went to get new orders and when he returned his whole team had been killed. He survived physically but was destroyed mentally. We'd call it PTSD these days. He died a slow death through alcoholism, gambling & depression. Tragic 💔
My father was raised by his great grandmother and uncle who was a heavy machine gunner at the Somme who also suffered from severe shell shock. He too drank heavily I understand and suffered the same fate as your great grandfather.
The pic is from USS Texas. It is a contemporary of the battleships that fought at Jutland, although obviously not present as the USA was not yet in the war. But to get a sense of the super dreadnoughts at Jutland, USS Texas is as close as you're going to get.
Would have love to see that ship! My research yrs ago on the Battle of Jutland led me to a visit to the Jutland Sea War Museum in Denmark. What an amazing place! A wee village on the North Sea, but so welcoming!
On the day that the Royal Navy lost three battle cruisers at Jutland, another one, HMS Hood, was laid down on the Clyde. It would also be lost to a catastrophic explosion in battle against the Germans. In late May 1941 against Bismarck. http://access.historyhit.com/videos/hunt-the-bismarck
My grandfather served on one of the other battle cruisers at Jutland. He was a stoker and I remember him telling me that he could hear the German shells exploding in the water alongside his ship. Given how noisy it would’ve been in the engine room…
My grandfather died when I was about seven, so I have few memories of him other than this story
My dad, some years later, told me that he’d never heard his father talk about Jutland. From what I’ve heard and read, it wasn’t uncommon for veterans to open up to their grandchildren much later in life
… PTSD. Normal for veterans of that era to never speak of their experiences, except in private to others with the same experiences.
My grandfathers served on the Western Front, but the amount they appear to have to their children is trivial
My grandfather took part in the Battle of Jutland as well. Sadly, I never knew him. My Mum said he never spoke about his experience, but it was clear he was deeply affected by it.
The battle ensign of HMS Warspite. Shredded at the battle of Jutland. Too delicate to unwrap. In the store room of the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
My grandfather was on the HMS Lion during the battle, as a range taker. The Lion’s sister ship was sunk within minutes after being hit in the turret. The Lion was also hit in a turret but survived.
We′ll find the German battleship that's makin′ such a fuss
We gotta sink the Bismarck 'cause the world depends on us
Yeah, hit the decks a runnin', boys, and spin those guns around
When we find the Bismarck, we gotta cut her down
My partner looked up her Great Uncle's sailing record last year and found out he died on board the HMS Victorious. I was like You know how famous that ship was right? She had no clue it was involved in the sinking of The Bismarck.
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Kind of thinking ww2 and multiple japan / USA actions????
http://access.historyhit.com/videos/hunt-the-bismarck
He also served on Hood after the war
My dad, some years later, told me that he’d never heard his father talk about Jutland. From what I’ve heard and read, it wasn’t uncommon for veterans to open up to their grandchildren much later in life
My grandfathers served on the Western Front, but the amount they appear to have to their children is trivial
Arguably the Royal Navies greatest warship
Saved the Battlecruisers at Jutland.
It won the Battle of Britian by destroying the German fleet at Narvik in 1940
Then some good times in the Med (less being hit by a German guided bomb) before it's finale at Normandy
We gotta sink the Bismarck 'cause the world depends on us
Yeah, hit the decks a runnin', boys, and spin those guns around
When we find the Bismarck, we gotta cut her down