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John Jellicoe
Person page: John Jellicoe →
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(14)
1914
August
04
Admiral Jellicoe takes command of the Grand Fleet
On 4 August 1914 the main force of the Royal Navy was renamed the Grand Fleet, and Admiral Sir John Jellicoe became its commander.
October
18
Grand Fleet leaves Scapa Flow
On 18 October 1914, fearing U-boats, the Grand Fleet began moving from Scapa Flow to Lough Swilly in Ireland and Loch na Keal on the island of Mull.
27
Sinking of HMS Audacious
On 27 October 1914 the modern British battleship Audacious struck a mine off the north coast of Ireland and sank. The Admiralty kept it secret.
November
03
Grand Fleet returns to Scapa Flow
On 3 November 1914 the Admiralty ordered the Grand Fleet back to Scapa Flow from Ireland. The battleships arrived on 7–9 November, though the base had no booms.
1916
May
31
Key event
Start of the Battle of Jutland
On 31 May 1916 the Grand Fleet and the High Seas Fleet clashed off Jutland. By day the British lost three battlecruisers but cut off the Germans' way home.
June
01
End of the Battle of Jutland
On 1 June 1916 the High Seas Fleet slipped home past Horns Reef, and Jellicoe turned back after a fruitless search. Both sides claimed victory.
November
29
Beatty takes command of the Grand Fleet
On 29 November 1916 Balfour told the Commons that Jellicoe would be First Sea Lord and that David Beatty, hero of Jutland, had taken command of the Grand Fleet.
December
04
Jellicoe becomes First Sea Lord
In early December 1916 John Jellicoe replaced Henry Jackson at the head of the Royal Navy and set up an anti-submarine division at the Admiralty.
1917
April
09
Admiral Sims arrives in England
On 9 April 1917 Rear-Admiral William Sims arrived in Liverpool in civilian clothes. In London Jellicoe showed him the true tonnage losses.
May
17
Convoy committee
On 17 May 1917 the Admiralty set up a committee to draw up a plan for ocean convoys. The first trial convoy from Gibraltar was then under way.
June
14
Admiralty approves the convoy system
On 14 June 1917 Admiral Jellicoe formally approved the plan of the Convoy Committee. Regular convoys from America did not begin, however, until early July.
July
19
Carson leaves the Admiralty
In July 1917 Edward Carson moved from the Admiralty to the War Cabinet. The railwayman and organiser Eric Geddes became First Lord of the Admiralty.
November
15
Japan refuses to send battlecruisers
On 15 November 1917 Tokyo rejected a British request for two Japanese Kongō-class battlecruisers to join the Grand Fleet in the North Sea.
December
24
Jellicoe dismissed
On Christmas Eve 1917 Eric Geddes dismissed the First Sea Lord, John Jellicoe, by letter. His place was taken by Admiral Rosslyn Wemyss.