[Note: ADM 137/551, 551A-551C are produced as a single document: order as ADM 137/551...

[Note: ADM 137/551, 551A-551C are produced as a single document: order as ADM 137/551].

Heligoland Bight, 28 August 1914.

Part I. Orders and Reports.

Folios 11-39. Orders – Drafts. Hand written and typed copy of draft orders for a raid into the Heligoland Bight with the objective “to cut off any outlying or detached small vessels or minelayers of the enemy in that area”, (folios 11-31). More detailed orders for ships involved and their movements, (folios 32-39).

Folios 40-43. Operational Orders. (M 0073) Orders for the disposition of the ships and submarines for the operation to be carried out on 28TH September 1914.

Folios 44-69. Captain William Frederick Blunt Capt. (D) 1ST Flotilla. Report of Operations (Paper 020/Z M 01680/14 X 3933/14) 30 Aug.1914. Report of action from on-board HMS Fearless being cruiser in command of 1ST Destroyer flotilla, (folios 45-48). Enclosures:

Folios 49-51 Enclosure. Commander B.M.Mounsey HMS Acheron. (Paper M 01680/14 X 3933/14) 30 Aug. 1914. Report of action, HMS Acheron being the lead destroyer of 1ST Division of 1ST Flotilla.

Folios 52-53 Enclosure. Commander Dashwood Fowler Moir HMS Ariel. (Paper M 01680/14 X 3933/14) 30 Aug. 1914. Report of action, HMS Ariel being lead destroyer of 2ND Division of 1ST Flotilla.

Folio 54 Enclosure. Lieutenant-Commander Ralph Michael Mack HMS Lucifer. (Paper M 01680/14 X 3933/14) 2ND Sept. 1914. Report of action, HMS Lucifer being second destroyers of 2ND Division of 1ST Flotilla.

Folio 56-59 Enclosure. Lieutenant-Commander Frederic Boyd Coppin HMS Llewellyn. (Paper M 01680/14 X 3933/14) 5T Sept. 1914. Report of action, HMS Llewellyn being a destroyer of 2ND Division of 1ST Flotilla. Rough track chart, (folio 59).

Folios 60-64 Enclosure. Commander Geoffrey Mackworth HMS Ferret. (Paper M01680/14 X 3933/14) 30 Aug. 1914. Report of action, HMS Ferret being the lead destroyer in the 3RD Division of 1ST Flotilla.

Folios 65-67 Enclosure. Lieutenant-Commander Evelyn Claude Ogilvie Thomson HMS Lizard. (Paper M 01680/14 X 3933/14) 30 Aug. 1914. Report of action, HMS Lizard being a destroyer of the 5TH Division of 1ST Flotilla.

Folio 68. Summary of information obtained from German wounded.

Folios 70-74. Rear Admiral Archibald Gordon Henry Wilson Moore R.A. HMS Invincible. Letter of Proceedings 16 to 30 Aug. 1914. (Paper 1/2 M 01695/14 X 3933/14) 30 Aug. 1914. Letter to Admiralty on movements of battle cruisers HMS Invincible and New Zealand, prior to, during and after the action.

Folios 75-80. Rear Admiral HMS Invincible. Report of Action. (Paper 4/2 M 01696/14 x 3933/14) 30 Aug.1014. Report on action, on movements of battle cruisers HMS Invincible and New Zealand, prior to, during and after the action. Firing at enemy cruisers which subsequently sank. Believed one to be Mainz.

Folios 81-96. Commodore Reginald Yorke Tyrwhitt, Commodore (T) Report of Engagement. (Paper 0025) 30 Aug.1914. Folios 82-92. Report of engagement of 1ST and 3RD Flotillas off Heligoland on Friday, 28 Aug. 1914. Commodore Tyrwhitt on board the cruiser HMS Arethusa led the 3RD Flotilla and the cruiser HMS Fearless led the 1ST Flotilla. HMS Arethusa was damaged badly including torpedo tubes and all guns except one being disabled. The report includes a list of Officers and Men who particularly distinguished themselves. A list of casualties on HMS Arethusa, sub-divided by dead, seriously wounded and not seriously wounded, (folio 91). List of damage to engineering spaces and machinery to HMS Arethusa prepared by Engineer Lieutenant-Commander, (folios 92-93). List of damage to hull of HMS Arethusa prepared by the Carpenter, (folio 94). Folio 95. List of officers from other ships recommended for gallantry, (folio 95). Note that reference is made to a Track Chart that is in Vol. H.S.552 No.23.

Folios 97-106. Vice Admiral Sir David Beatty, Vice Admiral Commanding 1ST Battle Cruiser Squadron. Narrative of Events with enclosures: (Paper 0037/4 M 01721/14) 29 Aug. 1914. Report of movements of the 1ST Battle Cruiser Squadron 1ST Light Cruiser Squadron before, during and after the action. Mention is made of the failure of signals and problems caused by ships not being informed which other ships were participating. Enclosure:

Folios 102-106 Enclosure. Commodore William Edmund Goodenough, Commodore 1ST Light Cruiser Squadron. (Paper 0037/4 M 01721/14) 29 Aug 1914. Report of action. Squadron consisted of HMS Southampton (Commodore Goodenough on board), Nottingham, Birmingham, Lowestoft, Falmouth and Liverpool. Mention of signal from Commodore (T) asking if squadron is participating in operation. Mention of signal from Commodore (S) of danger to squadron as British submarines were not informed of their presence. Handwritten note dated 2 Sept. 1914 from Rear Admiral Sturdee to First Sea Lord commenting on operation of RN submarines being directed by a surface vessel, (folio 105).

Folios 107-111. Rear Admiral Arthur Henry Christian, R.A. HMS Euryalus. Report of Action with enclosures: (Paper 6/022 M 01719/14 x 3933/14) 1 Sept. 1914. The report refers to the major units involved and in particular to a track chart – which is missing. HMS Euryalus, flagship of Rear Admiral Christian, together with Cruiser Force “C”, Rear Admiral Campbell, were in reserve and stationed off Terschelling to intercept any enemy vessels chased westward. Enclosures:

Folios 112-134 Enclosure. Commodore Roger Keyes, Commodore (S) Report of Action. (Paper 18 M01719/14 x 3933/14) 29 Aug.1914. Movement of destroyers HMS Lurcher, Commodore Keyes on board, and HMS Firedrake. Mention made of confusion due to not being informed of presence of British four-funnelled cruisers (1ST Light Cruiser Squadron) being involved and the danger of them being attached by British submarines. Described rescuing survivors from German cruise Mainz.

Folios 119-121 Enclosure: Commodore (S) Covering reports of submarines: (Paper 020 M 01719/14 x 3933/14) 29 Aug.1914. Summary of submarine operations and difficulties encountered. Particular mention of action of Lieutenant-Commander Talbot and Lieutenant-Commander Leir.

Folios 122-123 Enclosure. Lieutenant-Commander Arthur George Jameson HMS/M D.2 (Paper M 01719/14 x 3933/14) 29 Aug.1914. Operated north of River Ems entrance. Unable to attack enemy cruisers and fired a torpedo at a destroyer.

Folio 124. Enclosure. Lieutenant-Commander Theodore Stuart Brodie HMS/M D.8 (Paper M 01719/14 x 3933/14) 28 Aug.1914. Operated east of River Ems entrance. Report on various sightings.

[Listing continued in ADM 137/505B].

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