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John Rushworth JellicoeEnglish admiral, commander of the Grandfleet in World War I
Date of Birth: 05.12.1859
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Admiral John (Earl) Jellicoe
Admiral John (Earl) Jellicoe was an English admiral and commander of the Grand Fleet during World War I. He commanded the Grand Fleet for the majority of the war, including the Battle of Jutland. Historians still debate whether Jellicoe could have defeated the German fleet in battle.
Early Life and Career
Jellicoe joined the navy in 1872 and graduated from the naval college in 1884. He participated in colonial wars against Egypt in 1882 and China in 1900. In 1907, he was promoted to Rear Admiral, and in 1910, to Vice Admiral. From 1913, Jellicoe served as the Second Sea Lord. In the summer of 1913, he was chosen to command the operation to repel an invasion of the British Isles, with Admiral Callaghan as his opponent. The exercises simulated actual combat conditions and highlighted the unpreparedness of Britain's defense against invasion.
World War I
During World War I from 1914 to 1916, Jellicoe served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet. On August 4th, the day Germany declared war, Jellicoe received orders for the Grand Fleet's battleships to intercept enemy raiders. The cruisers and light forces were sent to the coast of Norway. It was during this time at sea that they learned about the outbreak of war. On August 7th, after not finding any targets, the fleet returned to Scapa Flow to refuel.
Jellicoe's fleet initially engaged in actions with light forces, as public opinion in England was critical of the fleet's inactivity. They then decided to attack German patrol ships and bring part of the light forces within range of the battleships. The attack began on the morning of August 28th. Jellicoe also deployed six fast light cruisers, which played a significant role in the battle until the arrival of the battleships. The German fleet lost three cruisers and a destroyer, while many of their ships were damaged. This initial victory boosted British morale and brought fame to Admiral Beatty, who commanded the battlecruisers, and Admiral Tyrwhitt, who commanded the destroyer flotilla in Harwich.
In November 1916, Jellicoe and his fleet encountered the German fleet under Admiral Scheer. The German fleet conducted raids and destroyed several English ships. On May 31st, the entire Grand Fleet set out, leading to the Battle of Jutland. At the forefront of the German fleet were Admiral Hipper's five battlecruisers, followed by Vice Admiral Scheer's 16 dreadnoughts and six battlecruisers. The English fleet, led by six battleships commanded by Admiral Beatty, engaged Hipper's fleet before coming under fire from the entire German fleet. The ships under Admiral Evan-Thomas arrived at the battle late, and the English fleet failed to completely defeat the German fleet before encountering the main German forces. The English lost two battlecruisers in the process.
After the battle, there was a divide among admirals Jellicoe and Beatty. Supporters of Jellicoe accused Beatty of being too impulsive and blamed him for the loss of the battle, while Beatty's supporters believed Jellicoe was too indecisive and missed an opportunity for a decisive victory. Jellicoe tried to smooth over tensions by organizing a ceremonial meeting of the battleships at Scapa Flow.
Later Career and Legacy
In February 1919, Jellicoe embarked on a tour of the dominions on the battleship "New Zealand." He visited India, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Based on the need to secure maritime communications, Jellicoe concluded that Japan, with its rapidly growing naval power, would become the main adversary. He proposed the creation of a fleet in the Far East that would be comparable to the fleets of other countries in the region, fortifying Singapore and Hong Kong against attacks from battleships, and establishing powerful naval bases along the coasts of Australia. However, none of the dominions were willing to take on the significant financial burden. The cost of the program exceeded the empire's capabilities.
After the war, Jellicoe, like Beatty, was honored and celebrated. The rank of Admiral of the Fleet was specially created for the two admirals on April 3, 1919. Jellicoe received £50,000, half the amount awarded to Beatty. Despite the controversy surrounding the Battle of Jutland, Jellicoe's contributions to the war effort were recognized. In February 1919, Jellicoe retired from active service and was elevated to the peerage as Earl Jellicoe. He continued to be involved in public life and served as Governor-General of New Zealand from 1920 to 1924. Jellicoe passed away in 1935, leaving behind a legacy as one of Britain's most prominent naval commanders.
