Lot Essay
Stoker Petty Officer John George Otter was killed in action at the Battle of Jutland on 31.5.1916, while serving aboard H.M.S. Invincible. The Flagship of Rear-Admiral Hon. H.L.A. Hood, C.B., of the 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron, she fell victim to the 'big guns' of Admiral Scheer's Squadron:
'It was now the turn of the 3rd Battle Squadron to engage this redoubtable foe. Led by Invincible the three ships closed to within 9000 yards, hitting with such force that two of von Hipper's ships were compelled to haul out of line. The range, however, brought the British under fire of some of Scheer's Battleships, particularly Konig, and Invincible received a number of salvos in quick succession and sank with the loss of 59 Officers and 961 Ratings, including five civilians. The survivors, all of whom were picked up by the Destroyer Badger, were Commander H.E. Dannereuther, Lieutenant C.S. Sandford and four Ratings. Invincible was the last of the Battle Cruisers to be sunk on that fatal afternoon' (Hocking's Dictionary of Disasters at Sea refers).
'It was now the turn of the 3rd Battle Squadron to engage this redoubtable foe. Led by Invincible the three ships closed to within 9000 yards, hitting with such force that two of von Hipper's ships were compelled to haul out of line. The range, however, brought the British under fire of some of Scheer's Battleships, particularly Konig, and Invincible received a number of salvos in quick succession and sank with the loss of 59 Officers and 961 Ratings, including five civilians. The survivors, all of whom were picked up by the Destroyer Badger, were Commander H.E. Dannereuther, Lieutenant C.S. Sandford and four Ratings. Invincible was the last of the Battle Cruisers to be sunk on that fatal afternoon' (Hocking's Dictionary of Disasters at Sea refers).