Lot Essay
The Battle of Jutland (31 May - 1 June 1916) was the last occasion on which two great battle fleets engaged each other in full strength. Rather than being a single decisive battle however, it was, in fact, a series of smaller engagements spread over many hours during which the two fleets separated into their constituent parts. Although the opening salvoes were fired at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon of 31 May, the main action began at about 6 o'clock that evening by which time the battle-cruisers pictured above had already been in action and all had been damaged, several with heavy loss of life.