Battle of the Atlantic

[Dreadnought]

I would also point out that Jellicoe as a strategist was also intuitive enough to have the Grand Fleet sortie from both Scapa and Rosyth prior to the German High Seas fleets departure. The Germans never figured that by trying to set a trap for the RN, it was infact the High Seas Fleet that fell into his trap. This is why I disagree with him not being a competant strategist. He initiated battle before his enemy could and in their back yard and he had his fleet in the right place and at the right time. As mentioned he did lose several ships and men but he also made it so the High Seas Fleet didnt venture far from home port again until the day they surrendered the fleet at Scapa.

There are several sides to the losses but clearly the RN lost more men. Ships on the other hand and reprocutions of the battle about equal a British victory IMO.

As far as Jellicoe being sacked, politics is what it is and any military figure can be removed if he/ (now days she) fall out of favor or the politicians fearing voter hedgemony.

[clackers]

Again, he was caught up in DLG's private war against the military top brass.

He was caught promoting an anti-submarine stance that lost hundreds of merchant ships!

His successor David Beatty was very young, but "he was however supported by Prime Minister Lloyd George, partly on account of Beatty's support for the convoy system favoured by the Prime Minister (and which ultimately led to Jellicoe's summary dismissal on Christmas Eve, 1917 over his disapproval of convoys)." First World War.com - Who's Who - Sir David Beatty

Jellicoe may have guessed wrong on the best way to combat the U-boat, but given the resources he had and what he was expected to protect it was not a failure of effort.

Convoys make the best use of limited escort resources.

In WWII the convoy system very nearly wrecked the UK when the lack of escorts allowed U-boats operating in wolf packs to sail around at will inside of escorted convoys sinking ships with gun fire.

The convoy system resulted in U-boat losses so high Doenitz called off the Battle of the Atlantic - Convoy ONS 5 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia