New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1968. (320 pages)

In Naval Battles of the First World War, Geoffrey Bennett has told a story that not many people ever knew existed. The majority of people have only heard about the land battles of the First World War. Most people think of trench warfare fought in France when World War One is spoken of. Mr. Bennett has told the history of the Great War using graphic and stirring accounts of all the major naval engagements. Great Admirals such as Beatty and Hipper are discussed at great length. This book is full of detailed accounts of battles ranging from small to large. Although this was a war fought chiefly on land, the ocean was equally valuable. In the end, the author has shown how the sea battles were crucial to victory.

Mr. Bennett started his book by telling a brief history of world war one. The Germans inability to achieve an early victory on land had a fatal consequence. It allowed time for sea power to play a decisive role in deciding the outcome of the war. The lack of correct intelligence initially hampered the allied forces. Delays and lack of prompt decision making created disastrous results for allied warships early

in the war. Germany employed camouflage to try and disguise her warships. Commercial vessels were prime targets of German merchant raiders. The German submarine force played a large role in the war.

The battle of Jutland started on May 31,1916 off of the coast of Jutland. Admiral Scheer decided that he would take on the might of the British fleet. As bait, Scheer ordered Admiral Franz von Hipper and 40 ships to begin a sweep along the Danish coast. When he heard the news, Admiral Sir John Jellico, who was at Rosyth, gave instructions for the Grand Fleet to put to sea. With the absence of reconnaissance aircraft, both Jellicoe and Scheer sent out scouting cruisers to locate the position of the enemy. The two sets of scouting cruisers made contact and after a brief gunfire exchange, returned to guide their fleets to battle. In no time at all, the British had suffered severe losses. The British ultimately lost three battlecruisers, three cruisers and eight destroyers. Admiral Scheer claimed victory based on the amount of ships lost. Germany lost one battleship, one battlecruiser, four light cruisers and three destroyers.

Geoffrey Bennett served as a captain in the Royal Navy from 1923 to 1958. He also served as naval attaché in Moscow for three years. Other works by Geoffrey Bennett are: the Battle of Jutland, Coronel and the Falklands, the Battle of the River Plate, Freeing the Baltic

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