The Grand Fleet, 1914-1916: Its Creation, Development and Work

About this book

The work is a first‑hand account by Admiral John Rushworth Jellicoe, later Viscount Jellicoe, of the British Grand Fleet’s formation, organization, and operations from the outbreak of war in 1914 through the pivotal battles of 1916. The author explains that the manuscript, completed in late 1918, was held back until after the armistice because the fleet’s activities had been deliberately concealed from the public. The narrative is structured around a detailed chronology, opening with Jellicoe’s own appointment as second in command, followed by chapters on strategy, bases, submarine threats, and the Battle of Jutland, interspersed with technical explanations, diagrams, and appendices. The introductory passage makes clear that much of the material is technical and that readers may wish to skim the middle chapters, while the author promises a “clear statement of the making of the Grand Fleet” and an assessment of its wartime performance.

Written in the measured, authoritative voice of a senior naval officer, the book reflects the formal prose and strategic mindset of the early twentieth‑century British Admiralty. Its style combines narrative description with occasional analytical commentary, often citing contemporary authorities such as Admiral Mahan. The volume will appeal to readers interested in naval history, military strategy, and World War I studies, especially those who appreciate primary‑source perspectives from senior commanders. It also offers value to scholars of maritime technology and to enthusiasts who enjoy detailed operational accounts, while the more technical sections may be less engaging for a general audience.

Opening lines

The writing of this record of the work of the Grand Fleet, of which little has been heard by the nation hitherto, has helped to fill in days of leisure. The manuscript was finished by the autumn of 1918, but publication was deferred for obvious reasons. When the armistice had been signed and the German Navy had, for all practical purposes, ceased to exist, I felt free to issue the book. The final revision has been done hastily owing to my early departure for the Dominions, and in the circumstances I hope I may rely on the indulgence of readers if any clerical errors have escaped me. In order to minimise the chances of such errors Mr. Archibald Hurd has kindly read the proofs, and I am much indebted to him. …

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