On the morning of August 6, a military vehicle arrived outside the Admiralty building in London. Two tall British naval officers disembarked—one an admiral, the other a vice admiral, their ranks unmistakable. In the Royal Navy, these were unquestionably high-ranking commanders.
"Admiral Jellicoe, Vice Admiral Beatty, the First Lord is already waiting for you in his office," Churchill's secretary greeted them at the door. As Jellicoe and Beatty arrived, they were promptly escorted inside.
Under the secretary's guidance, they made their way to Churchill's office. Admiral Jellicoe and Vice Admiral Beatty currently held the key positions of Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet and Commander of the Grand Fleet's Battlecruiser Squadron, respectively. The Grand Fleet, composed of the Royal Navy's finest warships, was assembled whenever the Empire faced a formidable adversary.
In the face of the powerful challenge posed by the German Navy, even Britain, the reigning maritime power, dared not underestimate the threat. Warships from various fleets were gathered at Scapa Flow, ready to confront the Germans.
Jellicoe and Beatty, as the fleet's leading commanders, bore the monumental responsibility of defeating the German Navy and safeguarding the supremacy of the British Empire.
"Good morning, First Lord!" greeted Jellicoe and Beatty as they saluted upon entering Churchill's office. Despite Churchill's background in the army, having graduated from Sandhurst's Cavalry Division, his tenure as First Lord of the Admiralty had significantly advanced naval development, earning him considerable respect within the Royal Navy.
"Please, sit down, gentlemen," Churchill nodded.
After the secretary had served coffee and left the room, only Churchill, Jellicoe, and Beatty remained.
"Gentlemen, the reason I've summoned you here today is that the British Empire finds itself in serious trouble. Over the past two days, we've lost nearly a hundred merchant ships. And today, we have no idea how many more we'll lose," Churchill said gravely.
"What? How did this happen?" Both Jellicoe and Beatty were visibly alarmed. They understood the implications for Britain all too well, making it clear why Churchill had called them so urgently.
"First Lord, is this the work of the Germans?" Vice Admiral Beatty inquired.
"Indeed, it is. Before declaring war, the Germans dispatched a squadron of six battlecruisers into the Atlantic to attack our merchant ships. In addition, they've sent numerous submarines into the Atlantic as well. These battlecruisers and submarines are like wolves, preying on our shipping routes, trying to strangle the British Empire slowly," Churchill explained.
Admiral Jellicoe and Vice Admiral Beatty's faces grew even grimmer. The Royal Navy had been caught off guard by the devastating attacks on Britain's lifeline—the maritime trade routes. To them, it was nothing short of a humiliating failure.
"First Lord, the security of the Empire's shipping lanes is paramount. The Royal Navy must immediately mobilize to hunt down and destroy the German battlecruisers and submarines, safeguarding our vital sea routes," Admiral Jellicoe stated firmly.
"I'm of the same mind. Given that the Germans have sent their battlecruisers, I propose we deploy our own to track them down and eliminate them. With the exception of HMS *Tiger,* which is not yet commissioned, all of our battlecruisers are in service. Therefore, let's send them out immediately," Churchill replied.
"Understood, First Lord," Admiral Jellicoe nodded.
"Rest assured, First Lord, I will find those Germans in the Atlantic and wipe them out," Beatty vowed.
Churchill nodded approvingly, having full confidence in Beatty's capabilities.
"To be safe, in addition to the battlecruisers, let's also dispatch four *King George V*-class battleships as reinforcements. Our shipping lanes must remain secure at all costs. Even if we can't destroy the German battlecruisers, we must at least drive them back into the North Sea," Churchill urged.
"Yes, First Lord," both Jellicoe and Beatty nodded in agreement. In their view, with such a formidable fleet being deployed, defeating the German battlecruisers should not pose too great a challenge. Their only concern was that the German ships might use their superior speed to evade capture, forcing a prolonged cat-and-mouse chase across the Atlantic.
"What about the German submarines? Do you have any recommendations on how to deal with them?" Churchill asked. While surface ships like battlecruisers could be confronted and destroyed, submarines, hidden beneath the waves and elusive, posed a far more difficult challenge.
"First Lord, as of now, we don't have an effective means of countering submarines. However, we could deploy light cruisers and destroyers to patrol specific routes. Once a German submarine is spotted, they can engage it immediately. After all, the Germans can't keep their submarines submerged for extended periods," Jellicoe suggested.
Churchill nodded, accepting the suggestion in the absence of a better alternative.
Admiral Jellicoe and Vice Admiral Beatty quickly returned to Scapa Flow.
That same afternoon, Beatty led a squadron consisting of three *Invincible*-class battlecruisers, three *Indefatigable*-class battlecruisers, and three *Lion*-class battlecruisers, along with four *King George V*-class battleships, out of Scapa Flow.
Upon reaching the Atlantic, the four battleships headed south, while the nine battlecruisers split into groups of three, beginning their search toward the southwest.
Meanwhile, a large number of light cruisers and destroyers were also deployed. Their mission was twofold: to search for the German battlecruisers, and to protect the shipping lanes by attacking any German submarines they encountered, ensuring the security of Britain's maritime lifelines.
With the threat posed by the German battlecruisers and submarines looming large, the Royal Navy had effectively committed the bulk of its forces. Apart from the most essential battleships, a significant number of warships had been sent into action, underscoring the grave threat posed by Germany's commerce-raiding strategy. To secure their sea routes, the British Navy would have to eliminate the German battlecruisers and submarines at all costs.