Rear Admiral Sir David Beatty, 1914

Lantern slide, World War One, War at Sea (1914-1918), 1914.

On the outbreak of war in 1914 Beatty (1871-1936) was in command of the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet. He led the latter at the battles of Heligoland Bight (1914), Dogger Bank (1915) and Jutland (1916). He is remembered for his comment at Jutland that 'There seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today', after two of his vessels exploded after being hit by German shells.

Later in the war he succeeded Jellicoe as Commander in Chief of the Grand Fleet, in which capacity he received the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in November 1918.

From a box of 44 lantern slides.