Admiral David Beatty's criticism of Troubridge may have encouraged the aggressive command climate that Arbuthnot entered at Jutland. Arbuthnot had already told Ernle Chatfield that he intended to cross down the engaged side if deployment moved his squadron to the wrong flank. Chatfield warned that this route would expose the cruisers and could screen the British battle line with smoke. Arbuthnot nevertheless made the manoeuvre, split his squadron, and led Defence and Warrior into battleship fire. Command decisions had placed the armoured cruisers in a mission their protection could not sustain.
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Arbuthnot takes the engaged side
In this account, First Cruiser Squadron’s losses began with Arbuthnot’s deliberate choice to move between the battle fleets rather than down the safer disengaged side.