Q&A · 1:36:22-1:37:11

How could the fast battleships be kept out of Beatty's command?

Keep it in Jellicoe's Grand Fleet as a battleship fast wing; Beatty received the historical squadron only because his own battlecruisers temporarily left for training.

Question

How could a 28-knot Queen Elizabeth squadron be prevented from being assigned to Beatty's battlecruiser force?

Short answer

Keep it in Jellicoe's Grand Fleet as a battleship fast wing; Beatty received the historical squadron only because his own battlecruisers temporarily left for training.

Notes

Armor, commissioning, and intended fleet role made the Queen Elizabeths battleships rather than battlecruisers. Their normal place was with the Grand Fleet under Jellicoe. Beatty's temporary access arose because several battlecruisers went to Scapa Flow for training and another squadron had to cover the gap. Design classification and planned command arrangements must therefore be separated from the contingency that placed the ships with Beatty at Jutland.