Adler17
Prussian Feldmarschall
samildanach said:
No, also the Germans were attacked, but mainly the British. And the British retreat following that "air strike" was the last piece of the British defeat caused by this idiot Aitken. And Aitken´s successors were not so effective against German forces... Beatty is considered in England as hero when he came back loosing three battlecruiser got damages on 4 battleships and nearly all other battlecruiser while Jellicoes ships were mostly undamaged. Nevertheless it was Beatty´s fault not Jellicoe´s that the Germans could escape- and won the battle. He didn´t report the German battleships to Jellicoe and failed in the task being the eye of the fleet. Instead he got the A** kicked by the Germans. Jellicoe thought at first only fighting against Hipper because the British Room 40 didnt say the WHOLE German fleet is in action. So it was a surprise. And he made the error in the night when he thought the fire of the German battleships on smaller British ships were only the fights of cruiser and destroyer, nothing too serious. His lieutenant also gave order to signal messages in open light and uncoded because the Germans would have been far away. Instead several German ships slipped through the British fleet without big problems. Oh another example: Adm. Sir Abruthnot was commanding 4 armoured cruiser. He wanted to become his merits after he was unable to gain anything at Doggerbank. So he attacked the disabled German ligfht cruiser Wiesbaden but used his ships like battlecruiser. e was unaware and was now in range of the WHOLE German battlefleet, which fired at his squadron. HMS Defence with Abruthnot was sunk at once, HMS Warrior was deadly wounded and HMS Black Prince lost the contact with the fleet. But instead of running home the captain wanted to take part in this battle and remained but eventually found in the night a fleet of mighty battleships. Thinking it was the British Black Prince hailed the fleet, but got an unexpected answer: 40 seconds after that the ship was a burning and lifeless wreck. Also I agree Scheer made also mistakes, turning again on the enemy in daytime and the useless torpedo attacks, he was able to beat the British RN. But Jutland is another discussion. I know many Brits will disagree here, but again we should discuss that in a another thread.
The other examples I mentioned was Gallipoli, were the British were unabke to win. And the attacks, with bayonets against MG nests, is also a good example. Or Haig making at the Somme the same mistake like the Germans at Verdun. Or in ww2 the use of HMS Hood, a battlecruiser, and the HMS Prince of Wales, a brandnew battleship with several bugs, against the Bismarck which could sink the Hood within 5 minutes and criple the PoW. Or the attack of Repulse and PoW on the Japanese fleet without air cover.
The East African Campaign was one of the most costly for the British, but not for the Germans. They were able to withstand with 12000 men a force of 300.000 men for over 4 years. Lettow- Vorbeck did not surrender until several days AFTER the cease fire of Compiegne. So he was a military ingenium who could hold a whole colony against such big forces for such a time with guerilla warfare.
This is no bashing on British but the truth and the biggest failures I can remember now. It is the truth. The British soldiers were lead by donkeys.
Adler
