HMS CARDIFF IN ACTION IN THE HELIGOLAND BIGHT, 1917

The 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron and the 1st and 6th Light Cruiser Squadrons were central to the plot which saw them sweep across the North Sea to approach the outer edge of the quadrant of mines in Heligoland Bight where the German forces were working and then, having surprised the enemy, to try and force him into action. The1st Battle Cruiser Squadron (Vice Admiral Sir William Pakenham KCB KCVO) consisted of the flagship LION (Captain Roger Backhouse CB CMG), PRINCESS ROYAL (Captain Sidney Drury-Lowe CMG RN), TIGER (Captain Arthur Duff CB RN) and REPULSE (Captain W H D Boyle RN) wearing the flag of Rear Admiral Richard Phillimore CB MVO. Reinforcing the squadron was NEW ZEALAND (Captain Richard Webb CB ADC RN). In command of the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron was Rear Admiral Edwyn Alexander-Sinclair CB MVO wearing his flag in CARDIFF (Captain C H Sinclair RN), together with CALYPSO (Captain H L Edwards RN), CERES (Capt The Hon Herbert Meade DSO RN) and CARADOC (Capt W M Kerr RN) with four destroyers attached (VALENTINE, Commander C A Fremantle RN; VIMIERA, Commander D F Moir RN; VANQUISHER, Lieutenant Commander K A Beattie RN; and VEHEMENT, Lieutenant in Command V Hammersley-Heenan RN). Wearing his broad pendant in CALEDON of the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron was Commodore (2nd Class) Captain Walter Cowan CB MVO DSO ADC); and in company were GALATEA (Captain C M Forbes DSO RN), ROYALIST (Captain The Hon Matthew R Best MVO DSO) and INCONSTANT (Capt F A Marten RN). In support of the combined forces was Admiral Sir Charles Madden with the 1st Battle Squadron and the 1st Cruiser Squadron (Vice Admiral Trevylyan Napier CB MVO). Meanwhile the German...