The battle of Dogger Bank

Posted in Famous battles, History, Illustrators, Sea, Ships, War on Wednesday, 18 May 2011

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This edited article about the Russian navy originally appeared in Look and Learn issue number 942 published on 9 February 1980.

Dogger bank, picture, image, illustration

The Russian Fleet attacked British sailing boats by mistake

The North Sea has seen many naval encounters; but none stranger – or more tragic in its results – than the “battle” that occurred in the Dogger Bank area one night in October, 1904.

Since February of that year, Russia had been at war with Japan, and had suffered heavy defeats and losses on land and at sea. In a desperate attempt to restore the situation, the Russian high command decided to send their Baltic Fleet to the Far East. This would involve the fleet’s obsolescent ships and ill-trained crews in a voyage of nearly 20,000 sea miles.

The officers and crews were tense and nervous as they started on their marathon voyage; and none more so than their commander, Vice-Admiral Rozhestvensky. Their anxiety was increased by completely false reports that Japanese naval forces were lurking in European waters.

Towards midnight of 21st-22nd October, the Russian fleet was in the North Sea sailing south when one of the ships signalled that it was threatened by a force of torpedo-boats. Bugle calls echoed across the water as crews were called to action stations.

Soon searchlights were piercing the darkness from every Russian ship. Brilliantly illuminated in their beams were a number of small craft. Guns began to spurt fire, and shells whined towards their targets. Several hits were registered, and one of the little ships was seen to be sinking.

The Russian gunnery, however, was lacking in accuracy – which was lucky for their victims. For the “torpedo-boats” were in fact British trawlers from Hull, going about their peaceful business. It was fortunate, too, that Rozhestvensky’s attention was now drawn to a squadron of larger ships which had become visible beyond the trawlers. These, he decided, must be the Japanese cruisers.

Fire was at once switched to these more important targets. Considerable damage was done to them before frantic signals revealed that the Russians were shelling their own cruisers, which had become detached from the main fleet.

As the Russian ships sailed on, the officers and men cheerfully celebrated their imaginary victory over the Japanese. Meanwhile, the Hull trawler-men counted the cost of the Russian mistake. Two men had been killed, one trawler sunk and other casualties and damage caused.

Such was the anger roused by the incident that Britain came near to joining the war on Japan’s side. The Russians did not improve matters by insisting that there had been Japanese craft among the trawlers. In the end, Britain contented itself with forbidding the Russian fleet to refuel at British-controlled ports.

Rozhestvensky reached Far Eastern waters in April, 1905. But when at last he came to grips with the real Japanese Navy, there were no victory celebrations for his crews. His fleet was virtually destroyed in a single battle.

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