Battle of Dogger Bank (1916)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Dogger Bank on 10 February 1916 was a naval battle between the Kaiserliche Marine
of the German Empire
and the Royal Navy
of the United Kingdom
during the First World War
. Three German torpedo boat
flotillas sortied into the North Sea
and encountered the British 10th Mine-sweeping Flotilla near Dogger Bank
. The German vessels at first hesitated, mistaking the British ships for cruiser
s, but eventually decided to engage them. The British vessels were actually minesweeping
sloop
s and attempted to flee. In the engagement that ensued, the sloop was sunk before the British squadron was able to escape. Although the Germans were victorious they inflated their victory by reporting they had sunk two British cruisers, when in fact the only vessel sunk was Arabis.
becoming ill and Admiral Reinhard Scheer
taking command of the German High Seas Fleet
in 1916, the Germans began to take a more offensive strategy in the North Sea. As part of this strategy, raids and incursions into British dominated areas became more frequent. The Germans sent the 2nd, 6th, and 9th Torpedo-Boat Flotillas on a sortie to Dogger Bank in an attempt to intercept Allied shipping. All together, at least 25 torpedo boats were deployed.
The only vessels in the area the torpedo boats were deployed in were those of the British 10th Minesweeping Flotilla, consisting of HMS Arabis, , , and . Each of these 1250 LT (1,270.1 t) Arabis-class
sloops was armed only with two 4.7 in (119.4 mm) guns as well as two 3-pounder anti-aircraft gun
s and were little match to the large numbers of German torpedo boats pitted against them.
. Despite the fact that they had only sunk a single minesweeping sloop, the Germans spread news reports of a great victory. They claimed that they had engaged a squadron of four new cruisers and sunk two of them with torpedoes. The British Admiralty
quickly responded by citing the truth, that no other Allied forces had been engaged besides the 10th Minesweeping Division and that no cruisers had been sunk in the action.
In response to the action off Dogger Bank, the British deployed the Battlecruiser Fleet from Rosyth
, the 5th Cruiser Division from Harwich
, as well as other elements of the Grand Fleet. These British forces assembled in the North Sea and swept southward, but abandoned their efforts on the 11th when it became clear that the only German forces deployed had been torpedo boats and that these had already returned to their bases. Upon returning from the failed intercept operation, the light cruiser struck a German mine
and sank, losing 12 of her crew.
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Three German torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
flotillas sortied into the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
and encountered the British 10th Mine-sweeping Flotilla near Dogger Bank
Dogger Bank
Dogger Bank is a large sandbank in a shallow area of the North Sea about off the east coast of England. It extends over approximately , with its dimensions being about long and up to broad. The water depth ranges from 15 to 36 metres , about shallower than the surrounding sea. It is a...
. The German vessels at first hesitated, mistaking the British ships for cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s, but eventually decided to engage them. The British vessels were actually minesweeping
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
s and attempted to flee. In the engagement that ensued, the sloop was sunk before the British squadron was able to escape. Although the Germans were victorious they inflated their victory by reporting they had sunk two British cruisers, when in fact the only vessel sunk was Arabis.
Background
With Admiral Hugo von PohlHugo von Pohl
Hugo von Pohl was a German admiral who during the First World War commanded the German High Seas Fleet from 1915 until shortly before his death from illness in 1916....
becoming ill and Admiral Reinhard Scheer
Reinhard Scheer
Reinhard Scheer was an Admiral in the German Kaiserliche Marine. Scheer joined the navy in 1879 as an officer cadet; he progressed through the ranks, commanding cruisers and battleships, as well as major staff positions on land. At the outbreak of World War I, Scheer was the commander of the II...
taking command of the German High Seas Fleet
High Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
in 1916, the Germans began to take a more offensive strategy in the North Sea. As part of this strategy, raids and incursions into British dominated areas became more frequent. The Germans sent the 2nd, 6th, and 9th Torpedo-Boat Flotillas on a sortie to Dogger Bank in an attempt to intercept Allied shipping. All together, at least 25 torpedo boats were deployed.
The only vessels in the area the torpedo boats were deployed in were those of the British 10th Minesweeping Flotilla, consisting of HMS Arabis, , , and . Each of these 1250 LT (1,270.1 t) Arabis-class
Arabis class sloop
The Arabis class was the third class of minesweeping sloops to be built under the Emergency War Programme for the Royal Navy in World War I as part of the larger "Flower Class", which were also referred to as the "Cabbage Class", or "Herbaceous Borders"...
sloops was armed only with two 4.7 in (119.4 mm) guns as well as two 3-pounder anti-aircraft gun
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
s and were little match to the large numbers of German torpedo boats pitted against them.
Battle
Arabis—along with the other three sloops of her division—had been engaged in sweeping a clear channel east of Dogger Bank when they were sighted by a large number of German torpedo boats. When the British sloops were first sighted, the Germans at first hesitated in attacking them as the new Arabis-class vessels could not be immediately identified. The Allied ships were mistaken for much more powerful cruisers, but the Germans decided to press their attack anyway as they had a significant numerical advantage. Upon being attacked, the British attempted to flee back to the safety of the coast. Although Poppy, Buttercup, and Alyssum were able to make good their escape, Arabis was not so fortunate and was caught and engaged by three of the German torpdeo boats. After fighting off this attack, Arabis was again assailed. This time, six of the German boats attacked and Arabis finally went down after being struck by a torpedo. Thirty of Arabis′ crew were pulled from the sea by the Germans, but four of them died shortly thereafter due to exposure to the elements.Aftermath
Besides some minor damage to a few of the German destroyers, the only losses from the action were HMS Arabis sunk along with 56 of her crew killed and another 24 captured by the Germans, including Arabis′ captain and two other officers. For his actions during the battle, Arabis′ commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Robert Raymond Hallowell-Carew, received the Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. Despite the fact that they had only sunk a single minesweeping sloop, the Germans spread news reports of a great victory. They claimed that they had engaged a squadron of four new cruisers and sunk two of them with torpedoes. The British Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
quickly responded by citing the truth, that no other Allied forces had been engaged besides the 10th Minesweeping Division and that no cruisers had been sunk in the action.
In response to the action off Dogger Bank, the British deployed the Battlecruiser Fleet from Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
, the 5th Cruiser Division from Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
, as well as other elements of the Grand Fleet. These British forces assembled in the North Sea and swept southward, but abandoned their efforts on the 11th when it became clear that the only German forces deployed had been torpedo boats and that these had already returned to their bases. Upon returning from the failed intercept operation, the light cruiser struck a German mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
and sank, losing 12 of her crew.