Great Naval Commanders of The First World War

By Richard Freeman

One great war. Two nations facing each other across the North Sea. Two mighty fleets each waiting for the chance to annihilate the other.

At Scapa Flow, the British Grand Fleet blocked Germany’s exit to the Atlantic. From the German ports, the High Seas Fleet waited to pounce on any British ship that left the safety of its home port. But did these great fleets have great commanders to match the challenge they faced?

This book tells the story of how admirals Beatty, Hipper, Jellicoe and Scheer struggled to find strategic success in the new world of high-speed ships and long-range gunnery. They expected one almighty battle at the start of the war. Instead they found skirmishes and raids. Each man saw his command as his one chance to prove his greatness and to gain glory and honour for his country. But which one was the greatest?

Richard Freeman graduated in mathematics before following a career in distance education. He now writes on naval history. His other books include Britain’s Greatest Naval Battle and A Close Run Thing: The Navy and the Falkland War.