Jellicoe: Christmas Drama

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18587, 22 December 1934, Page 9

Jellicoe: Christmas Drama

A BLIP of paper was delivered to Admiral of the Fleet Lord Jellicoe as lie was about to leave his office at, tho Admiralty on Christmas Eve, 19,17.

"It told him lie was no longer First Boa Lord.” The drama is thus related, in “The Riddle of Jutland,” by Mr. Langliorne Gibson and Vice-Admiral J. E. T. Harper.

“The Admiralty building was hushed ... a typewriter clicked in tlir anteroom outside the First Sea Lor'!'';

office, preparing orders and despatches for signature. When lie had signed them Jellicoe'would leave. . . . Ho must; bo at his desk again in the morning.

“The typewriter stopped. 110 could hear the clerk push back his chair, cross I lie room, knock. ‘A note has just come for you, sir.’

“.Jellicoe opened the envelope. Four or five lines lay on the sheet

of paper within, over the name ‘Eric fieddes.’ . . . On the authority of the First Lord' ihe was relieved from further duty as First Sea Lord , . . Retired.”

With Jellicoo’s departure from the high command, say the authors, ‘‘the spark of genius vanished. Alone ol all the commanders on either side who had been in high authoritative position when the war began, he was the only one whose record was distinguished by an unbroken triumph.”