# Jutland. Why did Scheer turn back into the fray? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 2, 2013, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jutland-why-did-scheer-turn-back-into-the-fray/651807 "2013-03-02T10:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jutland-why-did-scheer-turn-back-into-the-fray/651807/1 "2013-03-02T10:33:16Z")
At Jutland when Admiral Scheer found himself having his “T” crossed by the entire British Grand Fleet, he executed a turn and managed to extricate himself. Yet a little while later he turned around and once again decided to engage and once again got his “T” crossed and this time only the night and the German superiority therein permitted escape. Any idea why he turned back. As an aside was the German escape at night the reason that the inter bellum navies practiced so much night fighting? ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jutland-why-did-scheer-turn-back-into-the-fray/651807/2 "2013-03-02T18:14:08Z")
From Scheer’s memoirs: > [@](#): > > It was as yet too early to assume ‘night cruising order.’ The enemy could have compelled us to fight before dark, he could have prevented our exercising our initiative, and finally he could have cut off our return to the German Bight. There was only one way of avoiding this: to inflict a second blow on the enemy with another advance carried through regardless of cost…It also offered the possibility of a last attempt being made to bring help to the hard-pressed Wiesbaden, or at least of rescuing her ship’s company. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jutland-why-did-scheer-turn-back-into-the-fray/651807/3 "2013-03-03T04:24:17Z")
The enemy also out numbered him 2 to 1 and turning back would get him in the most dangerous position in Naval combat. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jutland-why-did-scheer-turn-back-into-the-fray/651807/4 "2013-03-03T21:15:00Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > At Jutland when Admiral Scheer found himself having his “T” crossed by the entire British Grand Fleet, he executed a turn and managed to extricate himself. Yet a little while later he turned around and once again decided to engage and once again got his “T” crossed and this time only the night and the German superiority therein permitted escape. Any idea why he turned back. > > As an aside was the German escape at night the reason that the inter bellum navies practiced so much night fighting? Scheer had been under the impression that most of the Grand Fleet was not present. The German intention had been to engage a small portion of the Grand Fleet, win a victory, force an opening in the sea lanes, and return home. Oops. Scheer was surprised that so many English warships were there to cross his “T” the first time. Scheer wisely chose to disengaged. Facing the possibility of his warships being repeatedly being shot in the ass (stern), Scheer’s choice was to reengage the English in order to prevent or slow any chase, which should allow the majority of Scheer’s remaining fleet to return home. The 2nd crossing of Scheer’s “T” was a result of Scheer’s attempt to use torpedos to cover his withdrawal.