1st Battle Squadron 1st Battle Squadron The 1st Battle Squadron was a naval squadron of the British Royal Navy consisting of battleships. The 1st Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet. After World War I the Grand Fleet was reverted to its original name, the Atlantic Fleet. The squadron changed composition often as ships were damaged, retired or transferred. As an element in the Grand Fleet, the Squadron participated in the Battle of Jutland. On 5 August 1914, the squadron was constituted as follows: During the Battle of Jutland, the composition of the 1st Battle Squadron was as follows:
Night action at the Battle of Jutland more to the north of the British ships. "Westfalen" at the head of the 1st Battle Squadron now led the revised column of battleships, followed by the III Battle Squadron and then the pre-dreadnought II Battle Squadron. The II Scouting Group of cruisers was placed ahead of the battleships, while the IV Scouting Group was similarly placed to starboard. The IV SG under Commodore Ludwig von Reuter mistook its position in the dark, so ending up on the port side of the battle line rather than starboard. The battlecruisers were ordered to take positions at the rear behind II Squadron,