ROYAL NAVY, BATTLE CRUISER FLEET.
Photographic Records of the B[attle] C[ruiser] F[leet] August 1914 - December, 1916.
Inscribed by Admiral Beatty to the Prince of Wales.
Fascinating and highly uncommon collection of images, contributed by participants, of the actions of the B.C.F, includes the progress and aftermath of the Battle of Jutland. It seems highly likely that Beatty may have had this produced himself solely for personal presentation.
This copy inscribed on the front free endpaper, “To H.R.H. The Prince of Wales from his First Commander of his Battle Cruiser Fleet i.e. Feb. 15 to Dec. 16, Beatty.” Prince Edward, later Edward VIII - later still the Duke of Windsor - was commissioned in the Grenadier Guards in 1914 but was forbidden a combatant rôle for fear that he may be captured and used as a hostage. He was posted to the Staff of the BEF and spent most of the War abroad; “attached to various headquarters but essentially serving as a visitor of troops and general morale-raiser.” [DNB] However, his younger brother Albert, “Bertie”, who was to become George VI at the Abdication, was not forbidden active service and was present at Jutland as a sub-lieutenant on the Collingwood.
OCLC records copies at NMM, Leeds and NLS.
