Page:Admirals of the British Navy.djvu/69

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situation in Hsikon Arsenal. Later he commanded the Naval Brigade at the capture of Tientsin City. For these services he was specially promoted to the rank of Captain at the early age of 29, in 1900. From November, 1908, to January ist, 1910, Captain Beatty was Aide-de-Camp to the King. On January ist, 1910, although not 39 years old, he became Rear- Admiral, and two years later was appointed Naval Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, a post which he held until February, 1913. During the Naval Manoeuvres of 1912, Rear- Admiral Beatty commanded the Sixth Cruiser Squadron, flying his flag in H.M.S. " Aboukir." In the following year he was appointed to command the First Battle Cruis'er Squadron. In June, 1914, he was made a K.C.B., and on August 3rd was promoted Acting Vice- Admiral and given command of the Cruiser Forces of the Grand Fleet. On August 28th, 1914, he was in command of the British Forces which proceeded into the Heligoland Bight in support of a Flotilla of Destroyers which was being hard pressed. In the action which resulted, three German Light Cruisers were sunk. No British ships were lost. In January, 1915, he commanded the British Forces in the action off the Dogger Bank, which resulted in the sinking of the " Blucher." His flagship, " Lion," was severely damaged at a critical moment of the action and was towed back to port. He was subsequently appointed to command the Battle Cruiser Fleet. At the Battle of Jutland he succeeded, after very severe fighting, in drawing the enemy's fleet towards, the British Battle Fleet and establishing touch between them. For his services he was mentioned in despatches and received the G .C .B . In November, 1916, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet, with the acting rank of Admiral. He is a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, Grand Officer of the Military Order of Savoy, and holds the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, and the Russian Military Order of St. George (Fourth Class).