The world’s largest naval battle took place on May 31 and June 1, 1916, during the First World War. 250 warships were involved in this clash between British and German naval forces.

In the span of just 24 hours, 25 vessels were lost amidst a massive exchange of fire. Along with the 8,645 British and German sailors who perished, their fate was left to the sea.

• British Numerical Dominance: Admiral Sir John Jellicoe’s Grand Fleet heavily outnumbered Admiral Reinhard Scheer’s forces (151 ships against 99 ships). When the German fleet realized the full scale of the British fleet, they broke off the engagement and fled back to safe waters behind minefields.
• The Long-Term Result: Because the British fleet remained intact and kept control of the shipping lanes, the economic blockade on Germany continued uninterrupted, forcing Germany to rely instead on unrestricted submarine warfare.