Was the Sinking of the Indefatigable An Unnecessary Waste of Life
or a Glorious Sacrifice?

PRO Ref: Source 1 - ADM 188/464, Source 2 - ADM 137/1642, Source 3 - ADM 137/301, Source 4 - ADM 1/8477/308

This Snapshot can be used for:

• Looking at how evidence over time can change leading to new conclusions. The first reaction to the sinking of the Indefatigable was one of heroic loss and then it became clear it was a mistake in the method of carrying up shells from the magazine.
• You could ask the students if they think the truth should have been told to the sailor’s relatives or kept under wraps to avoid embarrassment and unnecessary anguish.
• Discuss the effect such a revelation would have on morale. This could then lead to a general discussion on the importance of morale in wartime.
• Students could further investigate the Battle of Jutland and perhaps debate who won the battle based upon the evidence. Were the losses more important than who left the scene of battle first? Was the subsequent avoidance of contact by the Germany navy an admission of defeat?

Hot war, cold war: why did twentieth-century conflicts affect so many people? KS 3/4