Tyneside’s part in Britain’s greatest Naval battle will be remembered in a series of events to commemorate the Battle of Jutland.
The Battle, fought between May 31 and June 1 1916, was one of the largest in naval history.
Ships built on Tyneside - including HMS Spitfire, HMS Birmingham and HMS Invincible - fought in the conflict in which thousands of sailors lost their lives.
And Tyne shipyards were pivotal in helping to repair damaged Royal Navy vessels and take off wounded sailors.
The Quayside Royal Navy Reserve training base, HMS Calliope, was named after one of the ships that fought at Jutland.
Commemorative events are planned for May 31, 2016 on the Orkney Islands, where the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet was based during the First World War.
The Battle of Jutland was the most significant naval engagement of the war, fought in the North Sea between May 31 and June 1, 1916 near the coast of Denmark’s Jutland Peninsula.
It involved around 250 British and German ships and 100,000 sailors, of whom more than 6,000 from the Royal Navy and 2,500 from the German fleet lost their lives.
Events to mark the 100th anniversary of the battle will include a service at Britain’s most northerly cathedral, St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Mainland, and a commemoration at the Royal Navy Cemetery at Lyness on the island of Hoy.
There will also be a wreath-laying ceremony at sea on Jutland Bank by British and German ships, the laying of commemorative paving stones in honour of the four Victoria Cross recipients from the Battle of Jutland and commemoration of casualties buried in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
HMS Caroline, the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland, will be opened as a museum in Belfast, and there will also be a series of commemorations at naval memorials around England and events in Germany.
Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said: “These commemorations will be an opportunity for the country to come together to honour those who lost their lives during the Battle of Jutland.
“The pivotal role that the Royal Navy played in the war effort cannot be underestimated and we owe a great debt to those brave souls who gave their lives.
“But behind the scenes of conflict there is also the contribution of Scotland and the people of Orkney who supported the war effort - we must remember their sacrifice too and ensure their stories are told for generations to come.”
Admiral Sir George Zambellas, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, said: “The First World War remains characterised by imagery of the trenches of the Western Front.
“Yet the sea was Britain’s lifeline and the supremacy of the Royal Navy was crucial to national survival.”
He added: “It is right, a century after Jutland - the largest and last clash between dreadnoughts - that we join together to remember those lost from both sides.”
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said: “The Battle of Jutland was the war’s largest naval battle and this will be an important commemoration when we should reflect on the bravery of the Navy and its sailors.
“The impact of the battle was felt across Scotland, Europe and beyond, and it is fitting that we remember those who died and those who fought in the Battle, and during the First World War as a whole.
“The First World War claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Scots and left many more injured or disabled.
“We will continue to encourage people in all parts of Scotland to join with us to remember the impact of the War, and remember the sacrifice of those who fought, and those who supported them at home.”
Admiral Sir George Zambellas, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, said: “The First World War remains characterised by imagery of the trenches of the Western Front. Yet the sea was Britain’s lifeline and the supremacy of the Royal Navy was crucial to national survival.
“Today, the strategic effects of navies are just as relevant across oceans and onto the land.
“So, the Royal Navy works in close partnership with navies around the world to keep the seas safe for trade and to uphold security, stability and the rule of law.
“It is right, a century after Jutland - the largest clash between Dreadnoughts, that we join together to remember those lost from both sides.”
The Battle of Jutland
● The Battle of Jutland was fought between the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet on 31 May – 1 June 1916.
● The battle was the most significant naval engagement of the First World War. More than 100,000 sailors took part on both sides, in around 250 ships. More than 6,000 Royal Navy and 2,500 German sailors lost their lives.
● Four Victoria Crosses were awarded during the Battle of Jutland. One recipient was John Cornwell, who was only sixteen when he posthumously received the medal. Another was given posthumously to Commander Loftus Jones who captained the Tyne-built HMS Shark into action at Jutland.
● HMS Invincible - the world’s first battlecruiser - was built at the Armstrong Whitworth works in Elswick and was sunk during the battle, killing all but six of the 1032 men on board. More than 3 million tons of shipping were produced as a whole in the North East during the First World War
● During the war, the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet was based at Scapa Flow, a natural harbour at the heart of Orkney – a group of islands to the north of Scotland.
● The presence of the Grand Fleet and its thousands of sailors had a major impact on the lives of ordinary Orcadians.
● St Magnus Cathedral is Britain’s most northerly Cathedral and is known as the ‘Light in the North’. It was founded in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald, in honour of his uncle St Magnus. The Cathedral is based in Kirkwall, the capital of the Orkney Islands.
● Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery, on the island of Hoy, is the final resting place of more than 450 service personnel who died during WW1, including sailors who died as a result of the Battle of Jutland. It is cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The support of Royal Navy warships, while planned, is subject to operational circumstances.