There are many unflattering labels to apply to the disastrous events in the North Sea early in the morning of September 22nd, 1914. Certainly, for the British Royal Navy, it was a huge waste of life, an embarrassment, both nationally and internationally, and a deeply foolish mistake.
As the three Royal Navy cruisers sunk into the cold waters a few miles off the coast of the Netherlands. They were torpedoed by a single German U-boat and the day could be called the beginning of an era, an important wake-up call, and a major lesson to both Germany and Britain on what modern naval warfare had become.
Barely a month into the First World War, the great naval powers of Britain and Germany had yet to understand the role submarines could play. Indeed, after their first few engagements (though both Germany and Britain sunk a light cruiser in the first few weeks of war with submarines), not all naval authorities were convinced that they were particularly useful in comparison to their top-side counterparts like behemoth Dreadnaught Class battleships.
