WI: The Battle of Terschelling

[EnglishCanuck]

A while ago I did a blog post hypothesizing German peace negotiations in 1918, as a part of that I posited that in support of their Victory Offensive they would attempt to lure the Royal Navy into a decisive battle to get a better spot at the peace table.

As I understand it, the High Seas Fleet desired to lure the British Grand Fleet into action near the island of Terschelling. In accordance with the Naval Order of October 24th 1918 however, what if this plan was put into effect concurrent with the German Victory Offensive? Hoping to hammer the British on land and on sea?

Could the Germans have had more effect if the High Seas Fleet sought decisive battle in April 1918 around Terschelling?

 

[GDIS Pathe]

IIRC the general consensus is that the HSF by 1918 is horrendously outmatched by the Grand Fleet and the sailors knew it if they don't mutiny the RN probably decisively smashes the German navy and all naval construction gets halted and the resources directed to the Army

 

[nbcman]

By this time the Grand Fleet was stronger than the HSF plus they were augmented by the USN. 1918 is too late.

 

[EnglishCanuck]

I'm curious whether this would have had any effect on operations in Flanders or the perception of the Allied planners in the period from April-July 1918 though. Can the Germans win even a local victory or discomfort the British in Flanders?

 

[RodentRevolution]

I'm curious whether this would have had any effect on operations in Flanders or the perception of the Allied planners in the period from April-July 1918 though. Can the Germans win even a local victory or discomfort the British in Flanders?

It is highly unlikely the HSF would have been able to impact operation on land in a manner the German Army in the field could have detected. However its destruction would have seriously compromised the Germans' negotiating position and that or very heavy losses is the most likely outcome for the German fleet.

 

[Cryhavoc101]

As other have pointed out the RN while no slouch in 1916 had addressed many of the issues identified at Jutland and were in fact far stronger and more capable in 1918 - so the vast superiority that was already enjoyed over the German Navy in 1916 is much larger in 1918.

They also have some additional USN Battleships further increasing the disparity

And in Morale alone - at a time when German Sailors where creating communist communes on their ships and refusing to go to sea etc British crews in the expectation of such a battle as described by the OP had the lowest sick returns and desertion rates than at any point of the war.

In short the British were 'well up for it' while the Germans...not so much.

At best for the Germans they would inflict some losses on the RN's lighter forces and then run for the Jade before the RN could concentrate forces on them pretty much like Jutland

At worse they would get curb stomped and give the RN its 2nd Trafalger

 

[EnglishCanuck]

Part of my assumption was that the "Battle of Terschelling" would be a decisive British victory causing the Kaiser to look for peace.

I'm glad to know that the HSF didn't really stand a chance then.

Hypothetically how might that play out though? The battle at least.