A SECTION OF SHELL DAMAGED BULKHEAD FROM H.M.S. LION'S ACTION AT DOGGER BANK, 24TH JANUARY 1915

mounted on teak from H.M.S. Lion with a small section of tarred rope from an incendiary device dropped in a Zepplin raid, with plaque to top inscribed H.M.S. Lion 24/1/15 -- 14 x 14in. (36cm.); together with a shell tip mounted on circuit board from Lion from the same action and a pressed brass wardroom plaque commemorating Lion's actions at Heligoland, Dogger Bank and Jutland -- 7in. (18cm.) wide

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German ships had bombarded the English coast twice in late 1914 and were intending to do so again in January 1915 when Room 40 (signals intelligence) discovered the plan and a trap was set with Admiral Beatty and his Battle Cruiser Squadron. The battle of Dogger Bank commenced on the morning of 24th January but did not strike the decisive blow Beatty hoped for – almost entirely due to the signalling of his flagship Lion and a belief in a torpedo attack. Lion was disabled and confusing signals by Beatty let the Germans escape after a short engagement with the exception of the pre-Dreadnought Blücher which, wounded, was then pounded to oblivion by the combined RN force. Whilst technically a British victory, it was a closer call than many cared to admit and the opportunity to correct the signal book was not exploited, a mistake that had far wider repercussions at the Battle of Jutland 18 months later.