ADMIRAL SIR HENRY BERTRAM PELLY'S WHITE NAVAL ENSIGN, BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN FLOWN ABOARD H.M.S. TIGER DURING THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND, 31ST MAY–1ST JUNE, 1916

constructed in stitched woollen bunting with canvas sleeve stencilled with maker's marks for Kirk, Hall & Co., Kidacre Street, Leeds, 1915 and 4 BDS Ensign White, pierced with brass suspension studs and brass hook attachments -- 51 x 34in. (130 x 87cm.); together with cap tallies from H.M.Ships Tiger, Bryony and Invincible

Admiral Sir Henry Bertram Pelly (1867-1942) commanded H.M.S. Tiger at her commissioning actions at Dogger Bank (24th January, 1915) and Jutland (31st May-1st June 1916).. Neither were terribly satisfactory for Tiger, Beatty's confused signalling at Dogger Bank allowed German ships to escape whilst making Pelly the scape goat; and at Jutland her gunnery was poor - of 303 13½in. shells fired, only three found their mark, whilst she was hit seventeen times with the loss of twenty-four killed and forty six wounded. Never-the-less, Pelly was awarded a CB for his conduct in the action. He was given shore-based posts thereafter and so it seems highly likely this flag was his souvenir from the biggest fleet action of modern times.