A squadron of German pre-dreadnoughts was present at the Battle of Jutland in 1916; German sailors called them the "five-minute ships", which was the amount of time they were expected to survive in a pitched battle.Massie, Castles of Steel, p. 564. In spite of their limitations, the pre-dreadnought squadron played a useful role. As the German fleet disengaged from the battle, the pre-dreadnoughts risked themselves by turning on the British battlefleet as dark set.Massie, Castles of Steel, p. 634. Nevertheless, only one of the pre-dreadnoughts was sunk: went down in the confused night action as the battlefleets disengaged.Massie, Castles of Steel, p. 648.
