The Battle of Jutland, fought in the North Sea off the coast of present-day Denmark 100 years ago, was the largest sea battle of the First World War. It saw 250 ships from both sides clash in a battle that lasted over two days.

Over 50 Pembrokeshire sailors served on Royal Navy ships at the battle and sadly more than half of them lost their lives.

Several local men were on the two Pembroke Dockyard-built armoured cruisers, HM Ships Defence and Warrior which were among 14 Royal Navy ships sunk when the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet clashed on May 31, 1916. Over 250 ships and 100,000 men were engaged.

Research by naval historian Ted Goddard has identified over 50 of the Pembrokeshire sailors who were at Jutland, and what happened to them. This is now part of a new exhibition at Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre to mark the centenary of the Battle of Jutland.

A special service to mark the 100th anniversary of the sea battle will take place at Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre on Wednesday, June 1, at 11 am. This will also see the opening of the exhibition looking at the battle.

Ted, a volunteer at the Heritage Centre, said: “We are inviting anyone who has a family connection with the Battle of Jutland to join us for the service. It may be that a relative served on a British ship, or was among the local men who paid the supreme sacrifice.”

Anyone with a Jutland connection can contact the Heritage Centre on 01646 684220 or enquiries@sunderlandtrustcom

The list of Pembrokeshire men who served at Jutland and their ships, as compiled by Ted Goddard, is:

HMS CONQUERER (battleship): Leading Seaman W. Treharne (survived).

HMS DREADNOUGHT (battleship): Chief Stoker Howard Harries, Milford Haven (survived).

HMS MALAYA (battleship): Petty Officer Walter Bamkin, Haverfordwest (survived):

HMS MARLBOROUGH: (battleship): Able Seaman E. Gregory, Tenby (killed); Assistant Paymaster Harry Williams, Solva (survived).

HMS WARSPITE: (battleship): E.R.A Stanley Hughes, Milford Haven (survived); Able Seaman Jack. Rees, Haverfordwest (survived); Stoker Tom Hire, Neyland (survived).

HMS INDEFATIGABLE (battlecruiser): Leading Seaman Bertram Treharne, Pembroke Dock (killed); Petty Officer J. Morris, Tenby (killed); Able Seaman William Wickland, Tenby (killed); Able Seaman J. Sobey, Neyland (killed); Writer A. Rossiter, Pembroke Dock (killed); Chief Electrical Artificer Herbert Michael Kennedy, Pembroke (killed).

HMS INDOMITABLE (battlecruiser): Shipwright A. Ogleby, Pembroke Dock (survived).

HMS INVINCIBLE (battlecruiser): Shipwright John Rogers, Pembroke Dock (killed); Leading Carpenter’s Crew Charles Warlow, Neyland (killed); E.R.A. Thomas Phillips, St Dogmaels (killed).

HMS LION (battlecruiser): Leading Stoker Reuben Lewis, Lamphey (survived); Stoker Tom Summons, Haverfordwest (survived).

HMS PRINCESS ROYAL (battlecruiser): Shipwright W. Leighton, Pembroke Dock (survived).

HMS QUEEN MARY (battlecruiser): Shipwright Albert Searle, Pembroke Dock (killed); Able Seaman Herbert Davies, Fishguard (killed); E.R.A. W. Derrett, Saundersfoot (killed); E.R.A. William Bennett, Pembroke Dock (killed); Able Seaman Fred Owens, Milford Haven (killed); Artificer Engineer Benjamin Evans, Narberth (killed).

HMS TIGER (battlecruiser): Able Seaman Hugh Jones, Broad Haven (survived).

HMS BLACK PRINCE (armoured cruiser): Petty Officer Herbert John, Pembroke Dock (killed); E.R.A. Jack Bermingham, Neyland (killed).

HMS DEFENCE (armoured cruiser): Petty Officer Joseph Vaughan, Neyland (killed); E.R.A. C. Ormond, Saundersfoot (killed); Able Seaman J. Seaton (killed); Able Seaman Philip John Norrish, Tenby (killed).

HMS HAMPSHIRE (armoured cruiser): Shipwright William Phillips, Pembroke Dock (survived); E.R.A. James Young, Pembroke (survived).

HMS WARRIOR (armoured cruiser): Chief Stoker Thomas James, Milford Haven (killed); Stoker Fred Richards, Sardis (killed); Stoker Thomas Davies, Milford Haven (killed); Able Seaman William Staley, Haverfordwest (survived); E.R.A. J. Tollick, Pembroke Dock (survived).

HMS BIRMINGHAM (light cruiser): Carpenter’s Mate Charles John, Pembroke Dock (survived).

HMS PHAETON (light cruiser): Stoker William Day, Haverfordwest (survived).

HMS TIPPERARY (destroyer leader): Petty Officer George Evans, Bosherston (killed).

HMS ARDENT (destroyer): Petty Officer George Davies, Maidenwells (killed).

HMS FORTUNE (destroyer): Able Seaman Thomas Page, Pembroke Dock (killed).

Also at Jutland, but their ships are not known, were: Midshipman Bowen, Little Haven (survived): Able Seaman Jack Prout, Burton (survived); Leading Seaman James Gwyther, Angle (survived): Able Seaman Edwin Morgan, Haverfordwest (survived).