The 6th Battle Squadron, of five lattice-towered American super-Dreadnoughts, under Rear-Admiral Rodman.

[The following appears to be a scanned copy of a carbon or flimsy copy of a report of the Rear-Admiral Meurer's visit to "Queen Elizabeth" and it is therefore difficult to make it easily readable without downloading a 330 Kb file - I've therefore transcribed the text, which you can read below the image - or click on the image for a higher resolution to read it yourself]

"On the cold, foggy evening of Friday, November 15th, 1918, a large number of the ship's company of H.M.S. "Queen Elizabeth" had congregated on the starboard side of the fo'castle deck, aft, to catch a glimpse of Rear-Admiral Meurer and his staff as they came onboard to arrange, with Admiral Beatty, details for the surrendering of the bulk of the German Fleet to the British, whose supremacy it had dared to question, but refused to challenge in open battle.

The heavy fog has caused a delay of some three hours in the arrival of the Germans. Since about 5 p,m. men had been waiting about expectantly, every now and again peering into the gloom to try and catch some sign of the little destroyer "Oak" which was to bring the party from the "Konigsberg" in which they had come from Germany, and which was anchored some miles away. Suddenly towards 7 o'clock, the "guard" was sounded off, and crowds began to gather around the top of the gangway leading to the quarter deck, in which position, owing to the fog and the bright electric lights on the quarter deck, they would not be seen by the Admiral as he came aboard. The escort of marines arrived on the quarter deck, and lined up with fixed bayonets to impress upon the visitors the exact nature of their mission. The officers who were to receive them - Captain of the Fleet, the Captain of the "Queen Elizabeth" and others - also appeared looking stern, formidable figures with their swords and in their greatcoats. Admiral Beatty also came up and walked about for a few minutes, though he was not meeting the Germans on the quarter deck.

Everyone was now eager with anticipation, but there was still delay. At last however, the "Oak" was discerned slowly approaching through the gloom, and the barge pushed off from the "Queen Elizabeth" to bring the Admiral aboard the Flagship. Excitement was now real. Those in the more fortunate positions could see the barge reach the "Oak", and the piping of the Admiral over the side could be heard quite plainly. "Here she comes" was heard, at last, and a moment later the barge drew alongside. A figure stepped off and came slowly up the gangway. It was Rear Admiral Meurer. He was followed by other German officers. As he stepped aboard he saluted the quarter deck. A moment's pause and hesitation, and he turned and saluted the Captain of the Fleet and the officers with him. The salute was returned.

The same formality was gone through with the rest of the German officers. Then, in complete silence, the party was escorted past the line of bayonets, down the after-mess? hatchway to the room where Admiral Beatty was waiting to receive them. They entered the room, saluting the Commander-in-Chief who saluted in return. The door was closed, and then, under the shadow of the great painting of Nelson a guard of marines with fixed bayonets being lined up outside, the historic conference, unparalleled in the history of the world, which was to arrange for the surrender, without firing a shot, of the second Naval Power in the world to the first, began.

A member of the "Advertizer" had the good luck of witnessing the historic drama enacted in the North Sea on Thursday, when Teutonic ambition to have "the trident in their fist" were finally eclipsed by the ignominious surrender of the 70 warships which Germany's humbled pride preferred to submissively to hand over to our custody rather than send them to the fate which doubtless would have been theirs had they attempted to renew the unfinished encounter broken off when the German fleet took to its heels at the Battle of Jutland. The magnificence of the naval spectacle cannot well be described. It had to be seen to be appreciated.

I was out (writes our correspondent) on one of the drifters attached to our naval balloon section, and as the German vessels approached the mouth of the Firth of Forth, rounded up and shepherded by our Fleet, line after line of ships in an apparently endless vista was seen, squadron after squadron emerging like grey ghosts through the haze and passing by to be succeeded by oncoming squadrons. Between the long lane six miles wide formed by our escorting vessels the German battleships, cruisers and destroyers slowly steamed in abject humiliation, and on nearing the island of Inch Keith dejectedly dropped anchor in the places appointed.

The feelings that animated the crew, who had no doubt often drunk to "Der Tag" of a vastly different sort. was reflected in their dispirited countenances. But there was no cheering by our men or any effort to rub it in. It was of course a great day for them, but the prevailing feeling was manifested not by outward jubilation but by a grim and quiet satisfaction such as might be felt by a policeman who has taken prisoner a notorious and dangerous evildoer. Naturally all ranks evinced the keenest interest in the German ships and studied them with the appraising eyes of connoisseurs, comparing them with their own leviathans. Outwardly the were not in a very spic and span condition and suffered from an absence of fresh paint and an air of neglect which was in sharp contrast to the speckless appearance of our own ships.

As we returned The Queen Elizabeth which directed the operations passed close alongside us - a magnificent picture of symmetrical power and fighting strength as she charged through the water throwing off a "V" of white foam from her sharp edged bows. A Poolonian aboard her - Mr A.H. Williams, clerk of the Welshpool County Court who is now a writer on Admiral Beatty's staff - I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting by a coincidence on the day the armistice was declared, when we ran into each other while on leave at Dunfermline celebrating the occasion. I also met another Poolonian in the Fleet at Edinburgh this week, namely Mr J.E. Ellis, Mount Street, Welshpool - formerly a clerk on the Cambrian Rlys [Railways] - who for the last two years has been serving as a wireless telegraphist on a mine sweeper working from the North East [Coast]

It was reported in the Daily Mail that the German ships were ordered to have their guns in the fore-and-aft position.

At sunset the German flag was hauled down and the admiral made a final signal: "It is my intention to hold a service of thanksgiving at 6 p.m. to-day for the victory which Almighty God has vouchsafed to his Majesty's arms, and every ship is recommended to do the same."

He served in the Sudan (1896-98) and.as a commander of a battleship he took part in the China War (1900). During this period Beatty developed a reputation for dash and aggression. By 1912 Beatty was commander of the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron

Admiral Beatty became First Sea Lord in 1919 and held the post until his retirement in 1927. Granted a peerage, Earl David Beatty died in 1936.

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