Queen Mary should have been the most effective Battlecruiser at Jutland, having improved fire control and a reputation for the best drilled gun crews. Indeed, the Germans reported that she was firing salvos more rapidly than the rest of the squadron. The downside was that the turret crews were ignoring anti-flash, safety rules and stockpiling shells and charges in the barbettes, and when the armour was penetrated, the stockpiled charges ignited the magazines..... Approximately 17.30 31st May 1916 Queen Mary exploded and broke in two as the battle roared on to the south. Only eight survived from a complement of 57 officers and 1209 men.