First Battle Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)
Vice-Admirals and Rear-Admirals Commanding
Dates of appointment given:
- Rear-Admiral Lewis Bayly, 24 February, 1911
- Vice-Admiral (Acting) Sir David R. Beatty, 1 March, 1913[1]
- Rear-Admiral Osmond de B. Brock, 8 February, 1915[2] – 28 November, 1916[3]
- Rear-Admiral Richard F. Phillimore, 1 December, 1916[4]
- Rear-Admiral Sir Henry F. Oliver, 14 March, 1918[5]
Rear-Admiral in the First Battle Cruiser Squadron
- Rear-Admiral Sir A. Gordon H. W. Moore, 4 November, 1914[6]
Composition
December, 1913
This roster would remain for a considerable time.
September, 1914
The roster is unchanged. From at least this date, the Squadron was a component of Cruiser Force A, which also included the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron (which was also then-known as Cruiser Force K), and Second Cruiser Squadron, Third Cruiser Squadron and Sixth Cruiser Squadron as well as the First Light Cruiser Squadron and Cruiser Forces B and C, which were assortments of fifteen cruisers of various types.
This roster and affiliation within Cruiser Force A would persist until November or December.[9]
December, 1914
This roster and affiliation within Cruiser Force A would last only one month.
January, 1915
New Zealand has been transferred to the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron.[11]
This roster and affiliation within Cruiser Force A would last one or two months.[12]
March, 1915
The Battle Cruiser Fleet has been instituted to replace Cruiser Force A, and Lion has moved to be the Fleet flagship.[13]
This roster and affiliation would last just one month.
April, 1915
Still part of the Battle Cruiser Fleet, Tiger has become flagship.[14]
This roster and affiliation would last until July, 1915.[15][16]
July, 1915
Still part of the Battle Cruiser Fleet, Princess Royal has again become flagship.[17]
This roster and affiliation would last until June, 1916.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]
June, 1916
Still part of the Battle Cruiser Fleet. The loss of Queen Mary at the Battle of Jutland has prompted New Zealand to be transferred in from the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron.[28]
This roster and affiliation would last until September, 1916.[29][30][31]
September, 1916
Part of the Battle Cruiser Fleet. Repulse was added, though she did not join until December.[32]
- Princess Royal
- Tiger
- New Zealand
- Repulse (joined in December, 1916)
This roster and affiliation would last until November, 1916.[33]
November, 1916
Part of the Battle Cruiser Fleet. Renown was added this month, though she would not join until X.[34]
- Princess Royal
- Tiger
- New Zealand
- Repulse (added in September, but not joined until December)
- Renown (joined in X)
This roster and affiliation would last only one month.
December, 1916
Part of the Battle Cruiser Force, the less-autonomous-sounding successor to the Battle Cruiser Fleet. New Zealand has been sent to be flagship of Second Battle Cruiser Squadron.[35]
- Princess Royal ("Senior Officer" – may not be a flagship, technically)
- Tiger
- Repulse
- Renown (joined in X)
This roster would last until February or March, 1917.[36]
March, 1917
Part of the Battle Cruiser Force. Repulse has been made flagship and Renown has joined.[37]
This roster and affiliation would last until December, 1918.[38]
December, 1918
Part of the Battle Cruiser Force. Renown has been made flagship, as Repulse is soon to be paid off.[39]
- Renown (may not have been a flagship in March, 1919)
- Princess Royal
- Tiger
- Repulse (paid off in January through X, 1919)
This roster and affiliation would last until May, 1919.[40]
May, 1919
The Squadron has been abolished, or perhaps more accurately converted into the single Battle Cruiser Squadron (by adding in Lion as flagship) deemed sufficient to meet post-war needs.[41]
Battles
Second Battle of Heligoland Bight
The Squadron fought with the Battle Cruiser Force flagship and light forces.[42]
Footnotes
- ↑ The Navy List. (September, 1914). p. 4.
- ↑ Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. f. 9.
- ↑ Brock Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 49.
- ↑ Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. f. 9.
- ↑ Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. f. 9.
- ↑ Moore Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 64.
- ↑ Handwritten notes in Albert Francis Barclay Bridges papers at The Caird Library at the National Maritime Museum. [BRG 1/1]
- ↑ Printed page "Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad" in Albert Francis Barclay Bridges papers at The Caird Library at the National Maritime Museum. [BRG 1/1]
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 9. No copy of November's Supplement has been consulted.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 9.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 9.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). p. 11. No Supplement for February has been found.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 12.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1915). p. 12.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1915). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1915). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1915). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1915). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1915). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1915). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1915). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 11. No Supplement for February was found.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1917). p. 11 and Supplements through November 1918, excepting September and October 1918 which were not found.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 11 and Supplements through May 1919.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1919). p. 10.
- ↑ Naval Operations. Vol. V. pp. 168-169.
Bibliography
- Corbett, Sir Julian S. (1920). Naval Operations. Volume I. London: Longmans, Green and Co..
- Newbolt, Henry (1931). Naval Operations. Vol. V. London: Longmans, Green and Co..
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