Mediterranean Station

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History

On 16 November, 1905, Fisher told the Committee on Navy Estimates:

Four years ago there were fifteen battleships in the Mediterranean fleet and only six battleships in the Channel fleet. Now there are seventeen battleships in the Channel fleet and only eight battleships in the Mediterranean, and that number is really unnecessarily large, for the sole requirements of the Mediterranean fleet, now we are so cordially associated with France, is to coerce the sultan, as the Russian navy has practically ceased to exist, and Austria and Italy will never be our foes.<ref>Quoted in Seligmann. "New Weapons for New Targets." p. 316.</ref>

On 1 June, 1912, Admiral Milne's flag was hoisted in the President in the Thames. On 3 June, upon Rear-Admiral Gamble's flag being struck in the Good Hope at Portsmouth, Milne's was hoisted in that ship.<ref>"The Mediterranean Command" (News in Brief). The Times. Saturday, 1 June, 1912. Issue 339914, col E, p. 6.</ref>

In July, 1914, it was planned that Invincible would go to the Mediterranean when Tiger was ready. All four battle cruisers in the Mediterranean would return home by December, 1915. In the fourth quarter of 1915 five dreadnought battleships would be sent to the Mediterranean with two pre-dreadnought battleships. The number of dreadnoughts was to be increased to seven in April, 1917.<ref>The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 1/8383/179.|1/8383/179.| |+}} ADM 1/8383/179.}}</ref>

Commanders-in-Chief

Dates of appointment given:

Rear-Admiral in the Mediterranean

  • Rear-Admiral William des V. Hamilton, 16 November, 1903{{#if:p. 267|<ref>The Navy List. (October, 1904). p. 267.</ref>|Admiralty. The Navy List. (October, 1904). Corrected to 18 September, 1904.}}{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:flying his flag in the {{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:|eq|p1|p2}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:{{#pos:|c}}|Duncan Class battleship |p1|p2}}||}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#switch:{{safesubst:#if:{{#pos:|c}}|p1|p2}}|p1=p1|p2={{safesubst:#ifeq:|error|{{safesubst:#ifeq:||p2|p3}}|p2}}|if/errmsg}}|Duncan Class battleship ||{{#pos:|c}}|}}}}{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:|eq|p1|p2}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:{{#pos:|t}}|battleship |p1|p2}}||}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#switch:{{safesubst:#if:{{#pos:|t}}|p1|p2}}|p1=p1|p2={{safesubst:#ifeq:|error|{{safesubst:#ifeq:||p2|p3}}|p2}}|if/errmsg}}|battleship ||{{#pos:|t}}|}}}}[[{{#if:H.M.S.|H.M.S. Albemarle (1901)|Albemarle (1901)}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:|eq|p1|p2}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:{{#pos:|p}}|H.M.S. |p1|p2}}||}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#switch:{{safesubst:#if:{{#pos:|p}}|p1|p2}}|p1=p1|p2={{safesubst:#ifeq:|error|{{safesubst:#ifeq:||p2|p3}}|p2}}|if/errmsg}}|H.M.S. ||{{#pos:|p}}|}}}}Albemarle]]|  (flying his flag in the {{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:|eq|p1|p2}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:{{#pos:|c}}|Duncan Class battleship |p1|p2}}||}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#switch:{{safesubst:#if:{{#pos:|c}}|p1|p2}}|p1=p1|p2={{safesubst:#ifeq:|error|{{safesubst:#ifeq:||p2|p3}}|p2}}|if/errmsg}}|Duncan Class battleship ||{{#pos:|c}}|}}}}{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:|eq|p1|p2}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:{{#pos:|t}}|battleship |p1|p2}}||}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#switch:{{safesubst:#if:{{#pos:|t}}|p1|p2}}|p1=p1|p2={{safesubst:#ifeq:|error|{{safesubst:#ifeq:||p2|p3}}|p2}}|if/errmsg}}|battleship ||{{#pos:|t}}|}}}}[[{{#if:H.M.S.|H.M.S. Albemarle (1901)|Albemarle (1901)}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:|eq|p1|p2}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#ifeq:{{#pos:|p}}|H.M.S. |p1|p2}}||}}|{{safesubst:{{safesubst:#switch:{{safesubst:#if:{{#pos:|p}}|p1|p2}}|p1=p1|p2={{safesubst:#ifeq:|error|{{safesubst:#ifeq:||p2|p3}}|p2}}|if/errmsg}}|H.M.S. ||{{#pos:|p}}|}}}}Albemarle]])|}}
  • Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Poore, Bart., 17 November, 1904<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 18 November, 1904. Issue 37555, col A, p. 6.</ref>{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}

Seconds-in-Command

Harris was succeeded by Rear-Admiral Gerard H. U. Noel in January, 1898.<ref>"Death of Sir Gerard Noel" (Obituaries). The Times. Friday, 24 May, 1918. Issue 41798, col B, p. 8.</ref> Rear-Admiral Lord Charles Beresford arrived at Malta on 5 February, 1900,<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 6 February, 1900. Issue 36058, col B, p. 10.</ref> and Rear-Admiral Noel left on 7 February,<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 8 February, 1900. Issue 36060, col F, p. 10.</ref> suggesting that the change in second-in-command took place on 6 February.

  • Rear-Admiral The Rt. Hon. Lord Walter Kerr, 2 April, 1890{{#if:p. 191|<ref>The Navy List. (December, 1891). p. 191.</ref>|Admiralty. The Navy List. (December, 1891).}}{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Rear-Admiral Albert H. Markham, 4 March, 1892{{#if:p. 191|<ref>The Navy List. (July, 1893). p. 191.</ref>|Admiralty. The Navy List. (July, 1893).}}{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Rear-Admiral Compton E. Domvile, 5 March, 1894{{#if:p. 191|<ref>The Navy List. (October, 1895). p. 191.</ref>|Admiralty. The Navy List. (October, 1895).}}{{#if:13 May, 1896<ref>Domvile Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/14.|196/14.| |+}} ADM 196/14.}} f. 244.</ref>| – 13 May, 1896<ref>Domvile Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/14.|196/14.| |+}} ADM 196/14.}} f. 244.</ref>|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Rear-Admiral Robert H. Harris, 10 March, 1896{{#if:p. 191|<ref>The Navy List. (July, 1897). p. 191.</ref>|Admiralty. The Navy List. (July, 1897).}}{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Rear-Admiral Gerard H. U. Noel, 12 January, 1898{{#if:p. 216|<ref>The Navy List. (July, 1899). p. 216.</ref>|Admiralty. The Navy List. (July, 1899).}}{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Vice-Admiral The Rt. Hon. Lord Charles Beresford, 12 January, 1900{{#if:p. 216|<ref>The Navy List. (December, 1901). p. 216.</ref>|Admiralty. The Navy List. (December, 1901).}}{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Rear-Admiral Burges Watson, 16 January, 1902{{#if:p. 216|<ref>The Navy List. (May, 1902). p. 216.</ref>|Admiralty. The Navy List. (May, 1902). Corrected to 18 April, 1902.}}{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Rear-Admiral Reginald N. Custance, 15 November, 1902{{#if:p. 216|<ref>The Navy List. (February, 1903). p. 216.</ref>|Admiralty. The Navy List. (February, 1903).}}{{#if:15 November, 1904<ref>Custance Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/17.|196/17.| |+}} ADM 196/17.}} f. 535.</ref>| – 15 November, 1904<ref>Custance Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/17.|196/17.| |+}} ADM 196/17.}} f. 535.</ref>|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Vice-Admiral Sir Harry T. Grenfell, 25 October, 1904<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 8 October, 1904. Issue 37520, col C, p. 6.</ref>{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Vice-Admiral Francis C. B. Bridgeman, 6 March, 1906{{#if:p. 268|<ref>The Navy List. (August, 1906). p. 268.</ref>|Admiralty. The Navy List. (August, 1906).}}{{#if:24 February, 1907<ref>Bridgeman Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/39.|196/39.| |+}} ADM 196/39.}} f. 167.</ref>| – 24 February, 1907<ref>Bridgeman Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/39.|196/39.| |+}} ADM 196/39.}} f. 167.</ref>|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Vice-Admiral H.S.H. Prince Louis of Battenberg, 24 February, 1907<ref>Milford Haven Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/38.|196/38.| |+}} ADM 196/38.}} f. 47.</ref>{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Vice-Admiral Sir George A. Callaghan, 27 November, 1908{{#if:Unnumbered Folio|<ref>Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. Unnumbered Folio.</ref>|"Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918, and Which Have Now Ceased to Exist." The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 6/461|6/461| |+}} ADM 6/461}}.}}{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Rear-Admiral T. H. Martyn Jerram, 9 August, 1910{{#if:Unnumbered Folio|<ref>Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. Unnumbered Folio.</ref>|"Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918, and Which Have Now Ceased to Exist." The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 6/461|6/461| |+}} ADM 6/461}}.}}{{#if:31 July, 1912<ref>Jerram Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/38.|196/38.| |+}} ADM 196/38.}} f. 692.</ref>| – 31 July, 1912<ref>Jerram Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/38.|196/38.| |+}} ADM 196/38.}} f. 692.</ref>|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Rear-Admiral Sir Cecil Burney, 13 June, 1913<ref>Burney Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/38.|196/38.| |+}} ADM 196/38.}} f. 180.</ref>{{#if:19 October, 1913<ref>Burney Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/38.|196/38.| |+}} ADM 196/38.}} f. 180.</ref>| – 19 October, 1913<ref>Burney Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/38.|196/38.| |+}} ADM 196/38.}} f. 180.</ref>|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}
  • Rear-Admiral Michael Culme-Seymour, 20 October, 1919<ref>Culme-Seymour Service Record. The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/42.|196/42.| |+}} ADM 196/42.}} f. 477.</ref>{{#if:| – {{{end}}}|}}{{#if:|  ({{{note}}})|}}

Chiefs of the Staff

Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee also seems to have been appointed on 1 May, 1905.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 24 April, 1905. Issue 37689, col C, p. 8.</ref><ref>The National Archives. {{#if:|ADM 196/39.|196/39.| |+}} ADM 196/39.}} f. 1256.</ref> Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound may also have held this post.

Egypt

See Also

Footnotes

<references/>

Bibliography

  • {{#if:|<ref>"New Weapons for New Targets. .</ref>|Seligmann, Matthew S. (June 2008). "New Weapons for New Targets: Sir John Fisher, the Threat from Germany, and the Building of HMS Dreadnought and HMS Invincible, 1902-1907". The International History Review XXX (2): pp. 303-331.}}

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