Difference between revisions of "Channel Fleet (Royal Navy)"

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to: navigation, search
(→‎History, 1905-1909)
(→‎Rear-Admirals in the Channel Fleet)
Line 9: Line 9:
 
===Rear-Admirals in the Channel Fleet===
 
===Rear-Admirals in the Channel Fleet===
 
Rear-Admiral [[Richard Poore, Fourth Baronet|Sir Richard Poore]], Rear-Admiral in the [[Mediterranean Fleet (Royal Navy)|Mediterranean Fleet]],<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Saturday, 8 October, 1904.  Issue '''37520''', col C, pg. 8.</ref> was transferred to the Channel Fleet with four battleships from the Mediterranean in February, 1905.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 17 January, 1905.  Issue '''37606''', col B, pg. 9.</ref>  Rear-Admiral [[Robert Leonard Groome|Robert L. Groome]] succeeded Rear-Admiral Poore on 16 November, 1905.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Thursday, 2 November, 1905.  Issue '''37854''', col A, pg. 8.</ref>  Rear-Admiral [[Robert Swinburne Lowry|Robert S. Lowry]] was appointed as Rear-Admiral in the Channel Fleet on 5 April, 1907.<ref>Lowry Service Record.  The National Archives.  ADM 196/39.  p. 800.</ref>  Lowry struck his flag on 30 September, 1907, and on 1 October Rear-Admiral [[Francis John Foley|Francis J. Foley]] hoisted his flag in the battleship [[H.M.S. Illustrious (1896)|''Illustrious'']].<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 17 September, 1907.  Issue '''38440''', col A, pg. 4.</ref>  Rear-Admiral [[James Startin]] succeeded Foley on 1 October, 1908.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Monday, 14 September, 1908.  Issue '''38751''', col E, pg. 6.</ref>
 
Rear-Admiral [[Richard Poore, Fourth Baronet|Sir Richard Poore]], Rear-Admiral in the [[Mediterranean Fleet (Royal Navy)|Mediterranean Fleet]],<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Saturday, 8 October, 1904.  Issue '''37520''', col C, pg. 8.</ref> was transferred to the Channel Fleet with four battleships from the Mediterranean in February, 1905.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 17 January, 1905.  Issue '''37606''', col B, pg. 9.</ref>  Rear-Admiral [[Robert Leonard Groome|Robert L. Groome]] succeeded Rear-Admiral Poore on 16 November, 1905.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Thursday, 2 November, 1905.  Issue '''37854''', col A, pg. 8.</ref>  Rear-Admiral [[Robert Swinburne Lowry|Robert S. Lowry]] was appointed as Rear-Admiral in the Channel Fleet on 5 April, 1907.<ref>Lowry Service Record.  The National Archives.  ADM 196/39.  p. 800.</ref>  Lowry struck his flag on 30 September, 1907, and on 1 October Rear-Admiral [[Francis John Foley|Francis J. Foley]] hoisted his flag in the battleship [[H.M.S. Illustrious (1896)|''Illustrious'']].<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 17 September, 1907.  Issue '''38440''', col A, pg. 4.</ref>  Rear-Admiral [[James Startin]] succeeded Foley on 1 October, 1908.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Monday, 14 September, 1908.  Issue '''38751''', col E, pg. 6.</ref>
 +
 +
===Destroyers===
 +
At the end of August, 1907 the Second and Fourth Destroyer Flotillas and the Home Fleet flotillas under Commodore [[Lewis Bayly|Bayly]] ceased to be the responsibility of the Rear-Admiral Commanding Torpedo Boats, [[Robert Archibald James Montgomerie|Robert A. J. Montgomerie]], who with the First and Third Flotillas was transferred to the Channel Fleet.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Tuesday, 13 August, 1907.  Issue '''38410''', col B, pg. 10.</ref>  Rear-Admiral Montgomerie consequently became Rear-Admiral (D) in the Channel Fleet.  It was decided in November that his appointment would lapse after his term of service was completed,<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Monday, 25 November, 1907.  Issue '''38499''', col C, pg. 4.</ref> and he struck his flag at sunset on 1 January, 1908.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Thursday, 19 December, 1907.  Issue '''38520''', col B, pg. 10.</ref>  On that day command of the "Western Group" of destroyers, as the Channel Fleet's flotillas were now known,<ref>Friedman.  ''British Destroyers''.  p. 272.</ref> devolved upon Captain [[Walter Henry Cowan|Walter H. Cowan]].<ref>Cowan Service Record.  The National Archives.  ADM 196/43.  p. 249.</ref>  On 5 January, 1909, Cowan was succeeded by Captain [[Edwyn Sinclair Alexander-Sinclair, Twelfth Laird of Freswick|Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair]].<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Thursday, 3 December, 1908.  Issue '''38820''', col C, pg. 7.</ref>
  
 
==History, 1914-1915==
 
==History, 1914-1915==

Revision as of 09:45, 11 November 2010

History, 1905-1909

Under the terms of an Admiralty Memorandum of 6 December, 1904, the Home Fleet was renamed the Channel Fleet[1] on 1 January, 1905.[2] Admiral Sir Arthur K. Wilson, previously Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, became Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet.

Admiral Lord Charles Beresford succeeded Wilson in absentia on 4 March, 1907.[3]

Seconds-in-Command

Rear-Admiral Charles J. Barlow had been Second-in-Command of the Home Fleet before it was renamed at the beginning of 1905. Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur W. Moore was appointed to succeed Barlow as Second-in-Command on 9 May of that year.[4] Vice-Admiral the Honourable Assheton G. Curzon-Howe succeeded Vice-Admiral Moore on 5 December.[5] Vice-Admiral Sir Reginald N. Custance was appointed Second-in-Command dated 23 February, 1907.[6] Custance was succeeded by Vice-Admiral Sir A. Berkeley Milne on 12 June, 1908.[7] Milne remained as Second-in-Command until the Channel Fleet was absorbed into the Home Fleet.

Rear-Admirals in the Channel Fleet

Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Poore, Rear-Admiral in the Mediterranean Fleet,[8] was transferred to the Channel Fleet with four battleships from the Mediterranean in February, 1905.[9] Rear-Admiral Robert L. Groome succeeded Rear-Admiral Poore on 16 November, 1905.[10] Rear-Admiral Robert S. Lowry was appointed as Rear-Admiral in the Channel Fleet on 5 April, 1907.[11] Lowry struck his flag on 30 September, 1907, and on 1 October Rear-Admiral Francis J. Foley hoisted his flag in the battleship Illustrious.[12] Rear-Admiral James Startin succeeded Foley on 1 October, 1908.[13]

Destroyers

At the end of August, 1907 the Second and Fourth Destroyer Flotillas and the Home Fleet flotillas under Commodore Bayly ceased to be the responsibility of the Rear-Admiral Commanding Torpedo Boats, Robert A. J. Montgomerie, who with the First and Third Flotillas was transferred to the Channel Fleet.[14] Rear-Admiral Montgomerie consequently became Rear-Admiral (D) in the Channel Fleet. It was decided in November that his appointment would lapse after his term of service was completed,[15] and he struck his flag at sunset on 1 January, 1908.[16] On that day command of the "Western Group" of destroyers, as the Channel Fleet's flotillas were now known,[17] devolved upon Captain Walter H. Cowan.[18] On 5 January, 1909, Cowan was succeeded by Captain Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair.[19]

History, 1914-1915

Upon the British declaration of War on 4 August, 1914, the Second and Third Fleets of the Home Fleets under Vice-Admiral Sir Cecil Burney was styled as the Channel, or Southern, Fleet. It was composed of the Fifth Battle Squadron, which was under the direct command of the Vice-Admiral Commanding, and the Seventh Battle Squadron, with attached light cruisers. The Seventh Battle Squadron was quickly dispersed for other duties, and in November, the Sixth Battle Squadron was formed from the older battleships of the Third Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet and joined the Channel Fleet. On 20 December, Vice-Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly succeeded Sir Cecil Burney. After the loss of the Formidable to submarine attack on 1 January, 1915, Bayly was relieved by Vice-Admiral The Hon. Sir. Alexander E. Bethell on 17 January. As 1915 wore on battleship divisions of the Fleet were dispersed, primarily to the Mediterranean for the Dardanelles Campaign, until May only a number of battleships under the command of Vice-Admiral Bethell were left.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Bradford. The Life of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur Knyvet Wilson. p. 197.
  2. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 24 October, 1908. Issue 38786, col E, pg. 11.
  3. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 4 March, 1907. Issue 38271, col D, pg. 10.
  4. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 26 April, 1905. Issue 37691, col B, pg. 8.
  5. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 13 November, 1905. Issue 37863, col B, pg. 7.
  6. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 2 February, 1907. Issue 38246, col F, pg. 11.
  7. ↑ Milne Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. p. 893.
  8. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 8 October, 1904. Issue 37520, col C, pg. 8.
  9. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 17 January, 1905. Issue 37606, col B, pg. 9.
  10. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 2 November, 1905. Issue 37854, col A, pg. 8.
  11. ↑ Lowry Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. p. 800.
  12. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 17 September, 1907. Issue 38440, col A, pg. 4.
  13. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 14 September, 1908. Issue 38751, col E, pg. 6.
  14. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 13 August, 1907. Issue 38410, col B, pg. 10.
  15. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 25 November, 1907. Issue 38499, col C, pg. 4.
  16. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 19 December, 1907. Issue 38520, col B, pg. 10.
  17. ↑ Friedman. British Destroyers. p. 272.
  18. ↑ Cowan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. p. 249.
  19. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 3 December, 1908. Issue 38820, col C, pg. 7.

Bibliography

Retrieved from "http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php?title=Channel_Fleet_(Royal_Navy)&oldid=18176"