Difference between revisions of "Sixth Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy)"

Revision as of 18:40, 30 April 2013

The Sixth Destroyer Flotilla was a formation of destroyers of the Royal Navy. The flotilla changed composition often as ships were damaged, retired or transferred.

On 1 November, 1911, the flotilla had eight 30-knotters and four 27-knotters at the Nore, two 30 knotters and four 27-knotters at Portsmouth, and four 27-knotters at Devonport.^[1]

Composition

July, 1914

In July 1914, one source claims twelve "Tribal" class destroyers joined twelve 30 knotters at Dover to comprise the flotilla,^[2] but a more detailed primary source^[3] seems to indicate one fewer destroyer (Nubian is absent) led by three scout cruisers, with Attentive seeming to be the one acting as tender to the T.B.Ds..

A nearly identical list of ships participating in the Test Mobilisation differs only in that it has Sentinel rather than Foresight, and notes that Firedrake, Lurcher and Nubian were to join on Mobilisation.^[4]

Amazon, Crusader, Maori and Viking were undergoing refit in Chatham Royal Dockyard until 8 July, 1914.^[5]

September, 1914

The flotilla is one of four patrol flotillas in Home and Atlantic Waters, with no attached depot ship. A mix of twenty-four Tribals and 30 knotters make up the core.^[6]

October, 1914

The flotilla is one of four patrol flotillas in Home and Atlantic Waters, with no attached depot ship. The destroyer roster remains unchanged, but submarine Sentinel has been transferred to the Eighth Destroyer Flotilla.^[7]

This roster lasted until November or December only.^[8]

December, 1914

The flotilla is one of four patrol flotillas in Home and Atlantic Waters, with no attached depot ship. The destroyer roster remains unchanged, but third class protected cruiser Sapphire has left, next to appear in Fifth Destroyer Flotilla in January, 1915.^[9][10]

This roster lasted until February or March, 1915.^[11]

March, 1915

The flotilla is one of four patrol flotillas in Home and Atlantic Waters, with no attached depot ship. The destroyer roster has been augmented by River Class destroyers Exe, Teviot and Ure as well as torpedo boats T.B. 4, T.B. 13, T.B. 15 and T.B. 24.^[12]

April, 1915

The flotilla is one of four patrol flotillas in Home and Atlantic Waters, with no attached depot ship. The destroyer roster has lost destroyers Exe and Teviot to the Portland Local Defence Flotilla.^[13]

This roster would last through May, 1915.^[14]

June, 1915

The flotilla is now part of the Dover Patrol. The destroyer roster has lost Maori to a mine on 7 May, and cruisers Foresight and Adventure to the Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron.^[15][16]

July, 1915

The flotilla is still part of the Dover Patrol. The flotilla now enjoys the support of the balloon ship Menelaus.^[17]

August, 1915

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. The destroyer roster has lost Mohawk to repair mine damage sustained off Dover on June 1st. She was apparently not to return to service until August, 1916.^[18][19]

This roster was to remain in force until November, 1915.^[20][21]

November, 1915

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. The destroyer roster has dropped Zulu, though she was to return the next month. seaplane carrier Riviera has also joined. ^[22][23]95}}

December, 1915

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. Attentive is now flying the broad pendant of Commodore Charles Duncan Johnson, who took up duty in November,^[24] Zulu has returned to service after her one month hiatus and two gunboats have joined.^[25]

January, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. Two more patrol boats have joined.^[26]

This roster would last until March, 1915.^[27]

March, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. A fourth patrol boat has joined.^[28]

April, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. Menelaus has left, to be attached to the Grand Fleet in May^[29] and been replaced by the former fleet messenger ship, City of Oxford.^[30]

May, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. Cossack, Greyhound, Saracen, Tartar, Viking have been detached for unknown purposes, though they would all eventually reattach. Kangaroo has returned.^[31]

June, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. Cossack, Greyhound and Tartar have reattached after a one month hiatus.^[32]

July, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. Swift has been removed, to reappear in October. Falcon and P17 have been temporarily detached (they will rejoin in the coming month), and four more patrol boats have joined.^[33]

August, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. City of Oxford has been removed, and Falcon and Template:TB-17 have returned from their one month hiatus, as has Saracen, which had detached in May and Mohawk which left a considerable time ago.^[34]

September, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. Falcon and Fawn have been removed.^[35]

October, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol. Swift, Falcon, Fawn and Viking have returned, and it was noted that the two gunboats were "to pay off".^[36]

November, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol.  The gunboats are now gone. Flirt was torpedoed and lost on 27 October.Lapwing and Phoenix, recently of the First Destroyer Flotilla have joined.^[37]

December, 1916

The flotilla is still operating as part of the Dover Patrol.  Broke has joined from the Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla as a second flotilla leader, and Acasta class destroyers Ambuscade, Paragon, Porpoise, Unity and Victor have joined from the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla.

Offsetting these additions, Ure has been removed, to appear in an escort flotilla operating out of Portsmouth in January. Nubian has been removed, following her torpedo damage on 27 October. P12, P19 and P34 have been removed to the Portsmouth local defence flotilla.^[38]

January, 1917

The flotilla receives an influx of leaders. Active has temporarily joined, recently of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla. Faulknor has joined from the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla. Zulu has been removed in late reflection of her mining on 8 November; she was soon to be combined, in halves, with the Nubian to create a single replacement ship, Zubian.^[39]

March, 1917

Afridi Ghurka Greyhound have left temporarily, but would soon rejoin. Melpomene, Mentor, Meteor, and Morris have joined from the Tenth Destroyer Flotilla.^[40][41]

April, 1917

The flotilla gains tremendous strength with the arrival of Laertes Landrail, Lark Laverock, Linnet, Llewellyn, Lochinvar, Lucifer and Lydiard from the Ninth Destroyer Flotilla along with Mastiff Mermaid Moorsom and Myngs from the Tenth Destroyer Flotilla.

Recently detached Afridi and Greyhound have returned.

P50 has also joined.

Lapwing and Phoenix transferred out to Second Destroyer Flotilla.

Paragon and Myrmidon were removed, having been lost in a collision on 18 and 26 March, respectively. Ambuscade, Porpoise, Unity and Victor have left to join the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla.^[42][43]

May, 1917

Botha has joined as a fourth flotilla leader. T.B. 24 has been dropped.^[44]

[TO BE CONTINUED - TONE]

July, 1918

Along with some monitors, the Flotilla was the heart of the Dover Patrol, tender to depot ship Arrogant, which also served as flagship. Those that were paid off are marked with an asterisk.^[45]

War Service

At outbreak of war, the flotilla was deemed a "Patrol Flotilla" out of Portsmouth, with eleven "Tribals" (all but Nubian, acting as a tender at Excellent), three "B"s and nine "C"s under leaders Adventure and Active. Upon taking up war station at Dover, Nubian rejoined the flotilla.^[46]

In 1916, it was comprised of a mish-mash of types. Assorted old torpedo boats ran seventeen 18-in cold torpedoes that year that were 94% likely to endanger the enemy, while some P-boats' six 14-in runnings that year resulted in shots that were 83% likely to be dangerous to the enemy. The backbone, however, was comprised of River and Tribal class destroyers, whose ten 18-in Mark VII test-fired torpedoes were 70% likely to be dangerous to the enemy.^[47]

Footnotes

Bibliography

See Also

• Composition of the Grand Fleet