Third Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy)
The Third Destroyer Flotilla was a formation of destroyers of the Royal Navy. The flotilla changed composition often as ships were damaged, retired or transferred.
Originally the Nore Destroyer Flotilla, composed of nucleus crew vessels, it became the Third Destroyer Flotilla in April, 1910.[1]
Contents
Early History
On 1 November, 1911, the flotilla was comprised of:[2]
- Diamond (flag)
- Foresight, Forward (scouts)
- Aquarius, St. George (depot ships)
- Twenty-six "Rivers"
The following year, it was largely comprised of Beagles.
In 1912, whichever destroyers were in it were armed with 21-in R.G.F. Mark II Torpedoes.[3]
July, 1914
Part of the First Fleet, the Flotilla was now comprised of sixteen "L" class destroyers (at least three very recently added) under scout cruiser Amphion with depot ship Dido. The Commodore (T) directed First Fleet's four flotillas from the flagship, third class protected cruiser Amethyst. Its composition during the Test Mobilisation of July 1914 was as follows.[4]
| scout cruiser Amphion | |||
| Laertes | Laforey | Lance | Landrail |
| Lark | Laurel | Lawford | Legion |
| Lennox | Liberty | Linnet | Llewellyn |
| Louis | Loyal | Lydiard | Lysander |
Early War Operations
Based in Harwich with fifteen "L" class destroyers (soon growing to 20) under flagship scout cruiser Amphion at the start of the war,[5] Lance and Landrail fired the first shots of the war against German minelayer Konigen Luise on 5 August. Amphion was sunk as she returned to port.[6] Commodore (T) was in the third class protected cruiser Amethyst.[7]
At 7 AM of 28 August, acting in concert with First Destroyer Flotilla in the Battle of Heligoland Bight, destroyers Laertes, Laurel, Liberty, and Lysander torpedoed light cruiser Mainz. Only Lysander avoided receiving significant damage.[8]
In September 1914, it was decided that an M class destroyer (apparently, Miranda was selected[9]) should join as the half-flotilla leader and be fitted with a Mark II W/T set, longer mast, No. 2 set of flags and two additional signal ratings. Additionally, Undaunted would replace Amphion as flotilla leader.[10]
In September-October, 1915, the Third Destroyer Flotilla became the Ninth Destroyer Flotilla.
Captains (D)
Dates of appointment given:
- Captain Godfrey M. Paine, 2 June, 1909.[11]
- Captain Ernest S. Carey, 31 July, 1912.[12]
- Captain Cecil H. Fox, 3 April, 1913.[13]
- Captain Francis G. St. John, M.V.O., 26 October, 1914.[14]
- Captain Harold E. Sulivan, 15 August, 1917.[15]
Footnotes
- ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 20 April, 1910. Issue 39251, col A, p. 9.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 160.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1912. p. 36.
- ↑ Admiralty Weekly Order No. 109 of 10 July 1914.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 15.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 141.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 164.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 141.
- ↑ Grand Fleet Conferences, 1914. p. 218.
- ↑ Grand Fleet Conferences, 1914. p. 104.
- ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 2 June, 1909. Issue 38975, col B, p. 9.
- ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 26 July, 1912. Issue 39961, col C, p. 12.
- ↑ "Movements of Ships" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 28 March, 1913. Issue 40171, col E, p. 6.
- ↑ Navy List (October, 1915). p. 398s.
- ↑ Navy List (November, 1917). p. 395a.
Bibliography
- March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892-1953. London: Seeley Service & Co. Limited. (on Bookfinder.com).
- Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.
See Also
| British Destroyer Flotillas | |||
| First | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth | Seventh | Eighth | Ninth | Tenth | |||
| Eleventh | Twelfth | Thirteenth | Fourteenth | Fifteenth | Sixteenth | Seventeenth | Eighteenth | Nineteenth | |||
| Twentieth | Twenty-first | |||
| Local Defence Flotillas | |||
| Clyde | Devonport | Devonport & Falmouth | Falmouth | Firth of Forth | Gibraltar | |||
| Liverpool | Mersey | Newhaven | Nore | North Channel | Milford & Pembroke | Pembroke | |||
| Portland | Portsmouth | Queenstown | |||
