Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy)

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The Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla was a formation of destroyers of the Royal Navy first created in April, 1916.

Captains (D)

History

April, 1916

The flotilla appears for the first time in the Supplement to the Monthly Navy List, attached to the Grand Fleet. The flotilla would started with nine newly constructed "M" class destroyers and a depot ship shared another flotilla.[3]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Depot Ship, shared w/ First Destroyer Flotilla
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Moresby Nepean Nerissa Nestor Nicator Nomad
Obdurate Onslow Pelican

May, 1916

The flotilla gains Champion as a flotilla cruiser, and destroyers Narborough, Nereus, Ophelia and Partridge. Strength is now a cruiser, thirteen destroyers and a shared depot ship.[4]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser
Champion
Depot Ship, shared w/ First Destroyer Flotilla
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Moresby Narborough Nepean Nereus Nerissa Nestor
Nicator Nomad Obdurate Onslow Ophelia Partridge
Pelican

Battle of Jutland

Main article: Thirteenth D.F. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland

Ten destroyers of the Thirteenth under the lead of the light cruiser Champion screened the First Battle Cruiser Squadron during the battle, bolstered by two destroyers temporarily detached from the Tenth Destroyer Flotilla. Eight of these vessels delivered a torpedo attack against the enemy battle cruisers at about 4.15pm, after gun and torpedo battle with enemy destroyers who were similarly tasked.

They were organised as follows:[5][6]

At the same time, Nepean remained in harbour and Paladin, Negro, Nereus, Penn and Penn were in dockyard hands.[7]

June, 1916

Nestor and Nomad have been removed, owing to their loss at Jutland. Ophelia has left to join the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla and Partridge has disappeared, to appear in the Fourteenth in July.

Gabriel joins as a flotilla leader, as well as new destroyers Negro, Paladin, Penn, Petard and Pigeon.

Strength is now a shared cruiser, a flotilla leader, fourteen destroyers and a shared depot ship.[8][9]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser, shared w/ First Destroyer Flotilla
Champion
Flotilla Leader
Gabriel
Depot Ship, shared w/ First Destroyer Flotilla
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Moresby Narborough Negro Nepean Nereus Nerissa
Nicator Obdurate Onslow Paladin Pelican Penn
Petard Pigeon

This roster would apply until August, 1916.[10]

August, 1916

New destroyers Medway, Oracle, Pasley and Patrician have joined.

Strength is now a shared cruiser, a flotilla leader, eighteen destroyers and a shared depot ship.[11]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser, shared w/ First Destroyer Flotilla
Champion
Flotilla Leader
Gabriel
Depot Ship, shared w/ First Destroyer Flotilla
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Negro Nepean Nereus
Nerissa Nicator Obdurate Onslow Oracle Paladin
Pasley Patrician Pelican Penn Petard Pigeon

This roster would apply until October.[12]

October, 1916

New destroyers Rival and Orpheus have joined. Partridge has gone to the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla.

Strength is now a shared cruiser, a flotilla leader, twenty destroyers and a shared depot ship.[13]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser, shared w/ First Destroyer Flotilla
Champion
Flotilla Leader
Gabriel
Depot Ship, shared w/ First Destroyer Flotilla
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Negro Nepean Nereus
Nerissa Nicator Obdurate Onslow Oracle Orpheus
Paladin Pasley Patrician Pelican Penn Petard
Pigeon Rival

November, 1916

The new flotilla leader Hoste has joined. It appears that Champion and Woolwich are no longer helping out the First Destroyer Flotilla.

The new destroyers Norseman Oriana and Oriole have joined.

Strength is now a cruiser, two flotilla leaders, twenty-three destroyers and a depot ship.[14]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser
Champion
Flotilla Leader
Gabriel Hoste
Depot Ship
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Negro Nepean Nereus
Nerissa Nicator Norseman Obdurate Onslow Oracle
Oriana Oriole Orpheus Paladin Pasley Patrician
Pelican Penn Petard Pigeon Rival

December, 1916

The new destroyers Octavia, Rosalind, Osiris, Oberon and Pylades have joined. Partridge has departed, to appear in the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla in January.

Strength is now a cruiser, two flotilla leaders, twenty-eight destroyers and a depot ship.[15]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser
Champion
Flotilla Leader
Gabriel Hoste
Depot Ship
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Negro Nepean Nereus
Nerissa Nicator Norseman Obdurate Oberon Octavia
Onslow Oracle Oriana Oriole Orpheus Osiris
Paladin Pasley Patrician Pelican Penn|align=center|Petard
Pigeon Pylades Rival
"R" class Destroyers
Rosalind

January, 1917

Hoste and Negro have been dropped, having collided together on 21 December.[16] Rosalind has left to join the Fifteenth Destroyer Flotilla.

Strength is now a cruiser, a flotilla leader, twenty-six destroyers and a depot ship.[17]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser
Champion
Flotilla Leader
Gabriel
Depot Ship
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Nepean Nereus Nerissa
Nicator Norseman Obdurate Oberon Octavia Onslow
Oracle Oriana Oriole Orpheus Osiris Paladin
Pasley Patrician Pelican Penn Petard Pigeon
Pylades Rival

This roster applied until April.[18]

April, 1917

Oriole has been dropped from the Navy List, to reappear here in June.

Flotilla strength is a cruiser, a flotilla leader, twenty-five destroyers and a depot ship.[19]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser
Champion
Flotilla Leader
Gabriel
Depot Ship
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Nepean Nereus Nerissa
Nicator Norseman Obdurate Oberon Octavia Onslow
Oracle Oriana Orpheus Osiris Paladin Pasley
Patrician Pelican Penn Petard Pigeon Pylades
Rival

May, 1917

Champion again has a Captain (D) embarked.

Oberon has disappeared from the Navy List without explanation, but would reappear here in August. Meanwhile, the new destroyer Tarpon has joined.

Flotilla strength is a cruiser, a flotilla leader, twenty-five destroyers and a depot ship.[20]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser, Captain (D)
Champion
Flotilla Leader
Gabriel
Depot Ship
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Nepean Nereus Nerissa
Nicator Norseman Obdurate Octavia Onslow Oracle
Oriana Orpheus Osiris Paladin Pasley Patrician
Pelican Penn Petard Pigeon Pylades Rival
"R" class Destroyers
Tarpon

June, 1917

Oriole has returned from two months in oblivion.

Flotilla strength is a cruiser, a flotilla leader, twenty-six destroyers and a depot ship.[21]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser, Captain (D)
Champion
Flotilla Leader
Gabriel
Depot Ship
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Nepean Nereus Nerissa
Nicator Norseman Obdurate Octavia Onslow Oracle
Oriana Oriole Orpheus Osiris Paladin Pasley
Patrician Pelican Penn Petard Pigeon Pylades
Rival
"R" class Destroyers
Tarpon

July, 1917

New destroyers Telemachus, Tristram and Tower have joined, as has flotilla leader Valentine.

Flotilla strength is a cruiser, two flotilla leaders, twenty-nine destroyers and a depot ship.[22]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser, Captain (D)
Champion
Flotilla Leaders
Gabriel Valentine
Depot Ship
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Nepean Nereus Nerissa
Nicator Norseman Obdurate Octavia Onslow Oracle
Oriana Oriole Orpheus Osiris Paladin Pasley
Patrician Pelican Penn Petard Pigeon Pylades
Rival
"R" class Destroyers
  Tarpon Telemachus Tristram Tower

August, 1917

Nicator has moved out to join the Northern Division of the Coast of Ireland Station.

Tarpon has been dropped from the List, not to reappear until March, 1918 with the Twentieth Destroyer Flotilla.

Oberon has returned and new destroyer Urchin has arrived.

Flotilla strength is a cruiser, two flotilla leaders, twenty-nine destroyers and a depot ship.[23][24]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser, Captain (D)
Champion
Flotilla Leaders
Gabriel Valentine
Depot Ship
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Nepean Nereus Nerissa
Norseman Obdurate Oberon Octavia Onslow Oracle
Oriana Oriole Orpheus Osiris Paladin Pasley
Patrician Pelican Penn Petard Pigeon Pylades
Rival
"R" class Destroyers
  Telemachus Tristram Tower Urchin

September, 1917

Pelican has left, to join Second Destroyer Flotilla in October, as has Oracle, to join Fourth Destroyer Flotilla in December.

The new destroyers Umpire, Vanoc and Vimiera have joined.

Flotilla strength is a cruiser, two flotilla leaders, thirty destroyers and a depot ship.[25][26][27]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Cruiser, Captain (D)
Champion
Flotilla Leaders
Gabriel Valentine
Depot Ship
Woolwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medway Moresby Narborough Nepean Nereus Nerissa
Norseman Obdurate Oberon Octavia Onslow Oriana
Oriole Orpheus Osiris Paladin Pasley Patrician
Penn Petard Pigeon Pylades Rival
"R" class Destroyers
Telemachus Tower Tristram Umpire Urchin
"V" class Destroyers
Vanoc Vimiera

[TO BE CONTINUED - TONE]

July, 1918

The Flotilla is one of six attached to the Grand Fleet under overall command of Commodore (F) in Castor. The flotilla is tender to depot ship Columbine.[28]

1 August, 1918

While operating with the Battle Cruiser Force, the flotilla was comprised as follows.[29]

Drill and Practice

In 1916, sixty-six test runs of the flotilla's 21-in Mark II torpedos in the first half of that year proved 77% probable to endanger the enemy.[30]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. p. 46.
  2. ↑ The Navy List (December, 1918). p. 756.
  3. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1916). p. 12.
  4. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1916). p. 12.
  5. ↑ Naval Operations. Volume III. p. 430.
  6. ↑ Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. p. 46.
  7. ↑ Naval Operations. Volume III. p. 430.
  8. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1916). p. 12.
  9. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 12.
  10. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 12 and Supplements through August.
  11. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1916). p. 12.
  12. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). p. 12 and October's Supplement.
  13. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 12.
  14. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1916). p. 12.
  15. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 12.
  16. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 69.
  17. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 12.
  18. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). p. 12 and Supplements through April.
  19. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1917). p. 12.
  20. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1917). p. 12.
  21. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1917). p. 12.
  22. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). p. 12.
  23. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1917). pp. 12, 17.
  24. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1918). p. 15.
  25. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1917). p. 12.
  26. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1917). p. 14.
  27. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1917). p. 14.
  28. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List (July, 1918). p. 12.
  29. ↑ Battlecruiser Force Signal Orders, The National Archives. ADM 137/2135.
  30. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1916. p. 87.

Bibliography

  • 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
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