Atlantic Fleet (United Kingdom)
Former naval fleet of the Royal Navy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Atlantic Fleet was a naval fleet of the Royal Navy. It existed for two periods; 1909 until 1914, and then 1919 until 1932.
| Atlantic Fleet | |
|---|---|
Capital Ships of the Atlantic Fleet | |
| Active | 1909–1914;1919–1932 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Fleet |
History
On 14 December 1904 the Channel Fleet was re-styled the 'Atlantic Fleet'.[1] The Atlantic Fleet lasted until 1912 when rising tensions with Germany forced the Royal Navy to relook at fleet formations and the Atlantic Fleet became the 3rd Battle Squadron.[2] The Atlantic Fleet was based at Gibraltar to reinforce either the Channel Fleet or the Mediterranean Fleet, from January 1905 to February 1907. It remained at Gibraltar until April 1912.[3]
The Atlantic Fleet was again formed after the end of World War I, when British naval forces were reorganised to reflect the changed economic and political situation in Europe. The fleet was created upon the disbandment of the Grand Fleet in April 1919, absorbing many, but not all of its elements. It was placed under a Commander-in-Chief, who for part of that year held the title of Commander-in-Chief Atlantic and Home Fleets, before the Home Fleet became the Reserve Fleet and a totally separate command. HMS Queen Elizabeth became the Fleet's flagship and served in that capacity until 1924.[4]
The fleet never fought in a naval battle in its short history. In 1931, during the Invergordon Mutiny, sailors of the fleet openly refused to obey orders because of a dispute over pay with the government.[5] The fleet's short history ended in 1932, when the Admiralty having been shaken by the events of the Invergordon Mutiny, renamed the fleet, as the Home Fleet.[6]
Senior officers
Commanders-in-Chief Atlantic Fleet
The Commander-in-Chief's title was "Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet" between 1904 and 1910, and "Vice-Admiral Commanding, Atlantic Fleet" from 1910 to 1912.
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Title | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vice-Admiral |  | Lord Charles Beresford | 31 December 1904 – 1 March 1905 | Commander-in-Chief |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir William May | 1 March 1905 – 23 February 1907 | Commander-in-Chief |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Assheton Curzon-Howe | 23 February 1907 – 19 November 1908 | Commander-in-Chief |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral | | Prince Louis of Battenberg | 19 November 1908 – 20 December 1910 | Commander-in-Chief |
| 5 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir John Jellicoe | 20 December 1910 – 19 December 1911 | Vice-Admiral Commanding |
| 6 | Acting Vice-Admiral | | Sir Cecil Burney | 19 December 1911 – July, 1912 | Vice-Admiral Commanding |
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Admiral |  | Sir Charles Madden, 1st Baronet | 8 April 1919 – 15 August 1922 |
| 2 | Admiral | | Sir John de Robeck | 15 August 1922 – 15 August 1924 |
| 3 | Admiral | | Sir Henry Oliver | 15 August 1924 – 15 August 1927 |
| 4 | Admiral | | Sir Hubert Brand | 15 August 1927 – 17 April 1929 |
| 5 | Admiral | | Sir Ernle Chatfield | 17 April 1929 – 27 May 1930 |
| 6 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Michael Hodges | 27 May 1930 – 6 October 1931 |
| 7 | Admiral | | Sir John Kelly | 6 October 1931 – 1932 |
Rear-Admiral, Second-in-Command, Atlantic Fleet
The post of Rear-Admiral Second-in-Command, Atlantic existed during the first formation of the Atlantic Fleet from June 1904 to August 1912.[13] There were no admirals appointed as seconds-in-command in the fleet's second iteration.
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear-Admiral |  | Francis Bridgeman | 25 June 1904 – 25 August 1905 |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir Berkeley Milne | 25 August 1905 – 25 August 1906 |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | | George Egerton | 25 August 1906 – 28 August 1907 |
| 4 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir John Jellicoe | 28 August 1907 – 25 August 1908 |
| 5 | Rear-Admiral | | William Fisher | 25 August 1908 – 26 August 1909 |
| 6 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir Colin Keppel | 26 August 1909 – 12 September 1910 |
| 7 | Rear-Admiral | | Sackville Carden | 12 September 1910 – 29 August 1911 (co-assigned) |
| 8 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir Christopher Cradock | 29 August 1911 – 29 August 1912 |
Commodore/Rear-Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Atlantic Fleet
Post holders included:[15]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commodore 2nd Class |  | Hugh Tweedie | 1919 - May 1920 |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | | Michael Hodges | May 1920-July 1922 |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | | Arthur Waistell | July 1922-April 1923 |
| 4 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir George Baird | April 1923-September 1924 |
| 5 | Rear-Admiral | | Colin Maclean | September 1924–September 1926 |
| 6 | Rear-Admiral | | Wion Egerton | September 1926-July 1928 |
| 7 | Commodore 2nd Class | | Robin Dalglish | July 1928-August 1930 |
| 8 | Commodore 2nd Class | | Edward Osborne | August 1930-March 1932 continued as R.Adm (D) HF till July 1932. |
Chief of Staff, Atlantic Fleet
- Second Formation included [16]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of Staff, Atlantic Fleet | ||||
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | | Michael H.Hodges | April 1919 - May 1920 [17] |
| 2 | Commodore 1st Class |  | Cyril Fuller | 1 May 1920 – 14 August 1922[18] |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | | William Fisher | 14 August 1922 – 14 August 1924 [19] |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | | Arthur Davies | 14 August 1924 – October 1927 (initially-Cdre, 1.Cls)[20] |
| 4 | Rear-Admiral | | Matthew R.Best | October 1927 – December 1927[21] |
| 5 | Commodore 2nd Class | | Geoffrey Blake | December 1927 – April 1929 [22] |
Components
First formation
- Distribution of the Fleet first formation included:[23]
| Unit | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2nd Cruiser Squadron | January 1905 – March 1909 | replaced by 5th CSQ [24] |
| 2 | 5th Cruiser Squadron | March 1909 – April 1912 | [25] |
| 3 | Atlantic Fleet Flotilla | 1906–1907 | no destroyers after 1907 [26] |
| 4 | 8 battleships | January 1905 – March 1909 | distributed [27] |
| 4 | 7 pre-dreadnoughts | March 1909 – April 1912 | distributed [28] |
Second formation
- Distribution of the Fleet second formation included:[29]
| Unit | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1st Battle Squadron | 1919 – November 1924 | re-titled 2nd BS [30] |
| 2 | 2nd Battle Squadron | 1919 – May 1924 | absorbed into 1st BS [31] |
| 3 | 3rd Battle Squadron | March 1926 – May 1930 | ex Mediterranean Fleet[32] |
| 4 | Battlecruiser Squadron | 1919 – September 1936 | to Med, 4.39-returned to Home Fleet[33] |
| 5 | Aircraft Carriers | 1919 – September 1931 [34] | |
| 6 | Aircraft Carrier Squadron | September 1931 – 1932 [35] | |
| 7 | 1st Light Cruiser Squadron | 1919 – November 1924 | to Mediterranean Fleet[36] |
| 8 | 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron | 1919–1920 | re-designated 2nd CSQ [37] |
| 9 | 2nd Cruiser Squadron[38] | 1920–1932 | [39] |
| 10 | 1st Destroyer Flotilla | 1919 – April 1925 | [40] |
| 10 | 2nd Destroyer Flotilla | 1919 – November 1924 | to Mediterranean Fleet[41] |
| 11 | 3rd Destroyer Flotilla | 1919 – August 1923 | to Mediterranean Fleet[42] |
| 12 | 4th Destroyer Flotilla | 1919 – August 1923 | to Mediterranean Fleet[43] |
| 13 | 5th Destroyer Flotilla | 1919 – April 1925 | to Mediterranean Fleet as 1DF [44] |
| 14 | 6th Destroyer Flotilla | 1919–1921 | absorbed 8th DF [45] |
| 15 | 7th Destroyer Flotilla | 1925 – August 1928 | [46] |
| 16 | 8th Destroyer Flotilla | 1925 – August 1927 | to China Station[47] |
| 17 | 9th Destroyer Flotilla | 1925 – August 1927 | absorbed 7th DF [48] |
| 18 | 1st Submarine Flotilla | 1919–1927 | Rosyth Command to 1926 then to Nore Command till 1927 [49] |
| 19 | 2nd Submarine Flotilla | 1919–1924 | Plymouth Command to 1924, after to FO, Malta[50] |
| 20 | 3rd Submarine Flotilla | 1919–1927 | Portsmouth Command to 1922 Plymouth Command till 1927 then to 2nd SF [51] |
| 21 | 5th Submarine Flotilla | 1919–1932 | Portsmouth Command[52] |
| 22 | 6th Submarine Flotilla | 1919–1932 | FO, Portland[53] |