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1st Destroyer Flotilla

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1st Destroyer Flotilla
Active1907; formal July 1909–July 1940, 1947-1951
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
SizeFlotilla
EngagementsWorld War I World War II
Commanders
FirstCommodore Edward F. B. Charlton
LastCaptain Michael S. Townsend

The 1st Destroyer Flotilla, also styled as the First Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the British Royal Navy from 1909 to 1940 and again from 1947 to 1951.

History

Pre-war history

In May 1906, the First Destroyer Flotilla was attached to the Channel Fleet. The flotilla was attached alongside the 2nd and 3rd Destroyer Flotillas.[1] Between February and August of 1907, it was stationed in Portsmouth until being reassigned to the Channel Fleet. In February 1909 the flotilla was transferred to the 1st Division of the Home Fleet. On 27 July 1909, it was placed under the command of Commodore Edward F. B. Charlton until 1910. From May 1912 to July 1914 the flotilla was allocated to the First Fleet of the Home Fleet.

World War I

At the outbreak of war in July, 1914, the First Destroyer Flotilla was part of the First Fleet and was composed of 20 destroyers, 1 depot ship, and 1 scout cruiser. In August 1914 it was grouped with two other flotillas to form the Harwich Force as part of the Grand Fleet, under the command of Reginald Tyrwhitt, until November 1916. The flotilla was next assigned to the Harwich Force where it remained until April 1917. From May 1917 until December 1918 it was in the Portsmouth Command.[1][2]


After World War One the flotilla was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet from November 1918 to April 1925. In 1925 it was re-designated 5th Destroyer Flotilla and assigned to its first overseas station as part of the Mediterranean Fleet until 1932.[3] It was renamed back to the 1st Destroyer Flotilla still with the Med Fleet until August 1938.[4] At the beginning of World War Two in September 1939, the flotilla was placed under the command of the Rear-Admiral, Destroyer Flotillas Mediterranean Fleet where it remained until July 1940 when it was moved to the Portsmouth Command, till May 1945.[5] Post the Second World War the Flotilla was reformed again as part of the Mediterranean Fleet in July 1945 until October 1951 when it was renamed 1st Destroyer Squadron.

Command structure organizational changes took place within the Royal Navy during the post-war period. The term Flotilla was previously applied to a tactical unit until 1951 which led to the creation of three specific Flag Officers, Flotillas responsible for the Eastern, Home and Mediterranean fleets. The existing destroyer flotillas were re-organized now as administrative squadrons.[6]

Operational deployments

Assigned to Dates Notes
Channel Fleet March 1907 to February 1909
Home Fleet, 1st Division March 1909 to April 1912
Home Fleets, First Fleet May 1912 to July 1914
Grand Fleet August 1914 to November 1916
Harwich Force November 1916 to April 1917
Portsmouth Command April 1917 to November 1918
Atlantic Fleet November 1918 to- April 1925 renumbered 5DF
Mediterranean Fleet September to July 1940
Portsmouth Command July 1940 to May 1945
Mediterranean Fleet July 1945 to October 1951

Administration

In the Royal Navy, a Captain (D) afloat or Captain Destroyers afloat is an operational commander responsible for the command of destroyer flotilla or squadron.

Captains (D) afloat 1st Destroyer Flotilla

Incomplete list of post holders included:[7]

Rank Name Term Notes
Captain (D) afloat 1st Destroyer Flotilla
1 Commodore Edward F. B. Charlton 27 July, 1909 – after 27 June, 1910
2 Commodore 2nd class Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot 29 November, 1910 – 1 May, 1912 later R.Adm.
3 Captain Arthur R. Hulbert 10 May, 1912 – 12 January, 1913
4 Captain Thomas L. Shelford 20 January, 1913
5 Captain William F. Blunt 25 April, 1913 – 25 July, 1915 (later R.Adm)[8]
6 Captain Charles D. Roper 27 July, 1915 – 8 June, 1916
7 Captain Brien M. Money 1 March, 1919 – 4 April, 1919
8 Captain George W. McO. Campbell 4 April, 1919 – 1 December, 1920 (later V. Adm)
9 Captain Arthur K. Betty 1 December, 1920 – 19 December, 1922
10 Captain Sir Andrew B. Cunningham 19 December, 1922 – 1 July, 1924 (later Adm. of the Fleet)
11 Captain Kenneth MacLeod 1 July, 1924 – 1 April, 1925
12 Captain James V. Creagh 7 July, 1925 – October, 1927
13 Captain John H. K. Clegg 11 October, 1927 – 7 December, 1929
14 Captain Alan R. Dewar 6 November, 1929 – 10 December, 1931 (later R.Adm)
15 Captain Edward B. Cloete 10 December, 1931 – December, 1932
16 Captain Charles F. Harris 12 December, 1932 - 18 May, 1936
17 Captain Charles M. Blackman 18 May, 1936 - 25 June, 1940
18 Captain Augustine W. S. Agar 25 June, 1940 – 13 July, 1940 (later Cmdre.) flotilla disbanded
19 Captain R. Dymock Watson 1947 - October 1948 flotilla reformed
20 Captain John E.H. McBeath October 1948 - April 1950
21 Captain Michael S. Townsend April 1950 - October 1951 flotilla renamed 1st Destroyer Squadron

References

  1. ^ a b Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914". www.naval-history.net. G. Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  2. ^ Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914-1918". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  3. ^ Halpern, Paul (2016). The Mediterranean Fleet, 1919–1929. Cambridge, England: Routledge. p. 296. ISBN 9781317024163.
  4. ^ Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1919-1939". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 2 September 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  5. ^ Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Orgqnisation in World War 2, 1939-1945". www.naval-history.net. n Smith, 19 September 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  6. ^ Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013: FLOTILLAS AND SQUADRONS 1947-1971". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 12 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  7. ^ Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "First Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell, 17 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  8. ^ Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). Colin Mackie, July 2018. pp. 224–226. Retrieved 10 July 2018.

Sources

  • Halpern, Paul (2016). The Mediterranean Fleet, 1919–1929. Cambridge, England: Routledge. ISBN 9781317024163.
  • Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. (2018) "First Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell.
  • Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914". www.naval-history.net. G. Smith.
  • Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914-1918". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.
  • Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation in World War 2, 1939-1945". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.