User:From Hill To Shore/sandbox/Crete order of battle (revised)

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Page purpose

This page is to collect notes to reformat the Allied Naval Forces section of Battle of Crete order of battle. The Battle took place over several days and ships were transferred between units to cover losses or to support a change in tactics/strategy by allied commanders. This is not reflected in the current article, which shows a confusing mixture of the initial formations and later formations; some ships are shown in multiple formations. This is likely a reflection of editors finding sources that ships were in one formation for the battle (perhaps on day 1) and then other editors finding sources saying the same ship was in another formation for the battle (perhaps on day 5).

This page will be based primarily on the official despatches from the allied naval commander, Admiral Cunningham. While this is a primary source, it is the authorative account of which ships were ordered into different formations at different times. Use of primary sources is consistent with WP:PRIMARY where statements of fact can be supported; primary sources can't be used to justify interpretations of the source material.

Notes

Mediterranean Fleet

Composition of Mediterranean fleet, May 1941.

Source, D A Thomas, pp. 122-123

Battleships

Warspite
Valiant
Queen Elizabeth
Barham

Aircraft Carrier

Formidable (with 4 aircraft)^[1]

Cruisers

Orion
Dido
Gloucester
Fiji
Ajax
Perth
Naiad
Phoebe

AA Cruisers

Coventry
Calcutta
Carlisle

Destroyers

Napier
Nizam
Kelly
Kandahar
Kingston
Kipling
Kashmir
Kelvin
Kimberly
Juno
Janus
Jervis
Jackal
Jaguar
Nubian
Isis
Imperial
Ilex
Hero
Hotspur
Hereward
Hasty
Havock
Griffin
Greyhound
Decoy
Defender
Stuart
Voyager
Vendetta

Sloops

Aukland
Flamingo

Minelayer

Abdiel

Assault ships

Glenroy
Glengyle
Glenearn

Oiler

Brambleleaf

15 to 18 May

These are the initial formations for battle ordered by Cunningham on 15 May. They are recorded as the Admiral's "intentions" rather than statements of fact. Cunningham notes these formations operated until 18 May.

Force A

Listed as being under the command of Vice Admiral, 1st Battle Squadron (Henry Pridham-Wippell)

Queen Elizabeth
Barham
5 destroyers (unnamed)

Force B

Gloucester
Fiji

Force C

Dido
Kandahar
Nubian
Kingston
Juno
Coventry

Force D

Listed as being under the command of RAD (Rear Admiral Irvine Glennie)

Naiad
Pheobe
2 destroyers (unnamed)

Other units

These are vessels operating independently of the main Forces.

Rorqual (submarine) - operating near Lemnos
Flottilla of motor torpedo boats stationed at Suda Bay
Abdiel to lay mines between Cephalonia and Levkas

Reserve (at Alexandria)

Warspite
Valiant
Formidable
Orion
Ajax
Remaining destroyers (unnumbered and unnamed)

18 and 19 May

Reserve units were ordered to relieve the ships at sea, to allow refuelling. Reserve units departed Alexandria under the designation of "Force A1."

Force A

Cunningham isn't clear on the membership of Force A at this point. Other sources will be required to confirm the membership.

Unspecified units to return to Alexandria after rendezvous with Force A1 (The interpretation being that this included the two ships named on 15 May but we can't interpret a primary source).
Hotspur - to be transferred from Force A to Force A1
Imperial - to be transferred from Force A to Force A1

Force A1

Listed under the command of CS7 (Rear Admiral Rawlings). Departed Alexandria at 20:00 on 18 May.

Warspite, flagship.^[2]
Valiant.^[2]
Napier.^[2]
Kimberley.^[2]
Janus.^[2]
Isis.^[2]
Decoy.^[2]
Griffin.^[2]
Ajax - to transfer from Force A1 to Glennie's unnamed force after rendezvous on 20 May.^[2]
Hero - to transfer from Force A1 to Glennie's unnamed force after rendezvous on 20 May.^[2]
Hereward - to transfer from Force A1 to Glennie's unnamed force after rendezvous on 20 May.^[2]
Hotspur - to be transferred from Force A to Force A1.^[2]
Imperial - to be transferred from Force A to Force A1.^[2]

Force B

Ordered to return to Alexandria to refuel then to redezvous with Force A1.

Gloucester.^[2]
Fiji.^[2]

Unnamed force (CS15)

This force contains ships previously designated as parts of Forces C and D. Listed under the command of CS15 (Rear Admiral King). Ordered to return to Alexandria, refuel then sail again early on 19 May.

Naiad, flagship.^[2]
Perth.^[2]
Kandahar.^[2]
Nubian.^[2]
Kingston.^[2]
Juno.^[2]

Unnamed force (RAD)

This unnamed force records only Glennie's flagship with orders to return to Alexandria, refuel and depart with reserve units on 19 May.

Dido.^[2]
Greyhound - reserve unit at Alexandria, to sail with Dido on 19 May.^[2]
Hasty - reserve unit at Alexandria, to sail with Dido on 19 May.^[2]
Orion - reserve unit at Alexandria, to sail with Dido on 19 May.^[2]
Ajax - to transfer from Force A1 to Glennie's unnamed force after rendezvous on 20 May.^[2]
Hero - to transfer from Force A1 to Glennie's unnamed force after rendezvous on 20 May.^[2]
Hereward - to transfer from Force A1 to Glennie's unnamed force after rendezvous on 20 May.^[2]

Reserve (at Alexandria)

Greyhound.^[2]
Hasty.^[2]
Orion.^[2]

20 May

Fleet reorganised following confirmation of German attack on Crete.

Force A1 (Initial)

Not detailed in Cunningham's despatch. Details provided by Thomas p. 130. Note:these are the pre-rearranged assignments.

Warspite (flag - Rawlings)
Valiant
Napier
Kimberley
Isis
Janus
Griffin
Imperial

Force B

Gloucester
Fiji

Force C (King)

Naiad (Flag)
Perth
Kandahar
Nubian
Kingston
Juno

Force D (Glennie)

Dido (flag)
Orion
Ajax
Isis
Kimberley
Imperial
Janus

Force E

Jervis (lead, Captain Mack)
Nizam
Ilex

Reserve

Calcutta - ordered to pass through the Kaso strait after Force C and rendezvous with Force C off Heraklion on 21 May 07:00.
Carlisle - ordered to sail from Alexandria and rendezvous with Force E on 21 May 07:00

21 May

Thomas p. 134

Force A1

Not specified by Thomas.

Force B

Gloucester
Fiji

Force C

Not specified by Thomas except noting that they were joined by Calcutta at 06:00.

Calcutta

Others

Abdiel - returning to Alexandria after completing minelaying operation
Carlisle - Instructed to join Force C rather than Force E

Force D

Not specified by Thomas.

Force E

Not specified by Thomas; noted had withdrawn south of Crete following attack, per original orders.

References

^ Thomas, p. 124
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae Thomas, p.128-129

Bibliography

"Cunningham, A. B., The Battle of Crete, Despatch to the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty, 4 August 1941". The London Gazette (Supplement). No. 38296. 21 May 1948. pp. 3103–3119.
Thomas, David Arthur (1980) [1972]. Crete 1941: The Battle at Sea. Athens: Efstathiadis Group. ISBN 9780233962726. OCLC 11023583.

[1] Thomas, p. 124

[Thomas128-129-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae Thomas, p.128-129

[1]

[2]