First Fleet (United Kingdom)

Former naval fleet of the Royal Navy

First Fleet
Active	31 July 1912 – August 1914
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Fleet

Military unit

Structure

Parent unit

Home Fleets

Components

1st Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14)
2nd Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14)
3rd Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14)
4th Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14)
1st Cruiser Squadron (07.12-01.13)
2nd Cruiser Squadron (07.12-08.14)
3rd Cruiser Squadron (07.12-08.14)
4th Cruiser Squadron (07.12-08.14)
1st Light Cruiser Squadron (13-08.14)
1st Destroyer Flotilla (05.12-07.14)
2nd Destroyer Flotilla (05.12-07.14)
3rd Destroyer Flotilla (07.12-08.14)
4th Destroyer Flotilla (07.12-08.14)

The First Fleet was a formation of the Royal Navy that briefly existed before the First World War from 1912 to 1914.

History

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The First Fleet was formed on 31 July 1912, with the Commander-in-Chief Home Fleets in direct command of it;^[1] a vice admiral commanded the Second and Third Fleets. The numbered fleets during this period had different levels of battle readiness; ships of the First Fleet ships were in full commission.^[2]

The First Fleet included four destroyer flotillas under Captain Cecil Lambert.^[3] Captain Reginald Tyrwhitt took over the command of the destroyer flotillas in December 1913.^[4]

Commanders

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Rank	Flag	Name	Term
Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleets/First Fleet^[5]
1	Admiral		Sir George Callaghan	31 July 1912 – December 1914

Components

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Included ^[6]

Unit	Notes
1	1st Battle Squadron	(8 battleships)^[7]
2	2nd Battle Squadron	(8 battleships)^[8]
3	3rd Battle Squadron	(8 pre-dreadnoughts)^[9]
4	4th Battle Squadron	(4 battleships)^[10]
5	1st Cruiser Squadron	(4 cruisers then to Battle-Cruiser Squadron 01.13)^[11]
6	2nd Cruiser Squadron	(4-5 cruisers)^[12]
7	3rd Cruiser Squadron	(5-7 cruisers)^[13]
8	4th Cruiser Squadron	(7-8 cruisers)^[14]
9	1st Light Cruiser Squadron	(14 cruisers assigned-reassigned between 1913 and 1914)^[15]
10	1st Destroyer Flotilla	(1 scout cruiser, 20 destroyers)^[16]
11	2nd Destroyer Flotilla	(1 scout cruiser, 20 destroyers)^[17]
12	3rd Destroyer Flotilla	(1 scout cruiser,16 destroyers -all to Med as 5th DF, 1913, replaced by 4 destroyers)^[18]
13	4th Destroyer Flotilla	(1 scout cruiser, 12 destroyers + 18 K. Class, 1912–13)^[19]

References

[edit ]

^ Government, H.M. (October 1913). "List of officers on active list of the Royal Navy with the dates of their seniority". The Navy List. H.M Stationery Office. p. 86.
^ "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914". naval-history.net. Gordom Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
^ The Times. Monday, 29 July 1912. Issue 39963, col D, p. 3.
^ The Times. Monday, 24 November 1913. Issue 40377, col B, p. 5.
^ Government, H.M. (October 1913). "Flag Officers – Vice Admirals". The Navy List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 87.
^ "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914". naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015
^ Smith. 2015

Sources

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Government, H.M. (October 1913). "List of officers on active list of the Royal Navy with the dates of their seniority". The Navy List. H.M Stationery Office.

External links

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The Dreadnought Project: First Fleet

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