1st Cruiser Squadron

1st Cruiser Squadron
Active1904–1952
CountryUnited Kingdom
AllegianceBritish Empire
BranchRoyal Navy
EngagementsBattle of Dogger Bank
Battle of Jutland

The First Cruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron of cruisers that saw service as part of the Grand Fleet during World War I, then later as part of the Mediterranean during the Interwar period and World War II. It was first established in 1904 and existed until 1952.

History

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First formation

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The squadron was formed in December 1904 when Cruiser Squadron was re-designated the 1st Cruiser Squadron. In March 1909, then consisting of battlecruisers, it was assigned to the 1st Division of the Home Fleet until April 1912. When the First World War began, the squadron was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet where it participated in the pursuit of the German battlecruiser SMS Goeben and the light cruiser SMS Breslau. It joined then Grand Fleet in January 1915 where it participated in the battles of Dogger Bank and the Battle of Jutland. It was disbanded after the battle as three of its four ships had been sunk in June 1916. In July 1917 H.M. Ships Courageous, Glorious and Furious were detached from the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron and named the First Cruiser Squadron, part of the newly formed Light Cruiser Force. It remained part of Light Cruiser Force until April 1919 when it was once again disbanded.

Rear/Vice Admiral commanding

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Post holders included:[1][2]

Rank Flag Name Term
Rear-Admiral/Vice-Admiral Commanding, 1st Cruiser Squadron [3]
1 Rear-Admiral Edmund S. Poe December, 1904 - July, 1905
2 Rear-Admiral George Neville July, 1905 - July, 1907
3 Rear-Admiral Sir Percy M. Scott July, 1907 - September, 1908
4 Rear-Admiral Charles H. Adair September, 1908 - February, 1909
5 Rear-Admiral Hon. Stanley C. J. Colville February, 1909 - February, 1911
6 Rear-Admiral Lewis Bayly February, 1911 - January, 1913
7 Rear-Admiral Ernest C.T. Troubridge January, 1913 - September, 1914
8 Rear-Admiral Sir Archibald G. H.W. Moore November, 1914 - January, 1915
9 Rear-Admiral Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot † January, 1915 - May, 1916
squadron disbanded 06/1916 - 06/1917
10 Vice-Admiral Trevylyan D.W.Napier July, 1917 - April, 1919
squadron disbanded 1919-1924

Composition, April–May 1907

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As per:[4]

Composition, First World War

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HMS Black Prince
August 1914
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As of:[5]

Armoured cruisers

Light cruisers

Commander Sidney R. Drury-Lowe, R. N.
24 January 1915
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As of:[6]

22 February 1915
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As of:[7]

  • Defence - Flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot
  • Duke of Edinburgh
  • Black Prince
  • Warrior
30 May 1916
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As of:[8]

  • Defence - Flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot
  • Duke of Edinburgh
  • Black Prince
  • Warrior
October 1917
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As of:[9]

17 November 1917
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As of:[10]

  • Courageous
  • Glorious

Second formation

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In October 1924 the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron was re-designated the 1st Cruiser Squadron. This took effect in November 1924 and the squadron was reformed as an enlarged unit of the Mediterranean Fleet under the command of Rear Admiral Arthur Waistell.

In June 1942 the squadron under the commander of Rear-Admiral Louis Keppel Hamilton was assigned to provide distant cover for Convoy PQ 17. The squadron consisted of the British cruisers HMS London (flagship) and Norfolk, the American cruisers USS Wichita and Tuscaloosa and four destroyers, two from the United States Navy. Louis Mountbatten served as commander of the squadron in the Mediterranean Fleet after the war. Having been granted the substantive rank of vice admiral on 22 June 1949, Mountbatten became Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in April 1950.

Rear/Vice Admiral commanding

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Post holders included:[11][12]

Rank Flag Name Term
Rear-Admiral/Vice-Admiral Commanding, 1st Cruiser Squadron [13]
1 Rear-Admiral Arthur K.Waistell November, 1924 - October, 1926
2 Rear-Admiral William H.D. Boyle October, 1926 - October, 1928
3 Rear-Admiral Henry W. Parker October, 1928 - March, 1930
4 Rear-Admiral Joseph Henley C. W. Henley March, 1930 -April 1932
5 Rear-Admiral George K. Chetwode April, 1932 - June, 1933
6 Vice-Admiral John K. im Thurn June, 1933 - July, 1935
7 Vice-Admiral Max K. Horton July, 1935 - October, 1936
8 Vice-Admiral Charles E.Kennedy-Purvis October, 1936-September, 1938
9 Vice-Admiral John H. D. Cunningham September, 1938 - December, 1940
10 Rear-Admiral W. Frederic Wake-Walker December, 1940 - February 1942
11 Rear-Admiral Louis H.K. Hamilton February 1942 - August, 1943
12 Vice-Admiral Arthur F.E. Palliser August, 1943 - March, 1944
13 Vice-Admiral Sir Rhoderick R. McGrigor March, 1944 - July 1945
14 Rear-Admiral Harold R.G. Kinahan June, 1946 - June, 1947
15 Rear-Admiral Richard V. Symonds-Tayler June, 1947 - October, 1948
16 Vice-Admiral Earl Mountbatten of Burma October, 1948 - May, 1950
17 Rear-Admiral C.T. Mark Pizey May, 1950 - July, 1951
18 Vice-Admiral Ralph A.B. Edwards July, 1951 – 1952

Deployments

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Included:[14]

from to deployed to notes
March 1909 April 1912 1st Division, Home Fleet
July 1914 January 1915 Mediterranean Fleet
January 1915 June 1916 Grand Fleet
July 1917 April 1919 Light Cruiser Force
November 1924 August 1939 Mediterranean Fleet
August 1939 1952 Home Fleet

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie, December 2017. pp. 206–209. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  2. ^ Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "First Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Lovelll and Harley, 30 August 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  3. ^ Government, H.M. (October 1913). "Flag Officers - Vice Admirals". The Navy List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 87.
  4. ^ Sieche, p. 146
  5. ^ Corbett, I, p. 440
  6. ^ Corbett, II, p. 413
  7. ^ Corbett, II, p. 418
  8. ^ Corbett, III, p. 429
  9. ^ Newbolt, V, p. 152
  10. ^ Newbolt, V, p. 168
  11. ^ Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie, December 2017. pp. 206–209. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  12. ^ Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "First Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Lovelll and Harley, 30 August 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  13. ^ Government, H.M. (October 1913). "Flag Officers - Vice Admirals". The Navy List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 87.
  14. ^ Houterman, J.N. "Royal Navy, Squadrons 1939-1945". www.unithistories.com. J.N. Houterman, 2010-2017. Retrieved 25 March 2018.

References

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  • Corbett, Julian. Naval Operations to the Battle of the Falklands. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. I (2nd, reprint of the 1938 ed.). London and Nashville, TN: Imperial War Museum and Battery Press. ISBN 0-89839-256-X.
  • Corbett, Julian (1997). Naval Operations. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. II (reprint of the 1929 second ed.). London and Nashville, TN: Imperial War Museum in association with the Battery Press. ISBN 1-870423-74-7.
  • Corbett, Julian (1997). Naval Operations. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. III (reprint of the 1940 second ed.). London and Nashville, TN: Imperial War Museum in association with the Battery Press. ISBN 1-870423-50-X.
  • Newbolt, Henry (1996). Naval Operations. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents. Vol. V (reprint of the 1931 ed.). Nashville, TN: Battery Press. ISBN 0-89839-255-1.
  • Sieche, Erwin F. (1990). "Austria-Hungary's Last Visit to the USA". Warship International. XXVII (2): 142–164. ISSN 0043-0374.
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