5th Destroyer Flotilla | |
---|---|
Active | February, 1910–1942, 1947-1951 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Navy |
Size | Flotilla |
Commanders | |
First | Captain Herbert E. Holmes-à-Court |
Last | Captain Llewellyn V. Morgan |
Notable commanders | Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten |
The British 5th Destroyer Flotilla, [1] or Fifth Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from 1910 to 1942 and again from 1947 to 1951.
The flotilla was formed in February 1910 and disbanded in 1942. Its first commander was Captain Herbert E. Holmes-à-Court and its final pre-war commander was Captain Llewellyn V. Morgan. [2] It was reformed in June 1939 under the command of Captain Louis Mountbatten and was composed of new J- and K-class destroyers which were still under construction. [3] The flottila participated in the Norwegian campaign and Operation Medium, the bombardment of Cherbourg in October 1940, transferring to the Mediterranean in April 1941. [4] By the end of May 1941, the ships of the "Fighting Fifth" had been either dispersed or sunk during the Battle of Crete. [5] The flotilla was briefly reformed at Alexandria composed of Hunt-class destroyers.
The flotilla was reactivated in March 1947 until December 1951. In January 1952 it was re-designated 5th Destroyer Squadron.
Note: Command structure organizational changes took place within Royal Navy 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]
Assigned to | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|
Home Fleet, 3rd Division, Devonport Division | 1909 to 1912 | |
Admiral of Patrols | March 1909 to 1913 | transferred to Med |
Mediterranean Fleet | August 1914 to November 1918 | |
Home Fleet | April to November 1919 | |
Atlantic Fleet | 1921 to April 1925 | dispersed ships to 1DF Med. |
Home Fleet | September 1939 to April 1941 | reformed detached Humber Force |
Western Approaches Command | September 1940 to February 1941 | |
Plymouth Command | February to March 1941 | |
Mediterranean Fleet | 1 July 1941 to 1 August 1942 | disbanded |
Levant Command | 29 January 1943 to 1 October 1943 | reformed |
Mediterranean Fleet | 2 October 1943 to May 1945 | |
Home Fleet | June 1945 to 1951 | re-designated 5th Destroyer Squadron |
Incomplete list of post holders included: [7]
Included: [13]
, Home Fleet from March 1947
5th Destroyer Flotilla
, Home Fleet 1947
5th Destroyer Flotilla
, Home Fleet 1948
5th Destroyer Flotilla
, Home Fleet 1949
5th Destroyer Flotilla
, Home Fleet 1950
5th Destroyer Flotilla
, Home Fleet 1951
5th Destroyer Flotilla
The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy that operated from the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967. In 1967, it was merged with the Mediterranean Fleet creating the new Western Fleet.
The Battle class were a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN), named after naval or other battles fought by British or English forces. Built in three groups, the first group were ordered under the 1942 naval estimates. A modified second and third group, together with two ships of an extended design were planned for the 1943 and 1944 estimates. Most of these ships were cancelled when it became apparent that the war was being won and the ships would not be required, although two ships of the third group, ordered for the RAN, were not cancelled and were subsequently completed in Australia.
HMS Cadiz was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was named after the Battle of Cádiz, in which the French besieged the Spanish town in 1810, which was eventually lifted in 1812 after the French defeat at the Battle of Salamanca.
HMS Solebay was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She was named after the Battle of Solebay which took place in 1672 between an Anglo-French force and the Dutch Navy during the Third Anglo-Dutch War. Solebay was built by R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Limited on the Tyne. She was launched on 22 February 1944 and commissioned on 25 September 1945.
The 3rd Destroyer Squadron was a naval unit of the Royal Navy from 1952 to 2001.
The 4th Destroyer Squadron was a naval unit of the Royal Navy from 1951 to 1959.
The Royal Navy 5th Destroyer Squadron was a naval unit of the Royal Navy (RN) from 1952 to 2002.
The Flag Officer-in-Charge, Humber was a Royal Navy officer who administered naval forces located at Immingham and Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England. His formation was sometimes known as the Humber Station or Humber Area. In World War I it was a sub-command of the Admiral of Patrols from 1914 to 1916, then came under the Commander-in-Chief at the Nore until 1921. In World War II the FOIC was responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.
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.
The British 2nd Destroyer Flotilla was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from 1909 to 1943 and again from 1945 to 1946.
The British 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, also styled as Third Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from 1909 to 1939 and again from 1945 to 1951.
The British 6th Destroyer Flotilla, or Sixth Destroyer Flotilla, was a military formation of the Royal Navy from 1911 to 1939 and again from 1947 to 1951
The British 4th Destroyer Flotilla or Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from August 1909 to July 1951.
The Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf, was a Royal Navy command appointment who was responsible for administering the Persian Gulf Station military formation including its establishments and naval forces known as the Persian Gulf Squadron later called the Persian Gulf Division. Initially located at Basidu, Qishm Island, in Persia, then Henjam Island in Persia (1911–1935), and finally Ras Al-Jufair, Bahrain (1935–1972).
The British 11th Destroyer Flotilla, or Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from August 1915 to September 1945.
The British 12th Destroyer Flotilla, or Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from November 1915 to March 1919 and again from September 1939 to 2 July 1943.
The British 13th Destroyer Flotilla, or Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from November 1915 – November 1918 and again from September 1939 to January 1944.
The14th Destroyer Flotilla, or Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the British Royal Navy from April 1916 to 11 February 1919 and again from 1 June 1940 to January 1944.
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