| Atlantic Fleet | |
|---|---|
 Capital Ships of the Atlantic Fleet | |
| Active | 1909–1914;1919–1932 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Fleet |
The Atlantic Fleet was a naval fleet of the Royal Navy. It existed for two separate periods; 1909 until 1914, and then 1919 until 1932.
On 14 December 1904 the Channel Fleet was re-styled the 'Atlantic Fleet'. [1] The Atlantic Fleet lasted until 1912 when rising tensions with Germany forced the Royal Navy to relook at fleet formations and the Atlantic Fleet became the 3rd Battle Squadron. [2] The Atlantic Fleet was based at Gibraltar to reinforce either the Channel Fleet or the Mediterranean Fleet, from January 1905 to February 1907. It remained at Gibraltar until April 1912. [3]
The Atlantic Fleet was again formed after the end of World War I, when British naval forces were reorganised to reflect the changed economic and political situation in Europe. The fleet was created upon the disbandment of the Grand Fleet in April 1919, absorbing many, but not all of its elements. It was placed under a Commander-in-Chief, who for part of that year held the title of Commander-in-Chief Atlantic and Home Fleets, before the Home Fleet became the Reserve Fleet and a totally separate command. HMS Queen Elizabeth became the Fleet's flagship and served in that capacity until 1924. [4]
The fleet never fought in a naval battle in its short history. The fleet's only point of note in history was in 1931, during the Invergordon Mutiny. Sailors of the fleet openly refused to obey orders over a dispute on pay sparked by the government at the time. [5] The fleet's short history ended in 1932, when the Admiralty having been shaken by the events of the Invergordon Mutiny, renamed the fleet, as the Home Fleet. [6]
The Commander-in-Chief's title was "Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet" between 1910-1912, however, the post was also sometimes styled as "Vice-Admiral Commanding, Atlantic Fleet".
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vice-Admiral |  | Lord Charles Beresford | 31 December 1904 – 1 March 1905 |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir William H. May | 1 March 1905 – 23 February 1907 |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Assheton Curzon-Howe | 23 February 1907 – 19 November 1908 |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral | | Prince Louis of Battenberg | 19 November 1908 – 20 December 1910 |
| 5 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir John Jellicoe | 20 December 1910 – 19 December 1911 |
| 6 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Cecil Burney | 19 December 1911 – July, 1914 |
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Admiral |  | Sir Charles Madden | 8 April 1919 – 15 August 1922 |
| 2 | Admiral | | Sir John de Robeck | 15 August 1922 – 15 August 1924 |
| 3 | Admiral | | Sir Henry Oliver | 15 August 1924 – 15 August 1927 |
| 4 | Admiral | | Sir Hubert Brand | 15 August 1927 – 17 April 1929 |
| 5 | Admiral | | Sir Ernle Chatfield | 17 April 1929 – 27 May 1930 |
| 6 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Michael Hodges | 27 May 1930 – 6 October 1931 |
| 7 | Admiral | | Sir John Kelly | 6 October 1931 – 1932 |
The post of Rear-Admiral Second-in-Command, Atlantic existed during the first formation of the Atlantic Fleet from June 1904 to August 1912. [13] There were no admirals appointed as seconds-in-command in the fleet's second iteration.
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear-Admiral |  | Francis Bridgeman | 25 June 1904 – 25 August 1905 |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir Archibald Milne | 25 August 1905 – 25 August 1906 |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | | George L.C. Egerton | 25 August 1906 – 28 August 1907 |
| 4 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir John R. Jellicoe | 28 August 1907 – 25 August 1908 |
| 5 | Rear-Admiral | | William B. Fisher | 25 August 1908 – 26 August 1909 |
| 6 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir Colin R. Keppel | 26 August 1909 – 12 September 1910 |
| 7 | Rear-Admiral | | Sackville Carden | 12 September 1910 – 29 August 1911 (co-assigned) |
| 8 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir Christopher Cradock | 29 August 1911 – 29 August 1912 |
Post holders included: [15]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commodore |  | Reginald Y. Tyrwhitt | December 1913 - 1914 |
| fleet disbanded 1914 - 1919 | ||||
| 2 | Commodore | | Hugh J.Tweedie | 1919 - May 1920 |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | | Michael H. Hodges | May 1920-July 1922 |
| 4 | Rear-Admiral | | Arthur K. Waistell | July 1922-April 1923 |
| 5 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir George H.Baird | April 1923-September 1924 |
| 6 | Rear-Admiral | | Colin K. Maclean | September 1924–September 1926 |
| 7 | Rear-Admiral | | Wion de M. Egerton | September 1926-July 1928 |
| 8 | Commodore | | Robin C. Dalglish | July 1928-August 1930 |
| 9 | Commodore | | Edward O.B.S.Osborne | August 1930-March 1932 continued as R.Adm (D) HF till July 1932. |
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of Staff, Atlantic Fleet | ||||
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | | Michael H.Hodges | April 1919 - May 1920 [17] |
| 2 | Commodore 1st Class | | Cyril T. M. Fuller | 1 May 1920 – 14 August 1922 [18] |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | | William W. Fisher | 14 August 1922 – 14 August 1924 [19] |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | | Arthur J. Davies | 14 August 1924 – October 1927 (initially-Cdre, 1.Cls) [20] |
| 4 | Rear-Admiral | | the Hon.Matthew R.Best | October 1927 – December 1927 [21] |
| 5 | Commodore | | Geoffrey Blake | December 1927 – April 1929 [22] |
| Unit | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2nd Cruiser Squadron | January 1905 – March 1909 | replaced by 5th CSQ [24] |
| 2 | 5th Cruiser Squadron | March 1909 – April 1912 | [25] |
| 3 | Atlantic Fleet Flotilla | 1906–1907 | no destroyers after 1907 [26] |
| 4 | 8 battleships | January 1905 – March 1909 | distributed [27] |
| 4 | 7 pre-dreadnoughts | March 1909 – April 1912 | distributed [28] |
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 Cruiser Squadron was a naval formation of the British Home Fleet consisting of Armored cruisers of the Royal Navy from 1899 to 1905.
The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between the United Kingdom and the majority of the British Empire in the Eastern Hemisphere. The first Commander-in-Chief for the Mediterranean Fleet was the appointment of General at Sea Robert Blake in September 1654. The Fleet was in existence until 1967.
The Channel Fleet and originally known as the Channel Squadron was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1854 to 1909 and 1914 to 1915.
The Battle Cruiser Fleet, (BCF), later known as Battle Cruiser Force, a naval formation of fast battlecruisers of the Royal Navy, operated from 1915 to 1919.
The 7th Battle Squadron was a squadron of the British Royal Navy assembled prior to World War I it was assigned to the Third Fleet and consisted of pre-dreadnought type battleships the oldest ships in fleet it existed from 1912 to 1914.
The 8th Battle Squadron was a squadron of the British Royal Navy assembled prior to the beginning of World War I; it was later assigned to the Third Fleet. The squadron consisted of pre-dreadnought type battleships. It existed from 1912 to 1914.
The 2nd Division was a naval formation of the British Home Fleet it was formed before First World War in March 1909 until May 1912.
The 2nd Cruiser Squadron was a formation of cruisers of the British Royal Navy from 1904 to 1919 and from 1921 to 1941 and again from 1946 to 1952.
The 9th Cruiser Squadron was a formation of cruisers of the Royal Navy from 1912 to 1919 and again from 1939 to 1940. Cruiser squadrons consisted of five to six ships in wartime and in peacetime as low as two to three ships. From 1914 until 1924/25 they were designated as Light Cruiser Squadrons then after 1925 redesignated as Cruiser Squadrons.
The 10th Cruiser Squadron, also known as Cruiser Force B was a formation of cruisers of the British Royal Navy from 1913 to 1917 and then again from 1940 to 1946.
The 11th Cruiser Squadron and also known as Cruiser Force E was a formation of cruisers of the British Royal Navy from 1914 to 1917 and again from 1939 to 1940.
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 4th Destroyer Flotilla , or Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from August 1909 to July 1951.
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 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.
The Black Sea and Caspian Squadron, also known as the Black Sea and Marmora Force and the Black Sea and Marmora Division, was a naval formation of the British Mediterranean Fleet from 1918 to 1919.
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