| Battle Cruiser Fleet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1915–1919 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Allegiance | British Empire |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Type | Fleet |
| Engagements | Battle of Jutland |
The Battle Cruiser Fleet, (BCF), [1] later known as Battle Cruiser Force, a naval formation of fast battlecruisers of the Royal Navy, operated from 1915 to 1919.
The Fleet was formed on 11 February 1915 when the Admiralty ordered the deployment of its faster Battlecruiser squadrons to the Rosyth Command [2] and grouped them together as the new Battle Cruiser Fleet. [3] The name 'Fleet' remained until 1916 although it was officially subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief, Grand Fleet. [4] The fleet initially contained the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battlecruiser Squadrons but this was reduced to the 1st and 2nd BC Squadrons in June 1916. It also included two light cruiser squadrons and two destroyer flotillas, in addition the new 5th Battle Squadron that included the new fast Queen Elizabeth-class battleships operated with the fleet. On 29 November 1916 it was renamed Battle Cruiser Force. The force was disbanded in April 1919. [5]
Post holders included: [6] [7] [8]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vice-Admiral Commanding, Battle Cruiser Fleet/Force | |||||
| 1 | Vice-Admiral |  | Sir David R. Beatty | 8 February 1915 | (acting V.Adm) [9] |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral |  | Sir William C. Pakenham | 29 November 1916 | |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Henry F. Oliver | 28 February 1919 – 21 March 1919 | (temporary Cdg) [10] |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Roger J. B. Keyes | 21 March 1919 – 7 April 1919 | (acting V.Adm) [11] |
Post holders included: [12]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of Staff, Battle Cruiser Fleet/Force | |||||
| 1 | Captain | Rudolf W. Bentinck | February 1915-June 1916 | ||
| 2 | Captain | the Hon. Hubert G. Brand | June–December 1916 | ||
| 3 | Captain | Edward H. Heaton-Ellis | December 1916-August 1917 | ||
| 4 | Captain | Hugh F. P. Sinclair | August 1917-December 1918 | ||
| 5 | Captain | William H.D. Boyle | December 1918-March 1919 | ||
| Unit | Elements | Notes [15] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main components at various times attached to BCF from 8 February 1915 to 4 April 1919 | |||
| 1 | 1st Battlecruiser Squadron | 4/5 Battle Cruisers [16] | |
| 2 | 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron | 3/4 Battle Cruisers [17] | |
| 3 | 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron | 3/4 Battle Cruisers [18] | detached 05/1916 [19] |
| 4 | 5th Battle Squadron | 5 fast battleships | special unit of fast battleships operating with BCF [20] |
| 5 | 1st Cruiser Squadron | 4 cruisers | attached 02/1915 - 06/1916 [21] |
| 6 | 2nd Cruiser Squadron | 4 cruisers | attached 02-1915 - 06/1916 [22] |
| 7 | 3rd Cruiser Squadron | 3/4 cruisers | attached 02-1915 - 09/1916 [23] |
| 8 | 6th Cruiser Squadron | 4/5 cruisers | attached 02/1915 - 10/1917 [24] |
| 9 | 7th Cruiser Squadron | 4/5 cruisers | attached 02/1915 - 05/1916 [25] |
| 10 | 1st Light Cruiser Squadron | 11 Town-class [26] | from 02/1915 to 09/1918 |
| 11 | 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron | 10 Town-class replaced by C Class [27] | from 02/1915 to 05/1918 [28] |
| 12 | 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron | from 02/1915 to 05/1918 [29] | |
| 13 | 4th Light Cruiser Squadron | 5 C-class cruisers and 1 Arethusa-class cruiser | from 06/1915 to 1919 [30] |
| 14 | 6th Light Cruiser Squadron | 5 C-class cruisers | from 07/1917 to 1919 [31] |
| 15 | 7th Light Cruiser Squadron | 6 Arethusa-class cruisers/ C-class cruisers | from 03/1918 to 11/1918 [32] |
| 16 | 1st Destroyer Flotilla | 1 Cruiser (L) 20 destroyers | from the Harwich Force - 02/1915 to 11/1916 detached to Nore Command [33] |
| 17 | 2nd Destroyer Flotilla | 1 Cruiser (L) 18/22 destroyers | ditto from 02/1915 to 04/1916 detached to Devonport [34] |
| 18 | 3rd Destroyer Flotilla | 14 destroyers | from the Harwich Force, 02/1918 to 1918 [35] |
| 19 | 4th Destroyer Flotilla | 1 cruiser (FS) 2/3 cruiser (L) 20 destroyers | from 02/1915 to 09/1916 detached to Humber [36] |
| 20 | 9th Destroyer Flotilla | 22 L Class [37] | from 02/1915 [38] |
| 21 | 11th Destroyer Flotilla | 1/2 cruiser (L) 25 destroyers | formed 09/1915 [39] |
| 22 | 12th Destroyer Flotilla | 1/2 cruiser (L) 25 destroyers | formed 11/1915 [40] |
| 23 | 13th Destroyer Flotilla | 4 M Class, 10 R Class, 26 V & W Class [41] | |
| 24 | 14th Destroyer Flotilla | 2 cruiser (L) 32 destroyers | formed 08/1916 [42] |
| 25 | 15th Destroyer Flotilla | 2 cruiser (L) 22 destroyers | formed 09/1916 [43] |
| 26 | 20th Destroyer Flotilla | 2 cruiser (L) 12 destroyers | formed 1918 initially a mine laying flotilla [44] |
| 27 | Scapa Local Flotilla | 8 destroyers | formed 1918 |
| 28 | 1st Minesweeper Flotilla | 12 minesweepers | formed 1915 [45] |
| 29 | 2nd Minesweeper Flotilla | 6 minesweepers | formed 1916 [46] |
| 30 | 3rd Minesweeper Flotilla | 14 minesweepers | formed 1918 [47] |
| The Fleet/Force consisted of approximately 250-300 ships [48] | |||
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 Atlantic Fleet was a naval fleet of the Royal Navy. It existed for two separate periods; 1909 until 1914, and then 1919 until 1932.
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 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.
The 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron was a naval formation of light cruisers of the Royal Navy from 1914 to 1925.
The 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron was a naval formation of light cruisers of the Royal Navy from 1915 to 1922.
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 12th Cruiser Squadron also known as Cruiser Force G was a formation of cruisers of the British Royal Navy from 1914 to 1915 and then again from 1939 to 1943.
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 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 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.
