Flag Officer-in-Charge, Humber

Last updated
Humber Station
Active1914-1921, 1939-1945
Country United Kingdom
Branch Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Navy
Type Naval station
Part of Royal Navy
Garrison/HQHMS Wallington, (1914-1920)
HMS Pembroke VII (1919-1920)
HMS Pembroke VIII (1920-1921)
HMS Beaver (1939-1945)
HM Naval Base, Immingham
(AO at Grimsby)

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.

Contents

History

Prior to World War I an Admiral of Patrols was appointed to command the destroyer and torpedo boat patrol flotillas that were formed and operating from different bases down the east coast of Britain, from the Forth to the Humber. Immingham was headquarters for 7th Destroyer Flotilla from August 1914 to November 1918. [1] [2] In 1915 The Auxiliary Patrol a component force under the (ADMP) based at Grimsby was designated Auxiliary Patrol Area IX, [3] during this period HMNB Immingham was also a submarine base for British D class submarine. During World War II the Humber Force received shore support from this station from 1939 to 1940. In 1941 various mine-laying and mine-seeping flotillas and groups were under the command. [4]

Administration world war one

NameBase/Flag Ship
Humber Station HMS Wallington, (1917-1920), HMS Pembroke VII (1919-1920), HMS Pembroke VIII (1920-1921)

Senior Naval Officer, Grimsby

Post holders included: [5]

RankInsigNameTermNotes/Ref
Senior Naval Officer, Grimsby
1 Commander Generic-Navy-O7.svg Charles. S. ForbesNovember 1916 – 9 March 1919(& Mobilising Officer, Humber District)
2 Captain Generic-Navy-O7.svg Francis H. Pollen9 March 1919 – 15 June 1920(Acting Cpt & Mobilising Officer, Humber District) [6]

Commanding Officer, Humber Area

Post holders included:

RankInsigNameTermNotes/Ref
Commanding Officer, Humber Area
1 Captain Generic-Navy-O7.svg Stephen. H. RadcliffeAugust 1920 – January, 1921(as Commanding Officer, Humber Area) [7]

Administration world war two

NameBase/Flag Ship
Humber Station HMS Beaver (1939-1945)

Flag Officer-in-Charge, Humber

:Post holders included: [8]

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Officer-in-Charge, Humber
1Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Arthur Francis Pridham September 1939 - 1 October 1940(as Flag Officer, Humber Area)
2Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Reginald V. Holt 1 October 1940 - 15 October 1942(retd) [9]
3Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Cosmo M. Graham 15 October 1942 - July 1945 [10]

Flag Captain, Chief Staff Officer and in command of HM Naval Base Immingham

Post holders included: [11]

RankInsigNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Captain, Chief Staff Officer, Humber, and Commander HMNB Immingham
1Captain Generic-Navy-O7.svg Edwin Mansergh Palmer22 December 1941 - July 1945(retd) [12]

Various units that served in this command included: [13]

Naval UnitsBased atDateNotes
4th Destroyer Flotilla HumberAugust - December, 1916transfer from Grand Fleet allocated to Humber Force, 1 Cruiser (L) 1 depot ship, 10 - 15 destroyers
7th Destroyer Flotilla HumberAugust 1914 - November 191811 torpedo boat destroyers (Admiral of Patrols)
20th Destroyer Flotilla Immingham1914 - 191840th Division - 6 ships under Captain (D), Nore
20th Destroyer Flotilla Immingham1941a specialist mine laying flotilla inc 13 ships
4th Minesweeping Flotilla Immingham1939 - 19418 ships
5th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla Immingham1939 - 19418 ships
2nd Submarine Flotilla ImminghamAugust 1916 - February 1917C class for coastal defence
3rd Submarine Flotilla Immingham/HumberSeptember 1916 - 1918D class for offensive patrols & C class for coastal defence
6th Submarine Flotilla HumberAugust 1914 - August 1916C class for coastal defence

Various units that served in this command included:

Naval UnitsBased atDateNotes
Humber Force HumberAugust - December, 1916
East Coast Force Humber (Admiral of Patrol)August 1914 - November 1918

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References

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  2. Watson, Dr Graam. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914-1918: Admiral of Patrol/East Coast of England". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 27 October 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  3. Archives, The National. "Auxiliary Patrol Reports, Area IX, Humber, 1915". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives UK, ADM 137/158, 1915. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  4. Bertke, Donald A.; Smith, Gordon; Kindell, Don (2012). World War II Sea War, Volume 3: The Royal Navy is Bloodied in the Mediterranean. Lulu Publishing. ISBN   9781937470012.
  5. Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "Grimsby - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell, 19 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  6. Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "Grimsby - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell, 19 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  7. "Flag Officers in Commission; Officers Commanding Areas". The Navy List. London, England: H. M. Stationery Office. January 1921. p. 693.
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  9. Parkinson, Jonathan (2018). The Royal Navy, China Station: 1864 - 1941: As seen through the lives of the Commanders in Chief. Leicester, England: Troubador Publishing Ltd. p. 433. ISBN   9781788035217.
  10. Gilbert, Martin (1977). Winston S. Churchill (1. American ed., 1. [Dr.] ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p.  853. ISBN   9780395251041.
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  12. Houterman, J.N. "Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945 - P: Palmer, Edwin Mansergh". www.unithistories.com. Houterman and Kloppes. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
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Sources