| 1st Cruiser Squadron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1904–1952 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Allegiance | British Empire |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Engagements | Battle 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.
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.
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 | ||||
As per: [4]
As of: [5]
Light cruisers
As of: [6]
As of: [7]
As of: [8]
As of: [9]
As of: [10]
In October 1924 the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron is re-designated 1st Cruiser Squadron this takes effect in November 1924 and reformed as an enlarged unit of the Mediterranean Fleet under the command Rear Admiral Arthur K.Waistell. Louis Mountbatten served as commander of the squadron in the Mediterranean Fleet and, having been granted the substantive rank of vice admiral on 22 June 1949, he became Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in April 1950.
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 |
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 | |
HMS Duke of Edinburgh was the lead ship of the Duke of Edinburgh-class armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the early 1900s. She was stationed in the Mediterranean when the First World War began and participated in the pursuit of the German battlecruiser SMS Goeben and light cruiser SMS Breslau. After the German ships reached Ottoman waters, the ship was sent to the Red Sea in mid-August to protect troop convoys arriving from India. Duke of Edinburgh was transferred to the Grand Fleet in December 1914 and participated in the Battle of Jutland in May 1916. She was not damaged during the battle and was the only ship of her squadron to survive. She was eventually transferred to the Atlantic Ocean in August 1917 for convoy escort duties.
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