British Adriatic Squadron

The British Adriatic Squadron, or simply the Adriatic Squadron and later known as the British Adriatic Force, was a military formation of the Mediterranean Fleet during World War I based at Taranto from 1915–19.

Adriatic Squadron
Active	1915-1919
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	British Empire
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Squadron
Part of	Mediterranean Fleet (1915-1919)
Garrison/HQ	Taranto
Commanders
Notable commanders	Rear-Admiral Sir Cecil F. Thursby

History

In May 1915 Italy entered the war aligning itself with allied powers against the Central Powers, becoming involved in the Adriatic Campaign of World War I. But due to a lack of coordination with the French Naval Command by the Italians, the British decided to enforce an allied agreement by establishing a British Adriatic Squadron to be based at Taranto.^[1] Between July and September 1917 the Mediterranean Fleet was reorganised following coordination between other allied powers. Britain's scope of geographic responsibility to include new sub commands would encompass the Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea, Coast of Egypt, Gibraltar and the waters around Malta.^[2] Following command changes in August 1917 the squadron was downgraded and renamed the British Adriatic Force.^[3]

Commanders

Post holders included:^[4]

Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Title	Notes/Ref
Rear Admiral		Sir Cecil F. Thursby	June, 1915 – May, 1916	Rear-Admiral Commanding, British Adriatic Squadron	^[5]
Rear Admiral		Mark E. F. Kerr	May, 1916 – August, 1917	Rear-Admiral Commanding, British Adriatic Squadron
Rear Admiral		Algernon W. Heneage	May, 1916 – August, 1917	Rear-Admiral Commanding, British Adriatic Squadron
Commodore		Sir Howard Kelly	August 1917 – 1919	Commodore Commanding, British Adriatic Force	^[6]^[7]

References

1. Sondhaus, Lawrence (2014). The Great War at Sea: A Naval History of the First World War. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. p. 268. ISBN 9781107036901.
2. Watson, Graham (27 October 2015). "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, World War One 1914-1918:THE MEDITERRANEAN". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
3. Sondhaus, Lawrence (2014). The Great War at Sea: A Naval History of the First World War. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. p. 268. ISBN 9781107036901.
4. Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (3 November 2015). "Adriatic Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
5. Halpern, Paul G. (2004). The Battle of the Otranto Straits: Controlling the Gateway to the Adriatic in World War I. Bloomington, Indiana USA: Indiana University Press. p. 163. ISBN 025311019X.
6. Sondhaus, Lawrence (2014). The Great War at Sea: A Naval History of the First World War. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. p. 268. ISBN 9781107036901.
7. Marder, Arthur J. (2014). "2:Offensive in the Adriatic". From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow[electronic resource] (revised ed.). Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1473841888.

External links

• DreadnoughtProject.org page on the formation

Sources

• Halpern, Paul G. (2004). The Battle of the Otranto Straits: Controlling the Gateway to the Adriatic in World War I. Bloomington, Indiana USA: Indiana University Press. ISBN 025311019X.
• Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (2015). "Adriatic Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell.
• Marder, Arthur J. (2014). "2:Offensive in the Adriatic". From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow[electronic resource] (revised ed.). Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 1473841887.
• Sondhaus, Lawrence (2014). The Great War at Sea: A Naval History of the First World War. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107036901.
• Watson, Dr Graham (2015). "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, World War One 1914-1918:THE MEDITERRANEAN". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.