The 10th Cruiser Squadron carried out the Northern Patrol between Shetland and Norway and cruisers from Cromarty and Rosyth operated a second line (and screened the fleet) in enforcing the blockade of Germany. The administrative complications of the distant blockade across the northern exits of the North Sea overwhelmed the capacity of Vice Admiral Francis Miller, the Base Admiral in Chief from 7 August 1914, devolving on the commander in chief, Admiral John Jellicoe.[2] To relieve the administrative burdens on Miller and Jellicoe, the post of the Admiral of the Orkneys and Shetlands was created to oversee the defence of the islands, naval bases and shore duties.[3][a] Vice-Admiral Stanley Colville was appointed to the command (7 September 1914 – 19 January 1916) with Miller under his authority.[3]
Admiral Jellicoe was significantly concerned about the possibility of submarine or destroyer attacks on Scapa Flow. While the Grand Fleet spent almost the first year of the war patrolling the west coast of the British Isles, their base at Scapa was defensively reinforced, beginning with over sixty blockships sunk in the many entrance channels between the southern islands to enable the use of submarine nets and booms. These blocked approaches were backed by minefields, artillery and concrete barriers.[4]
Admiral Jellicoe was succeeded by Admiral Sir David Beatty in December 1916.[5]
After the Battle of Jutland, the German High Seas Fleet rarely ventured out of its bases at Wilhelmshaven and Kiel in the last two years of the war to engage with the British fleet.[6]
Not all the Grand Fleet was available for use at any one time, because ships required maintenance and repairs. At the time of the Battle of Jutland in May 1916, it had 32 dreadnought and super-dreadnought battleships. Of these, 28 were in the order of battle at Jutland.[10]
The actual strength of the fleet varied through the war as new ships were built and others were transferred or sunk but the number of battleships steadily increased, adding to the margin of superiority over the German fleet. After the USA joined the war, the US Battleship Division Nine was attached to the Grand Fleet as the Sixth Battle Squadron, adding four, later five, dreadnoughtbattleships.[11]
The Grand Fleet sailing in parallel columns during the First World War.
The order of battle of the Grand Fleet at the end of the war in 1918 included 35 dreadnought battleships and 11 battlecruisers.[b] Twenty ships had been completed since the outbreak of war. Five of these ships were from the United States Navy and one HMAS Australia from the Royal Australian Navy.[12][c] It had five battle squadrons, each of four to ten capital ships, plus the flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth, three cruiser squadrons, the "Flying Squadron" of seaplane carriers, and six destroyer flotillas, with another destroyer flotilla and three minesweeper flotillas under its command. The Battle Cruiser Force was two battle squadrons and the flagship HMS Lion (9 ships in total), and five cruiser squadrons (21 ships).[12]
Notes
^the Admiral of the Coast of Scotland was a separate authority which excluded the islands.[3]
^Two of these were the very lightly armoured Courageous-class battlecruiser.
^Although built for defence of the dominions and funded by New Zealand, HMS New Zealand was operated by the Royal Navy.
^ van der Vat, Dan (2007) [1987]. The Grand Scuttle: The Sinking of the German Fleet at Scapa Flow in 1919. Edinburgh: Birlinn Ltd. pp. 163–171. ISBN978-1-84341-038-6.
^Corbett, Naval Operations Vol. III Appendix A 6 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine
^ ab"Pink List: 11th November 1918". naval-history.net. 24 March 2015.
Sources
Corbett, J. S. (1920a). Naval Operations. History of the Great War. Vol. I: To the Battle of the Falklands 1914. London: Longmans, Green & Co. OCLC 929536844 – via The Internet Archive.
Corbett, J. S. (1920b). Naval Operations. History of the Great War. Vol. II (1921 printing ed.). London: Longmans, Green & Co. OCLC 754160010 – via The Internet Archive.
Corbett, J. S. (1923). Naval Operations. History of the Great War. Vol. III. London: Longmans, Green & Co. OCLC 867968279 – via The Internet Archive.
Heathcote, T. A. (2002). British Admirals of the Fleet 1734–1995: A Biographical Dictionary. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Leo Cooper. ISBN0-85052-835-6.
Jones, Jerry (1998). U.S. Battleship Operations in World War I. Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-55750-411-1.
External links
The Grand Fleet
April 30, 2023
grand, fleet, main, battlefleet, royal, navy, during, first, world, established, august, 1914, disbanded, april, 1919, main, base, scapa, flow, orkney, islands, firth, forthactive1914, 1919country, united, kingdombranchroyal, navytypefleetsize, shipsengagement. The Grand Fleet was the main battlefleet of the Royal Navy during the First World War It was established in August 1914 and disbanded in April 1919 Its main base was Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands Grand FleetThe Grand Fleet in the Firth of ForthActive1914 1919Country United KingdomBranchRoyal NavyTypeFleetSize 160 shipsEngagementsBattle of JutlandCommandersCommander in Chief1914 1916Sir John JellicoeCommander in Chief1916 1919Sir David Beatty Contents 1 History 2 Order of battle 3 Notes 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksHistory EditFormed in August 1914 from the First Fleet and part of the Second Fleet of the Home Fleets the Grand Fleet included 25 35 modern capital ships It was commanded initially by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe 1 The 10th Cruiser Squadron carried out the Northern Patrol between Shetland and Norway and cruisers from Cromarty and Rosyth operated a second line and screened the fleet in enforcing the blockade of Germany The administrative complications of the distant blockade across the northern exits of the North Sea overwhelmed the capacity of Vice Admiral Francis Miller the Base Admiral in Chief from 7 August 1914 devolving on the commander in chief Admiral John Jellicoe 2 To relieve the administrative burdens on Miller and Jellicoe the post of the Admiral of the Orkneys and Shetlands was created to oversee the defence of the islands naval bases and shore duties 3 a Vice Admiral Stanley Colville was appointed to the command 7 September 1914 19 January 1916 with Miller under his authority 3 Admiral Jellicoe was significantly concerned about the possibility of submarine or destroyer attacks on Scapa Flow While the Grand Fleet spent almost the first year of the war patrolling the west coast of the British Isles their base at Scapa was defensively reinforced beginning with over sixty blockships sunk in the many entrance channels between the southern islands to enable the use of submarine nets and booms These blocked approaches were backed by minefields artillery and concrete barriers 4 Admiral Jellicoe was succeeded by Admiral Sir David Beatty in December 1916 5 The Grand Fleet was based first at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands and later at Rosyth on the Firth of Forth It participated with the biggest fleet action of the war the Battle of Jutland in June 1916 1 After the Battle of Jutland the German High Seas Fleet rarely ventured out of its bases at Wilhelmshaven and Kiel in the last two years of the war to engage with the British fleet 6 Following the German defeat 74 ships of the High Seas Fleet Hochseeflotte of the Imperial German Navy Kaiserliche Marine were interned in Gutter Sound at Scapa Flow pending a decision on their future in the peace Treaty of Versailles 7 During April 1919 the Grand Fleet was disbanded with much of its strength forming a new Atlantic Fleet 8 Most of the interned German warships were later scuttled despite Royal Navy attempts to save them 9 Order of battle Edit The 2nd Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet in 1914 From left to right the ships are King George V Thunderer Monarch and Conqueror Not all the Grand Fleet was available for use at any one time because ships required maintenance and repairs At the time of the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 it had 32 dreadnought and super dreadnought battleships Of these 28 were in the order of battle at Jutland 10 The actual strength of the fleet varied through the war as new ships were built and others were transferred or sunk but the number of battleships steadily increased adding to the margin of superiority over the German fleet After the USA joined the war the US Battleship Division Nine was attached to the Grand Fleet as the Sixth Battle Squadron adding four later five dreadnought battleships 11 The Grand Fleet sailing in parallel columns during the First World War The order of battle of the Grand Fleet at the end of the war in 1918 included 35 dreadnought battleships and 11 battlecruisers b Twenty ships had been completed since the outbreak of war Five of these ships were from the United States Navy and one HMAS Australia from the Royal Australian Navy 12 c It had five battle squadrons each of four to ten capital ships plus the flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth three cruiser squadrons the Flying Squadron of seaplane carriers and six destroyer flotillas with another destroyer flotilla and three minesweeper flotillas under its command The Battle Cruiser Force was two battle squadrons and the flagship HMS Lion 9 ships in total and five cruiser squadrons 21 ships 12 Notes Edit the Admiral of the Coast of Scotland was a separate authority which excluded the islands 3 Two of these were the very lightly armoured Courageous class battlecruiser Although built for defence of the dominions and funded by New Zealand HMS New Zealand was operated by the Royal Navy References Edit a b Heathcote p 130 Corbett 1920a p 74 a b c Corbett 1920a pp 166 167 Robert K Massie 2004 Castles of Steel Ballantine Books ISBN 0 345 40878 0 page needed Heathcote p 25 Battle of Jutland greatest naval battle of WWI begins History com Retrieved 10 July 2022 Tarrant V E 1995 Jutland The German Perspective London Cassell Military Paperbacks p 282 ISBN 0 304 35848 7 Heathcote p 26 van der Vat Dan 2007 1987 The Grand Scuttle The Sinking of the German Fleet at Scapa Flow in 1919 Edinburgh Birlinn Ltd pp 163 171 ISBN 978 1 84341 038 6 Corbett Naval Operations Vol III Appendix A Archived 6 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine Jones p 25 a b Pink List 11th November 1918 naval history net 24 March 2015 Sources EditCorbett J S 1920a Naval Operations History of the Great War Vol I To the Battle of the Falklands 1914 London Longmans Green amp Co OCLC 929536844 via The Internet Archive Corbett J S 1920b Naval Operations History of the Great War Vol II 1921 printing ed London Longmans Green amp Co OCLC 754160010 via The Internet Archive Corbett J S 1923 Naval Operations History of the Great War Vol III London Longmans Green amp Co OCLC 867968279 via The Internet Archive Heathcote T A 2002 British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 1995 A Biographical Dictionary Barnsley South Yorkshire Leo Cooper ISBN 0 85052 835 6 Jones Jerry 1998 U S Battleship Operations in World War I Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 1 55750 411 1 External links EditThe Grand Fleet Royal Navy History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Grand Fleet amp oldid 1133007155, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
