1st Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
The British 1st Battle Squadron was a squadron of battleship
s, initially part of the Royal Navy
's Home Fleet, renamed the Grand Fleet during World War I
. The squadron changed composition often as ships were damaged, retired or transferred.
. During the Battle of Jutland, the composition of the 1st Battle Squadron was as follows:
. In January 1917, the squadron was constituted as follows:
By 1918, Agincourt had been transferred to the 2nd Battle Squadron
, and Resolution
, Ramillies
and Iron Duke
had joined the squadron on completion.
On 3 September 1939 the 1st Battle Squadron, serving in the Mediterranean Fleet
, consisted of Barham, Warspite, and Malaya, with headquarters at Alexandria
, Egypt
, under the command of Vice-Admiral Geoffrey Layton
.
In December 1943 the Squadron was under the command of Vice Admiral
Arthur Power
.
In January 1944 the Eastern Fleet was reinforced by HMS Queen Elizabeth
, HMS Renown
, HMS Valiant
, HMS Illustrious, HMS Unicorn
, and seven destroyers. The Admiralty sent this force out to India under the title of the First Battle Squadron.
From November 1944, the squadron served in the British Pacific Fleet
under the command of
Vice-Admiral Henry Rawlings
, who also serviced as Second-in-Command of the Fleet. It consisted of HMS King George V
, HMS Howe, HMS Duke of York
, and HMS Anson at various times.
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s, initially part of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's Home Fleet, renamed the Grand Fleet during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The squadron changed composition often as ships were damaged, retired or transferred.
August 1914
On 5 August 1914, the squadron was constituted as follows:-
- HMS MarlboroughHMS Marlborough (1912)HMS Marlborough was an Iron Duke-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named in honour of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and launched in 1912. In World War I she served in the 1st Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet based at Scapa Flow...
- HMS CollingwoodHMS Collingwood (1908)HMS Collingwood was a dreadnought battleship of the British Royal Navy. Her design was essentially similar to the design of the previous ships, the . The Admiralty perceived in the planned building of German dreadnoughts a potential threat to the naval security of Great Britain, and saw the need...
- HMS ColossusHMS Colossus (1910)HMS Colossus of the British Royal Navy was the nameship of her class of dreadnought battleships.She was launched on 9 April 1910 and commissioned in 1911. Although very similar to Neptune she was not part of Neptunes class as Colossus and her sister-ship, Hercules, had greater armour...
- HMS HerculesHMS Hercules (1910)HMS Hercules was a Colossus-class battleship built by Palmers, launched on 10 May 1910, and commissioned on 31 July 1911 at Portsmouth. She was a 20,000-ton dreadnought, mounting ten 12 inch guns in five twin gun turrets, sixteen 4 inch , four 3 pounders, and three 21 inch ...
- HMS NeptuneHMS Neptune (1909)HMS Neptune was a Royal Navy dreadnought battleship, intended to be the lead ship of three Neptune-class battleships, but the subsequent two ships had slightly thicker belt armour and were reclassified as the Colossus class.-Design:...
- HMS St. VincentHMS St. Vincent (1908)HMS St. Vincent was the lead ship of the St. Vincent class battleships of the British Royal Navy.She was commissioned on 3 May 1910 as 2nd flagship of 1st Division Home Fleet at Portsmouth. She was commanded by Capt. Douglas R. L. Nicholson and was flagship of Rear-Admiral Richard H...
- HMS SuperbHMS Superb (1907)HMS Superb was a of the British Royal Navy. She was built in Elswick at a cost of £1,744,287, and was completed on 19 June 1909. She was only the fourth dreadnought-type battleship to be completed anywhere in the world, being preceded only by and by her two sister-ships and -Origin:The advent of...
- HMS VanguardHMS Vanguard (1909)The eighth HMS Vanguard of the British Royal Navy was a St Vincent-class battleship, an enhancement of the "" design built by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness...
- HMS Marlborough
Battle of Jutland, June 1916
As an element in the Grand Fleet, the Squadron participated in the Battle of JutlandBattle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
. During the Battle of Jutland, the composition of the 1st Battle Squadron was as follows:
-
- Sixth Division
- HMS MarlboroughHMS Marlborough (1912)HMS Marlborough was an Iron Duke-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named in honour of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and launched in 1912. In World War I she served in the 1st Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet based at Scapa Flow...
Flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Cecil BurneyCecil BurneyAdmiral of the Fleet Sir Cecil Burney, 1st Baronet GCB GCMG was a British Royal Navy admiral.-Early life and service before flag rank:...
; Captain G. P. Ross; - HMS Revenge Captain E. B. Kiddle;
- HMS HerculesHMS Hercules (1910)HMS Hercules was a Colossus-class battleship built by Palmers, launched on 10 May 1910, and commissioned on 31 July 1911 at Portsmouth. She was a 20,000-ton dreadnought, mounting ten 12 inch guns in five twin gun turrets, sixteen 4 inch , four 3 pounders, and three 21 inch ...
Captain L. Clinton-BakerLewis Clinton-BakerAdmiral Sir Lewis Clinton-Baker KCB KCVO CBE was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station.-History:...
; - HMS AgincourtHMS Agincourt (1913)HMS Agincourt was a dreadnought built in the early 1910s. The ship was originally ordered by Brazil, but the collapse of the rubber boom plus a lessening of the rivalry with Argentina led to her resale while still under construction to the Ottoman Empire who renamed her as Sultan Osman I...
Captain H. M. Doughty; - Fifth Division
- HMS ColossusHMS Colossus (1910)HMS Colossus of the British Royal Navy was the nameship of her class of dreadnought battleships.She was launched on 9 April 1910 and commissioned in 1911. Although very similar to Neptune she was not part of Neptunes class as Colossus and her sister-ship, Hercules, had greater armour...
Flagship of Rear Admiral E. F. A. GauntErnest GauntAdmiral Sir Ernest Frederick Augustus Gaunt KBE , a native of Australia, was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief of the Western Approaches.-Naval career:...
; Captain A. D. P. R. PoundDudley PoundAdmiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound GCB OM GCVO RN was a British naval officer who served as First Sea Lord, professional head of the Royal Navy from June 1939 to September 1943.- Early life :...
; - HMS CollingwoodHMS Collingwood (1908)HMS Collingwood was a dreadnought battleship of the British Royal Navy. Her design was essentially similar to the design of the previous ships, the . The Admiralty perceived in the planned building of German dreadnoughts a potential threat to the naval security of Great Britain, and saw the need...
Captain J. C. Ley; - HMS St. VincentHMS St. Vincent (1908)HMS St. Vincent was the lead ship of the St. Vincent class battleships of the British Royal Navy.She was commissioned on 3 May 1910 as 2nd flagship of 1st Division Home Fleet at Portsmouth. She was commanded by Capt. Douglas R. L. Nicholson and was flagship of Rear-Admiral Richard H...
Captain W. W. FisherWilliam Wordsworth FisherAdmiral Sir William Wordsworth Fisher, GCB, GCVO was a Royal Navy officer who captained a battleship at the Battle of Jutland and became Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet...
; - HMS NeptuneHMS Neptune (1909)HMS Neptune was a Royal Navy dreadnought battleship, intended to be the lead ship of three Neptune-class battleships, but the subsequent two ships had slightly thicker belt armour and were reclassified as the Colossus class.-Design:...
Captain V. H. G. Bernard;
1917 and 1918
Following the Battle of Jutland, the 1st Battle Squadron was reorganized, with Colossus, Hercules, St. Vincent, Collingwood and Neptune all transferred to the 4th Battle Squadron4th Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 4th Battle Squadron was a squadron consisting of battleships. The 4th Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During World War I the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
. In January 1917, the squadron was constituted as follows:
-
- HMS MarlboroughHMS Marlborough (1912)HMS Marlborough was an Iron Duke-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named in honour of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and launched in 1912. In World War I she served in the 1st Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet based at Scapa Flow...
- HMS AgincourtHMS Agincourt (1913)HMS Agincourt was a dreadnought built in the early 1910s. The ship was originally ordered by Brazil, but the collapse of the rubber boom plus a lessening of the rivalry with Argentina led to her resale while still under construction to the Ottoman Empire who renamed her as Sultan Osman I...
- HMS BenbowHMS Benbow (1913)HMS Benbow was an Iron Duke-class battleship of the Royal Navy, the third ship of the class and the third ship to be named in honour of Admiral John Benbow....
- Joined July,1916 - HMS Canada
- HMS Emperor of IndiaHMS Emperor of India (1913)HMS Emperor of India was an Iron Duke-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. She was originally to have been named Delhi but was renamed just a month before launching after King George V, who was also Emperor of India....
- Joined July, 1916 - HMS Revenge
- HMS Royal OakHMS Royal Oak (1914)HMS Royal Oak was a Revenge-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. Launched in 1914 and completed in 1916, Royal Oak first saw action at the Battle of Jutland. In peacetime, she served in the Atlantic, Home and Mediterranean fleets, more than once coming under accidental attack...
- Joined May,1916 - HMS Royal SovereignHMS Royal Sovereign (05)HMS Royal Sovereign was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy displacing and armed with eight guns in four twin turrets...
- Joined June,1916
- HMS Marlborough
By 1918, Agincourt had been transferred to the 2nd Battle Squadron
2nd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 2nd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships. The 2nd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet. After World War I the Grand Fleet was reverted back to its original name, the Atlantic Fleet...
, and Resolution
HMS Resolution (1915)
HMS Resolution was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy. She was laid down at Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow on 29 November 1913, launched on 14 January 1915, and commissioned on 30 December 1916....
, Ramillies
HMS Ramillies (07)
HMS Ramillies was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after the Battle of Ramillies. The ship is notable for having served in both the First and Second World Wars...
and Iron Duke
HMS Iron Duke (1912)
HMS Iron Duke was a battleship of the Royal Navy, the lead ship of her class, named in honour of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. She served as the flagship of the Grand Fleet during the First World War, including at the Battle of Jutland...
had joined the squadron on completion.
Second World War
For many years the squadron served in the Mediterranean as the main British battle force there.On 3 September 1939 the 1st Battle Squadron, serving in the Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
, consisted of Barham, Warspite, and Malaya, with headquarters at Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, under the command of Vice-Admiral Geoffrey Layton
Geoffrey Layton
Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton GBE, KCB, KCMG, DSO , was a British Royal Navy officer.-Early life and career:...
.
In December 1943 the Squadron was under the command of Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Arthur Power
Arthur Power
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur John Power GCB, GBE, CVO was an officer of the Royal Navy, who saw service in World War I and World War II.-Naval career:Power joined the Royal Navy in 1909 and served in World War I...
.
In January 1944 the Eastern Fleet was reinforced by HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Queen Elizabeth (1913)
HMS Queen Elizabeth was the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth-class of dreadnought battleships, named in honour of Elizabeth I of England. She saw service in both World Wars...
, HMS Renown
HMS Renown (1916)
HMS Renown was the lead ship of her class of battlecruisers of the Royal Navy built during the First World War. She was originally laid down as an improved version of the s. Her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds she would not be ready in a timely manner...
, HMS Valiant
HMS Valiant (1914)
HMS Valiant was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. She was laid down at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan on 31 January 1913 and launched on 4 November 1914...
, HMS Illustrious, HMS Unicorn
HMS Unicorn (I72)
HMS Unicorn was a aircraft repair ship and light aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy in the late 1930s. She was completed during World War II and provided air cover over the amphibious landing at Salerno, Italy in September 1943. The ship was transferred to the Eastern Fleet in the Indian...
, and seven destroyers. The Admiralty sent this force out to India under the title of the First Battle Squadron.
From November 1944, the squadron served in the British Pacific Fleet
British Pacific Fleet
The British Pacific Fleet was a British Commonwealth naval force which saw action against Japan during World War II. The fleet was composed of British Commonwealth naval vessels. The BPF formally came into being on 22 November 1944...
under the command of
Vice-Admiral Henry Rawlings
Henry Rawlings
There were two British Admirals named Henry Rawlings who both served in World War II:* Admiral Sir Henry Bernard Rawlings, who commanded the 1st Battle Squadron in the British Pacific Fleet....
, who also serviced as Second-in-Command of the Fleet. It consisted of HMS King George V
HMS King George V (41)
HMS King George V was the lead ship of the five British King George V-class battleships of the Royal Navy. Laid down in 1937 and commissioned in 1940, King George V operated during the Second World War as part of the British Home and Pacific Fleets...
, HMS Howe, HMS Duke of York
HMS Duke of York (17)
HMS Duke of York was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy. Laid down in May 1937, the ship was constructed by John Brown and Company at Clydebank, Scotland, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 4 November 1941, subsequently seeing service during the Second World War.In...
, and HMS Anson at various times.