Fifth Submarine Flotilla (Royal Navy)
The Fifth Submarine Flotilla was a formation of submarines of the Royal Navy. Prior to the war, it may have been occasionally referred to as "Section III".[1]
History
Test Mobilisation of July 1914
The flotilla had the members it would carry through much of the war.[2]
| Test Mobilisation | |||||
| Depot Ship | |||||
| Thames | |||||
| Submarines | |||||
| C 1 | C 2 | C 3 | C 4 | C 5 | C 6 |
By September, 1914, the flotilla would be designated as a component of the Nore Local Defence Flotilla. It would retain this roster until September, 1916.
September, 1916
The flotilla is redesignated as the Fourth Submarine Flotilla — the vessels of that formation based at Dover are now those of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla. The strength is ten submarines, a depot ship and a flag ship.[3]
| Part of the Dover Patrol | |||||
| Flagship | |||||
| Arrogant | |||||
| Depot Ship | |||||
| Hazard | |||||
| Submarines | |||||
| C 15 | C 17 | C 18 | C 19 | C 20 | C 21 |
| C 22 | C 28 | C 30 | C 34 | ||
This roster would apply untilDecember.[4]
December, 1916
C 20 and C 34 have left for the Sixth Submarine Flotilla, reducing the strength to eight submarines, a depot ship and a flag ship.[5]
| Part of the Dover Patrol | |||||
| Flagship | |||||
| Arrogant | |||||
| Depot Ship | |||||
| Hazard | |||||
| Submarines | |||||
| C 15 | C 17 | C 18 | C 19 | C 21 | C 22 |
| C 28 | C 30 | ||||
This roster would persist until February or March, 1917.[6]
March, 1917
C 19, C 21 and C 22 have left for the Ninth Submarine Flotilla, reducing the strength to five submarines, a depot ship and a flag ship.[7]
| Part of the Dover Patrol | |||||
| Flagship | |||||
| Arrogant | |||||
| Depot Ship | |||||
| Hazard | |||||
| Submarines | |||||
| C 15 | C 17 | C 18 | C 28 | C 30 | |
This roster would persist until June.[8]
June, 1917
C 24 from the Ninth Submarine Flotilla has swapped places with C 28, retaining the strength at five submarines, a depot ship and a flag ship.[9]
| Part of the Dover Patrol | |||||
| Flagship | |||||
| Arrogant | |||||
| Depot Ship | |||||
| Hazard | |||||
| Submarines | |||||
| C 15 | C 17 | C 18 | C 24 | C 30 | |
This roster would persist until February, 1918.[10]
On 3 November, 1917, C 15 sank UC 65 at 50deg 28' N., 0deg 17' E..[11]
February, 1918
The flotilla seems to be disbanded, though Arrogant remains attached directly to the Dover Patrol as a deport ship for submarines. C 15, C 18 and C 30 have gone to the Sixth Submarine Flotilla and C 17 and C 24 to the Portland Local Defence Flotilla.[12]
| Disbanded | |||||
| It would not be re-instituted in the Dreadnought Era |
March, 1919
Back as one of six flotillas supporting the Grand Fleet in the post-war navy, the Fifth has a depot ship and fifteen submarines.[13]
| Supporting the Grand Fleet one of six new flotillas | |||||
| Depot Ship | |||||
| Titania | |||||
| Submarines | |||||
| G 1 | G 2 | G 3 | G 4 | G 5 | G 6 |
| G 10 | G 12 | G 13 | J 2 | J 3 | J 4 |
| J 5 | J 7 | E 45 | |||
July, 1927
The flotilla is at Portsmouth, and has been neatly divided into a small core element and, (I kid you not), three half flotillas:[14] The Training Half Flotilla (under Alecto), the Experimental Half Flotilla (under Ross) and the Reserve Half Flotilla (under Pigmy).
In Command
Dates of appointment given:
- Commander Stanley L. Willis, 15 October, 1912[15][16] – 21 October, 1915
- Commander Alexander R. Palmer, 14 January, 1914[17][18] – 10 February, 1915[19]
- Commander George B. Lewis, 10 February, 1915[20]
- Acting Commander Tom K. Triggs, 1 November, 1915[21] – 13 April, 1917
- Lieutenant-Commander Henry D. Gill, 20 April, 1917[22] – 5 September, 1917[23]
- Lieutenant-Commander George A. Saltren-Willett, September, 1917[24] – 14 February, 1918[25]
- Captain Noel F. Laurence, March, 1919[26][27] – January, 1920[28]
- Captain Ronald W. Blacklock, – 15 February, 1938
- Captain Harry P. K. Oram, 15 February, 1938 – 28 August, 1939
- Captain Cyril G. B. Coltart, 11 July, 1939 – 10 December, 1939
- Rear-Admiral (retired) Reginald B. Darke, 11 December, 1939[29]
Footnotes
- ↑ "Movements of Ships." The Times (London, England), 5 Feb. 1912, p. 4.
- ↑ Admiralty Weekly Order No. 109 of 10 July, 1914.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). pp. 15, 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 15 and Supplements through December.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1916). pp. 15, 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 15 and Supplements through Mar 1917, except a Feb edition was not found.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). pp. 13, 15.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1917). p. 15 and the May Supplement.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). pp. 13, 15.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). p. 15 and Supplements through February.
- ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 21. p. 5.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (February, 1918). pp. 15, 18.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). p. 12.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1927). p. 203.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 287.
- ↑ "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), 12 Oct. 1912, p. 4.
- ↑ Palmer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/46. f. 46.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 382.
- ↑ Palmer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/46. f. 46.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 398p.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 398pp.
- ↑ Gill Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/50/72. f. 207.
- ↑ Gill Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/50/72. f. 207.
- ↑ Saltren-Willett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/126. f. ?.
- ↑ Saltren-Willett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/126. f. ?.
- ↑ The Navy List. (September, 1919). p. 724.
- ↑ Laurence Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/175. f. 579.
- ↑ Laurence Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/175. f. 579.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1941). p. 1294.
Bibliography
See Also
