First Sloop Flotilla (Royal Navy)
The First Sloop Flotilla was a formation of sloops of the Royal Navy.
History
As its number suggests, it was the first sloop formation created, first appearing in the Navy List in July, 1915. Such inferences are seldom useful in studying British naval history, however — the next flotilla created would be the Tenth Sloop Flotilla, in February, 1916.
July, 1915
The flotilla is created some time in June, with just three sloops (Sunflower and Lily are to join shortly).[1]
| Under Vice-Admiral Commanding, Coast of Ireland | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Primrose(S.N.O.) | Sunflower* | Lily* | |||
August, 1915
Sunflower has joined and Lily is still expected. This arrangement would apply until some time in August.[2]
| Under Vice-Admiral Commanding, Coast of Ireland | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Primrose(S.N.O.) | Sunflower* | Lily* | |||
September, 1915
Lily joined some time in August, as have seven other sloops, making ten.[3]
| Under Vice-Admiral Commanding, Coast of Ireland | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Primrose(S.N.O.) | Bluebell | Iris | Laburnum | Lavender | Lily |
| Magnolia | Mallow | Sunflower | Veronica | ||
October, 1915
Begonia, Daffodil, Mimosa and Zinnia have joined some time in September, making fourteen.[4]
| Under Vice-Admiral Commanding, Coast of Ireland | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Primrose(S.N.O.) | Begonia | Bluebell | Daffodil | Iris | Laburnum |
| Lavender | Lily | Magnolia | Mallow | ||
| Mimosa | Sunflower | Veronica | Zinnia | ||
December, 1915
Camellia, Jessamine and Snowdrop joined some time in November, making seventeen.[5]
January, 1916
Lily, Magnolia Mallow Mimosa Veronica left some time in December, leaving twelve. This arrangement would apply until some time in April.[6]
| Under Vice-Admiral Commanding, Coast of Ireland | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Primrose(S.N.O.) | Begonia | Bluebell | Camellia | Daffodil | Iris |
| Jessamine | Laburnum | Lavender | Snowdrop | Sunflower | Zinnia |
May, 1916
Genista, Hydrangea and Cornflower joined some time in April, the last two temporarily, making fifteen. This arrangement would apply until some time in June.[7]
| Under Vice-Admiral Commanding, Coast of Ireland | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Primrose(S.N.O.) | Begonia | Bluebell | Camellia | Daffodil | Genista |
| Iris | Jessamine | Laburnum | Lavender | Snowdrop | Sunflower |
| Zinnia | Hydrangea* | Cornflower* | |||
July, 1916
Begonia, damaged by a torpedo from U 44 on 29 March, has been replaced by Myosotis, keeping the flotilla at a strength of fifteen. This arrangement would apply until some time in August.[8]
| Under Vice-Admiral Commanding, Coast of Ireland | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Primrose(S.N.O.) | Myosotis | Bluebell | Camellia | Daffodil | Genista |
| Iris | Jessamine | Laburnum | Lavender | Snowdrop | Sunflower |
| Zinnia | Hydrangea* | Cornflower* | |||
September, 1916
Hydrangea and Cornflower left some time in August, and the flotilla now has thirteen sloops. This arrangement would apply until some time in October.[9]
| Under Vice-Admiral Commanding, Coast of Ireland | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Primrose(S.N.O.) | Bluebell | Camellia | Daffodil | Genista | Iris |
| Myosotis | Jessamine | Laburnum | Lavender | Snowdrop | Sunflower |
| Zinnia | |||||
November, 1916
Genista was torpedoed on 23 October and seven sloops have joined in that same month (including Begonia), increasing the formation's strength to nineteen sloops. This arrangement would apply until some time in January or February.[10]
March, 1917
Iris and Sunflower have been replaced by Crocus and Delphinium, maintaining the formation's strength at nineteen sloops. This arrangement would apply until some time in May.[11]
June, 1917
Lavender was sunk by UC 78 on 5 May and Tulip by U 62 while serving as a Q ship on 30 April, reducing the formation's strength to seventeen sloops.[12]
July, 1917
In June, Aubrietia, Begonia, Heather, Tamarisk and Viola have been pared off to serve as convoy sloops with the Southern Division of the Coast of Ireland Station, while while Primrose, Daffodil, Delphinium and Laburnum have gone to work with the Northern Division. The First Sloop Flotilla continues its work with the Southern Division out of Queenstown, now with just seven sloops, with Myosotis being designated as carrying the Senior Naval Officer some time in July, if not in June. This arrangement would apply until some time in October 1917[13]
| Attached to the Southern Division, Coast of Ireland Station | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Bluebell | Camellia | Crocus | Jessamine | Myosotis(S.N.O.) | Snowdrop |
| Zinnia | |||||
November, 1917
Some time in October, Snowdrop took on the role of the ship bearing the S.N.O.. This arrangement persisted until at least some time in February 1918 if not beyond. In the March Navy List, the sloops of this flotilla are listed without a formation name alongside those sloops that had formerly been noted as convoy sloops operating out of Queenstown.[14]
| Attached to the Southern Division, Coast of Ireland Station | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Bluebell | Camellia | Crocus | Jessamine | Myosotis | Snowdrop(S.N.O.) |
| Zinnia | |||||
July, 1918
The Flotilla is again explicitly labelled, with Snowdrop still bearing the S.N.O. and having seven other sloops. It is hard to guess whether the formation had ceased to exist from February/March to some time in June, but it has gained Sir Bevis, Flying Fox and Heather while shedding Crocus, Myosotis and the many sloops that were part of Tenth Sloop Flotilla and assorted convoy sloops that had been co-mingled during the period of dubious appellation. This arrangement would apply until some time in November, 1918.[15]
| Attached to the Southern Division, Coast of Ireland Station | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Bluebell | Camellia | Heather | Jessamine | Snowdrop(S.N.O.) | Zinnia |
| Flying Fox | Sir Bevis | ||||
December, 1918
With the war now over, Hollyhock and Laburnum have joined, bringing the strength to ten sloops.[16]
| Attached to the Southern Division, Coast of Ireland Station | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Bluebell | Camellia | Heather | Hollyhock | Jessamine | Laburnum |
| Snowdrop(S.N.O.) | Zinnia | Flying Fox | Sir Bevis | ||
January, 1919
Seven of the sloops have been moved to form the Twenty-fourth Fleet Sweeping Flotilla, operating on the same station, reducing the strength to three sloops, with none being designated as carrying a S.N.O.. This roster would apply until some time in April.[17]
| Attached to the Southern Division, Coast of Ireland Station | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Flying Fox | Heather | Sir Bevis | |||
May, 1919
Flying Fox has apparently left for "miscellaneous service", reducing strength to just two sloops.[18]
| Attached to the Southern Division, Coast of Ireland Station | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Heather | Sir Bevis | ||||
June, 1919
The flotilla is not named in the Navy List, but the same two sloops are at Queenstown, serving alongside Grenville and a two-destroyer "Defence Flotilla".[19]
| At Queenstown | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Heather | Sir Bevis | ||||
July, 1919
Flying Fox has returned. The flotilla is still un-named in the Navy List.[20]
| Attached to the Southern Division, Coast of Ireland Station | |||||
| Sloops | |||||
| Flying Fox | Heather | Sir Bevis | |||
In Command
Dates of appointment given:
- Commander Douglas W. O'B. Forsyth, July 1915[21] – 26 April, 1916[22] (temporary)
Footnotes
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1915). p. 14.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1915). p. 14 and Supplements through X.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1915). p. 14.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 14 and Supplements through December.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1915). p. 14.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1916). p. 14 and Supplements through May.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1916). p. 14 and Supplements through July.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 14 and Supplements through September.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1915). p. 14 and Supplements through November.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1916). p. 14 and Supplements through March – but no February edition was found.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). p. 14 and Supplements through June.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1917). p. 14.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). p. 17 and Supplements through November.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 17 and Supplements through March 1918.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1918). p. 18 and Supplements through December.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 18.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1919). p. 18 and Supplements through May.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1919). pp. 18, 19.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1919). p. 14.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1919). p. 14.
- ↑ Forsyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/246. f. 250.
- ↑ Forsyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/246. f. 250.
Bibliography
See Also
