Ninth Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy)

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The Ninth Destroyer Flotilla was a formation of destroyers of the Royal Navy.

It was to serve as a patrol flotilla in the early part of the war before being reformed with "L" class destroyers in September, 1915 as part of the Harwich Force, where it worked with the Tenth Destroyer Flotilla. It ceased to exist in April, 1917, its ships being doled out to other formations.

History

July 1914 Test Mobilisation

The Ninth was deemed a "Patrol Flotilla" and served as part of the Nore Command with the Eighth flotilla, based out of Chatham.[1] Operating with depot ship St. George, the flotilla was to mobilise with:[2]

Scout Cruiser
Patrol
River Class
Eden Ettrick Foyle Itchen Kale Liffey Moy
Nith Ouse Rother Stour Test Teviot Waveney
Additional Rivers to join Late
  Arun Boyne Cherwell Dee  
  Erne Exe Swale Ure  

September, 1914

The flotilla is one of four patrol flotillas in Home and Atlantic Waters. The strength is two flotilla cruisers (Forward is detached), thirteen destroyers, and four torpedo boats.[3]

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruisers
Forward* Patrol
Depot Ship
St. George
Destroyers
Derwent Doon Eden Ettrick Itchen Kale
Ness Nith Ouse Rother Stour Test
Waveney
First-class T.B.s
  T.B. 4 T.B. 13 T.B. 22 T.B. 24

October, 1914

Forward has departed to join the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. The strength is one cruiser, thirteen destroyers, and four torpedo boats.[4]

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruiser
Patrol
Depot Ship
St. George
Destroyers
Derwent Doon Eden Ettrick Itchen Kale
Ness Nith Ouse Rother Stour Test
Waveney
First-class T.B.s
  T.B. 4 T.B. 13 T.B. 22 T.B. 24

This arrangement would last until November or December.[5]

December, 1914

The four torpedo boats have all gone over to the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. St. George has gone with them, but the destroyers of the Ninth are still tenders to her. Moy has joined. The strength is one cruiser and fourteen destroyers.[6]

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruiser
Patrol
Destroyers
Derwent Doon Eden Ettrick Itchen Kale
Moy Ness Nith Ouse Rother Stour
Test Waveney

January, 1915

The four torpedo boats have returned from the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. The strength is one cruiser, fourteen destroyers and four torpedo boats.[7]

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruiser
Patrol
Destroyers
Derwent Doon Eden Ettrick Itchen Kale
Moy Ness Nith Ouse Rother Stour
Test Waveney
First-class T.B.s
  T.B. 4 T.B. 13 T.B. 22 T.B. 24

This arrangement would last until February or March.[8]

March, 1915

The four torpedo boats have again disappeared, T.B. 4, T.B. 13 and T.B. 24 to the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla and T.B. 22 to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla. St. George has rejoined, though she is being shared with the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. The strength is one cruiser and fourteen destroyers.[9]

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruiser
Patrol
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 7)
St. George
Destroyers
Derwent Doon Eden Ettrick Itchen Kale
Moy Ness Nith Ouse Rother Stour
Test Waveney

April, 1915

Forward has returned from the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. Derwent and Eden have left to join the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. Ettrick has gone to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla and Rother has gone, and would join Ettrick in Portsmouth in May. The Ninth's strength is now two cruisers and ten destroyers.[10]

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruisers
Patrol Forward
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 7)
St. George
Destroyers
Doon Itchen Kale Moy Ness Nith
  Ouse Stour Test Waveney

This arrangement would apply until June.[11]

June, 1915

Forward has departed to join the Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron. The Ninth's strength is now one cruisers and ten destroyers.[12]

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruiser
Patrol
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 7)
St. George
Destroyers
Doon Itchen Kale Moy Ness Nith
  Ouse Stour Test Waveney

This arrangement would apply until September.[13]

September, 1915

The Ninth is dissolved, all the ships except Waveney have been transferred immediately to the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla, but she, too, would appear there in the coming month.

The designation of Ninth Flotilla is soon to be re-used.[14]

Flotilla is Disestablished
Ships merging into Seventh Destroyer Flotilla,
Flotilla number given to former Third Destroyer Flotilla on 7 September.[15]

October, 1915

The flotilla formerly known as the Third Destroyer Flotilla was renamed the Ninth Flotilla on 7 September, and was listed as the Ninth in the Navy List. The changes discussed here are, then, relative to the roster of 3DF in June, 1915.

Part of the Harwich Striking Force, under the command of Commodore (T) in light cruiser Arethusa. Tipperary has been replaced as second-in-command, eventually to go to the Second Destroyer Flotilla. She has been replaced by flotilla leader Lightfoot, which probably just entered service. Laforey, Lawford, Louis and Lydiard have been sent over to the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla, and the newly-completed Lassoo has been added. The strength is two leaders and seventeen destroyers.[16]

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader (2nd in command)
Lightfoot
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 10)
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes Lance Landrail Lark Lassoo Laurel
Laverock Legion Lennox Leonidas Liberty Linnet
Llewellyn Lookout Loyal Lucifer Lysander

This arrangement would apply until December.[17]

December, 1915

The newly-completed Lochinvar has been added, increasing strength to two leaders and eighteen destroyers.[18]

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader (2nd in command)
Lightfoot
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 10)
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes Lance Landrail Lark Lassoo Laurel
Laverock Legion Lennox Leonidas Liberty Linnet
Llewellyn Lochinvar Lookout Loyal Lucifer Lysander

This roster and tasking would last until April, 1916.[19]

April, 1916

Laforey has been added, having been busy on "miscellaneous" or detached service in Home Waters and Tipperary has come in from the Fifth Light Cruiser Squadron to act as a second flotilla leader, increasing strength to three leaders and nineteen destroyers.[20][21]

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leaders
Lightfoot
(2nd in command)		 Tipperary
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 10)
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes Laforey Lance Landrail Lark Lassoo
Laurel Laverock Legion Lennox Leonidas Liberty
Linnet Llewellyn Lochinvar Lookout Loyal Lucifer
Lysander

May, 1916

Tipperary has been sent to lead the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, where she would soon meet glory, and Lydiard has joined (though she is also listed as being on vague assignments in Home Waters), having been with the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean, making the Ninth's strength now two leaders and twenty destroyers.[22]

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader
Lightfoot
(2nd in command)
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 10)
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes Laforey Lance Landrail Lark Lassoo
Laurel Laverock Legion Lennox Leonidas Liberty
Linnet Llewellyn Lochinvar Lookout Loyal Lucifer
Lydiard Lysander

Battle of Jutland

Four destroyers from the flotilla were at the Battle of Jutland:[23]

June, 1916

Lawford, recently from the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla, has joined, making the Ninth's strength now two leaders and twenty one destroyers.[24]

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader
Lightfoot
(2nd in command)
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 10)
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes Laforey Lance Landrail Lark Lassoo
Laurel Laverock Lawford Legion Lennox Leonidas
Liberty Linnet Llewellyn Lochinvar Lookout Loyal
Lucifer Lydiard Lysander

This arrangement would apply until September.[25]

September, 1916

Lassoo was mined on 13 August and has been dropped, making the Ninth's strength now two leaders and twenty destroyers.[26]

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader
Lightfoot
(2nd in command)
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 10)
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes Laforey Lance Landrail Lark Laurel
Laverock Lawford Legion Lennox Leonidas Liberty
Linnet Llewellyn Lochinvar Lookout Loyal Lucifer
Lydiard Lysander

This arrangement would apply until December.[27]

December, 1916

Legion has been dropped, possibly as a consequence of work to convert her to minelaying work,[Inference] making the Ninth's strength now two leaders and nineteen destroyers.[28]

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader
Lightfoot
(2nd in command)
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 10)
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes Laforey Lance Landrail Lark Laurel
Laverock Lawford Lennox Leonidas Liberty Linnet|
Llewellyn Lochinvar Lookout Loyal Lucifer Lydiard
Lysander

January, 1917

Undaunted is now shared with the Tenth Destroyer Flotilla, and Lucifer has been dropped until February or March, making the Ninth's strength now one (or two, depending on accounting) leaders and eighteen destroyers.[29]

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader
Lightfoot
(2nd in command)
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 10)
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes Laforey Lance Landrail Lark Laurel
Laverock Lawford Lennox Leonidas Liberty Linnet|
Llewellyn Lochinvar Lookout Loyal Lydiard Lysander

March, 1917

Lucifer is back on the roster, making the Ninth's strength now one (or two, depending on accounting) leaders and nineteen destroyers.[30]

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
shared with Tenth Destroyer Flotilla
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader
Lightfoot
(2nd in command)
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 10)
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes Laforey Lance Landrail Lark Laurel
Laverock Lawford Lennox Leonidas Liberty Linnet
Llewellyn Lochinvar Lookout Loyal Lucifer Lydiard
Lysander

April, 1917

The flotilla is disbanded and the ships parceled out to other formations. Lightfoot and Undaunted are now serving in the Tenth Destroyer Flotilla, and the destroyers have been sent to a variety of new formations. Laertes, Landrail, Lark, Laverock, Linnet, Llewellyn, Lochinvar, Lucifer and Lydiard have gone to join the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla as part of the Dover Patrol. Lance has disappeared, but would reappear in the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla in June.

Lawford and Lysander have been sent to the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla, with Legion and Loyal to follow "shortly".

Laurel, Lennox and Leonidas have been sent to the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, to be joined by Legion and Liberty upon their recommissioning. Lookout has gone missing, but would likewise appear in the Fourth D.F. in May.

Laforey has been dropped from the Navy List, as she was mined on 25 March.[31]

Flotilla is disestablished
not to be re-established in the Dreadnought Era.

Drill

In 1916, the destroyers' torpedoes proved only 64% likely to be dangerous to the enemy in limited test runs of that year.[32]

In Command

Dates of appointment given:

Other Personnel

Gunnery Duties


Footnotes

  1. ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 164.
  2. ↑ Admiralty Weekly Order No. 109 of 10 July, 1914.
  3. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September 1914). p. 12.
  4. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 12.
  5. ↑ There was no Monthly Supplement to the Navy List printed for November, 1914.
  6. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 12.
  7. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 12.
  8. ↑ No Monthly Supplement to the Navy List was consulted for February, 1915.
  9. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). pp. 15, 16.
  10. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1915). pp. 15, 16.
  11. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1915). p. 15, and Supplements through June, 1915.
  12. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1915). p. 16.
  13. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1915). p. 15, and Supplements through September.
  14. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1915). p. 16.
  15. ↑ Naval Staff Monographs. Volume XIV. p. 165.
  16. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1915). pp. 13, 20.
  17. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1915). p. 13.
  18. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1915). p. 13.
  19. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1916). p. 13 and Supplements through April, 1916.
  20. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1916). p. 13.
  21. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1916). p. 14.
  22. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1916). pp. 12-14.
  23. ↑ Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. p. 47.
  24. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1916). p. 13.
  25. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 13, and Supplements through September, 1916.
  26. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). p. 13.
  27. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 13, and Supplements through December, 1916.
  28. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 13.
  29. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 13.
  30. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). p. 13.
  31. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1917). pp. 13-16.
  32. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1916. p. 87.
  33. ↑ Lowther-Crofton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/316. f.347.
  34. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 335.
  35. ↑ Lowther-Crofton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/316. f.347.
  36. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 21 January, 1914. Issue 40426, col G, p. 10.
  37. ↑ Bruce Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/319. f. 351.
  38. ↑ Rede Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/42. f. 42.
  39. ↑ Rede Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/42. f. 42.
  40. ↑ Hodgson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/124. f. 124.
  41. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1923). p. 729.
  42. ↑ Hodgson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/124. f. 124.
  43. ↑ Crabbe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/168. f. 169.
  44. ↑ Crabbe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/168. f. 169.
  45. ↑ Creagh Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/95. f. 220.
  46. ↑ Creagh Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/95. f. 220.
  47. ↑ Tovey Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 131.
  48. ↑ Tovey Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49. f. 131.
  49. ↑ Coleridge Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/91. f. 160.
  50. ↑ Coleridge Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/91. f. 160.
  51. ↑ Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  52. ↑ Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  53. ↑ Stevens Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/96/144. f. 175.
  54. ↑ Stevens Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/96/144. f. 175.

Bibliography

  • Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.
  • March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892-1953. London: Seeley Service & Co. Limited. (on Bookfinder.com).

See Also


British Destroyer Flotillas
First | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth | Seventh | Eighth | Ninth | Tenth
Eleventh | Twelfth | Thirteenth | Fourteenth | Fifteenth | Sixteenth | Seventeenth | Eighteenth | Nineteenth
Twentieth | Twenty-first
Local Defence Flotillas
Clyde | Devonport | Devonport & Falmouth | Falmouth | Firth of Forth | Gibraltar
Liverpool | Mersey | Newhaven | Nore | North Channel | Milford & Pembroke | Pembroke
Portland | Portsmouth | Queenstown
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