Second Battle Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)

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The Second Battle Cruiser Squadron, also known as Cruiser Force K from 1914 to 1915, was a formation of battlecruisers in the Royal Navy.

History

In early 1912, it had been announced by the Board of Admiralty under Winston S. Churchill, the First Lord, that the battleship squadron then on the Mediterranean Station would be reduced from six to four pre-dreadnoughts, and moved from Malta to Gibraltar as the Fourth Battle Squadron of the Home Fleets. The Atlantic Fleet, previously based on Gibraltar, would become the Third Battle Squadron based on Portland. A cruiser squadron was to be left at Malta. These changes took effect on 1 May, 1912. This redeployment of forces towards the British Isles was seen by many in government, the military, and in public, as an abandonment of the Mediterranean to the Triple Alliance of Imperial Germany, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After much negotiation, it was decided by the British Cabinet in July that the forces based on Malta would be composed of four battle cruisers and four armoured cruisers.[1]

In October, 1912, the Third Battle Squadron was sent to the Mediterranean for a protracted temporary period, and the First Lord announced that the four battle cruisers previously promised would not join the Mediterranean Fleet until the following July.[2] In January, 1913, the battle cruisers were designated as the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron.[3] When asked in June in the House of Commons how many battle cruisers had been sent to the Mediterranean, the First Lord replied:

Delays in the completion of the "Princess Royal" and the "Queen Mary," and the temporary absence of the "New Zealand," have somewhat retarded the formation of the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean. The "Inflexible" alone is there at present, the place of her consorts being temporarily filled, and more than filled, by five battleships of the "King Edward VII" class.[4]

On 19 February, 1914, it was announced that Rear-Admiral A. Gordon H. W. Moore would assume command of Second Battle Cruiser Squadron.[5] His appointment was dated 1 September, but with the outbreak of war he hoisted his flag in Invincible on 12 August. Later in the month his flag was joined by Inflexible and New Zealand, forming the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron, or "Cruiser Force K." The squadron was abolished from 4 November to 17 January, 1915, when Invincible and Inflexible were detached for service under Vice-Admiral F. C. Doveton Sturdee [for the Falkland Islands]. In the interim, Moore, with his flag in New Zealand served as Second-in-Command of Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty's First Battle Cruiser Squadron.[6]

Composition

December, 1913

[7] Operating as part of the Mediterranean Fleet, the new formation's ships had previously been in the First Cruiser Squadron.

September, 1914

Also dubbed Cruiser Force K, the small Squadron operated with the First Battle Cruiser Squadron as a component of "Cruiser Force A". Since the last accounting, Indefatigable and Indomitable have been sent to the Mediterranean Fleet.[8]

This roster would endure until early November.

4 November, 1914

The squadron was abolished from 4 November to 17 January, 1915 so that Invincible and Inflexible could bring von Spee's squadron to bay in the South Atlantic.

January, 1915

The Squadron was reformed, with New Zealand joining from the First Battle Cruiser Squadron and Indomitable from the Mediterranean Fleet.[9][10]

This roster would last only until February or March, 1915.

March, 1915

Australia has joined from the West Indies Station,[11] replacing Invincible as flagship as that ship went with Indomitable to the newly-instituted Third Battle Cruiser Squadron. At the same time, Indefatigable has come from the Mediterranean Fleet.[12][13]

This roster would last until May, 1916.[14]

May, 1916

New Zealand has temporarily taken over flagship duties from Australia[15] as that ship was in dock to repair collision damage.[Citation needed]

This would cause Australia to miss taking part in the Battle of Jutland. Losses in the battle would require a major reshuffling for June.

June, 1916

Indefatigable was lost at Jutland and the other two Battle Cruiser Squadrons also lost ships, prompting the Third Battle Cruiser Squadron to be disbanded and much shuffling to occur. Its orphaned Indomitable and Inflexible joined 2BCS, and New Zealand left to fill the gap created in First Battle Cruiser Squadron by the loss of Queen Mary.[16][17]

This arrangement would last until December, 1916.[18]

December, 1916

The addition of the "large light cruisers" to the First Battle Cruiser Squadron has caused it to grow to such an extent that New Zealand was transferred out to become flagship of 2BCS.[19]

This arrangement would last until only February or March, 1917.[20]

March, 1917

The flag was transferred back to Australia in March.[21]

This arrangement would last until October or November, 1918.[22]

November, 1918

New Zealand was again made flagship.[23]

This arrangement would last only for the one month.

December, 1918

Australia was again made flagship.[24]

This arrangement would last only for the one month.

January, 1919

New Zealand was detached for unstated purposes, but remained in commission.[25]

This arrangement would last only for the month of January.

February, 1919

Indomitable and Inflexible have been sent, "temporarily" to the Nore.[26]

This arrangement would last only for the month of February.

March, 1919

The Squadron is not listed in the Navy List, and Australia is on "Miscellaneous Service", though she still is bearing the flag of 2BCS.[27] This status would persist through April.

In May, Australia would be ordered to Australia, and is no longer designated as flagship of 2BCS.

Rear-Admirals Commanding

Dates of appointment given:

Footnotes

  1. ↑ This section is based on Marder. From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow. I. pp. 287-298; Lambert. Sir John Fisher's Naval Revolution. pp. 252-261.
  2. ↑ HC Deb 10 October 1912 vol 42 c506.
  3. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 13 January, 1913. Issue 40107, col B, p. 11.
  4. ↑ HC Deb 02 June 1913 vol 53 c564.
  5. ↑ "Naval Promotions" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 19 February, 1914. Issue 40451, col F, p. 6.
  6. ↑ Moore Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 64.
  7. ↑ The Caird Library at the National Maritime Museum. [BRG 1/1]
  8. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September 1914). pp. 9, 15.
  9. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1915). pp. 9.
  10. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1914). pp. 9, 15.
  11. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 10.
  12. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). p. 11.
  13. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 15.
  14. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 12, and Supplements through April, 1916.
  15. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1916). p. 11.
  16. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1916). p. 11.
  17. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1916). p. 11.
  18. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 11, and Supplements through November, 1916.
  19. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 11.
  20. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 11. No February Supplement has been found.
  21. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). p. 11.
  22. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1917). p. 11 and Supplements through November, 1918.
  23. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1918). p. 11.
  24. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 11.
  25. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1919). pp. 11, 21.
  26. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (February, 1919). pp. 11, 19.
  27. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). p. 21.
  28. ↑ Moore Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 64.
  29. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). f. 6.
  30. ↑ Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. f. 10.
  31. ↑ Pakenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 13.
  32. ↑ Pakenham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 13.
  33. ↑ Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. f. 10.
  34. ↑ Leveson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 472.
  35. ↑ Leveson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 472.
  36. ↑ Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. f. 10.
  37. ↑ Halsey Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 243.

Bibliography


British Battle Cruiser Squadrons
First Battle Cruiser Squadron | Second Battle Cruiser Squadron | Third Battle Cruiser Squadron | Battle Cruiser Squadron
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