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==Fleet in Home Waters== Vice-Admiral [[Gerard Henry Uctred Noel|Gerard H. U. Noel]] was appointed [[Admiral Superintendent of Naval Reserves]] on 21 May, 1900,<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Wednesday, 9 May, 1900. Issue '''36137''', col C, pg. 12.</ref> ==A Seagoing Home Fleet, 1903-1905== In 1903 the Fleet in Home waters was reorganised, and the command of the Home Fleet was divorced from that of the Naval Reserves. Accordingly, Vice-Admiral [[Arthur Knyvet Wilson, Third Baronet|Sir Arthur K. Wilson]] was appointed in command.<ref>"Important Naval Appointments" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Friday, 20 February, 1903. Issue '''37073''', col E, pg. 12.</ref> He hoisted his flag in the [[H.M.S. Revenge (1892)|''Revenge'']] on 21 May.<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Friday, 22 May, 1903. Issue '''37087''', col A, pg. 9.</ref> Under the terms of the Admiralty Memorandum of 6 December, 1904, the Home Fleet was renamed the Channel Fleet<ref>Bradford. ''The Life of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur Knyvet Wilson''. p. 197.</ref> on 1 January, 1905.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Saturday, 24 October, 1908. Issue '''38786''', col E, pg. 11.</ref> ===Seconds-in-Command=== Rear-Admiral [[Edmund Samuel Poë|Edmund S. Poë]] was appointed as Second-in-Command on 8 May, 1903.<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Wednesday, 6 May, 1903. Issue '''37073''', col E, pg. 12.</ref> Rear-Admiral [[Charles James Barlow|Charles J. Barlow]] succeeded Rear-Admiral Poë as Second-in-Command of the Home Fleet on 9 May, 1904.<ref>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Tuesday, 10 May, 1904. Issue '''37390''', col C, pg. 11.</ref> ===Portsmouth Division=== Rear-Admiral [[Robert Leonard Groome|Robert L. Groome]] hoisted his flag in command of the reserve division on 3 January, 1903.<ref name=Times1905>"Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Wednesday, 4 January, 1905. Issue '''37595''', col C, pg. 8.</ref> ===Devonport Division=== On 3 January, 1905 Rear-Admiral [[Charles Grey Robinson|Charles G. Robinson]] hoisted his flag in command of the Devonport Division of ships in commission in Reserve.<ref name=Times1905/> Rear-Admiral [[Edward Harpur Gamble|Edward H. Gamble]] took command on 3 January, 1906.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Thursday, 4 January, 1906. Issue '''37908''', col C, pg. 8.</ref> ===Nore Division=== ==A Reconstituted Home Fleet, 1907-1912== The reconstitution of the Home Fleet, based on Sheerness, was announced by the Admiralty on 24 October, 1906. Under the command of a flag officer with the status of a Commander-in-Chief, the fleet was to be formed out of the ships in commission in reserve.<ref>"Redistribution of Naval Strength" (News). ''The Times''. Wednesday, 24 October, 1906. Issue '''38159''', col A, pg. 11.</ref> On 30 October it was announced that the King had approved the appointment of Rear-Admiral [[Francis Charles Bridgeman Bridgeman|Francis C. B. Bridgeman]].<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Tuesday, 30 October, 1906. Issue '''38164''', col A, pg. 12.</ref> On 17 December it was announced that Admiralty House, Sheerness, would become the residence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, after the [[Commander-in-Chief at the Nore]] vacated it on 1 January, 1907.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Monday, 17 December, 1906. Issue '''38205''', col D, pg. 10.</ref> Vice-Admiral Bridgeman hoisted his flag in the battleship [[H.M.S. Majestic (1895)|''Majestic'']] at Sheerness at 09:00 on 5 March, 1907.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Wednesday, 6 March, 1907. Issue '''38273''', col B, pg. 11.</ref> On 10 January, 1908 Captain the Hon. [[Alexander Edward Bethell|Alexander E. Bethell]] was appointed Chief of Staff to Bridgeman.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Saturday, 21 December, 1907. Issue '''38522''', col B, pg. 10.</ref> In the ''Statement Explanatory of the Navy Estimates, 1909&mdash;1910'' issued on 12 March, 1909, a redistribution of the Royal Navy in home waters was announced. The Channel Fleet was absorbed into the Home Fleet, making for a total of sixteen fully-manned battleships divided into two divisions, each division being associated with a cruiser squadron of five armoured cruisers. Also attached to the two fully manned divisions were ten cruisers and scouts and forty-eight destroyers. The remainder of nucleus-crew vessels were organised into the Third and Fourth Divisions, under a Vice-Admiral. The Atlantic Fleet continued to be an independent command, with six battleships and a cruiser squadron.<ref>"The Navy Estimates" (News). ''The Times''. Saturday, 13 March, 1909. Issue '''38906''', col A, pg. 7.</ref> On 24 March, Vice-Admiral [[William Henry May|Sir William H. May]] succeeded Bridgeman as Commander-in-Chief.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Wednesday, 24 March, 1909. Issue '''38915''', col B, pg. 9.</ref> Vice-Admiral [[Archibald Berkeley Milne, Second Baronet|Sir Berkeley Milne]] became Vice-Admiral Commanding the Second Division of the Home Fleet.<ref>Milne Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. p. 893.</ref> Vice-Admiral [[George Neville]] hoisted his flag in the [[H.M.S. Magnificent (1894)|''Magnificent'']] at Sheerness as Vice-Admiral Commanding, Third and Fourth Divisions of the Home Fleet.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Thursday, 25 March, 1909. Issue '''38916''', col B, pg. 9.</ref> Milne was succeeded on 9 August, 1910 by Vice-Admiral [[George Astley Callaghan|Sir George A. Callaghan]].<ref name=Callaghan>Callaghan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. p. 202.</ref> Vice-Admiral [[Prince Louis of Battenberg]] relieved Neville in command of the Third and Fourth Divisions on 24 March, 1911 at Sheerness.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Saturday, 25 March, 1911. Issue '''39542''', col B, pg. 7.</ref> Bridgeman took command of the Home Fleet on 25 March, flying his flag in the [[H.M.S. Bellerophon (1907)|''Bellerophon'']].<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Monday, 27 March, 1911. Issue '''39543''', col E, pg. 4.</ref> Callaghan assumed command of the Home Fleet with the rank of Acting Admiral on 5 December, 1911,<ref name=Callaghan/> hoisting his flag in the battleship [[H.M.S. Hercules (1910)|''Hercules'']] at Portland. Acting Vice-Admiral [[Frederick Tower Hamilton|Frederick T. Hamilton]] succeeded Battenberg in command of the Third and Fourth Divisions of the fleet at Sheerness on the same date.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Wednesday, 6 December, 1911. Issue '''39761''', col F, pg. 14.</ref> ===Destroyers=== It had been decided in 1906 that on 5 March, 1907, the Rear-Admiral Commanding, Torpedo Craft and Submarine Flotillas would come under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Tuesday, 11 December, 1906. Issue '''38200''', col F, pg. 5.</ref> On 5 March Captain [[Lewis Bayly]] was appointed Commodore, Second Class in command of destroyers in full commission in home waters.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Tuesday, 5 March, 1907. Issue '''38272''', col A, pg. 12.</ref> In August, 1907 the Home Fleet flotillas under Commodore Bayly ceased to be the responsibility of Rear-Admiral Montgomerie, who with the First and Second Flotillas was transferred to the Channel Fleet<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Tuesday, 13 August, 1907. Issue '''38410''', col B, pg. 10.</ref> and became Rear-Admiral (D).<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Monday, 25 November, 1907. Issue '''38499''', col C, pg. 4.</ref> Bayly was superseded by Captain [[Edward Francis Benedict Charlton|Edward F. B. Charlton]] as Commodore (T) on 27 November, 1908.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Friday, 27 November, 1908. Issue '''38815''', col F, pg. 6.</ref> Charlton was succeeded by Captain [[Robert Keith Arbuthnot, Fourth Baronet|Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot]] on 6 December, 1910.<ref>Arbuthnot Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. p. 202.</ref> ===Portsmouth Division=== ===Devonport Division=== On 3 January, 1907 Rear-Admiral [[Harry Seawell Frank Niblett|Harry S. F. Niblett]] succeeded Rear-Admiral Gamble in command of the Devonport Division of the Home Fleet.<ref name=Times1906>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Thursday, 3 January, 1907. Issue '''38220''', col C, pg. 4.</ref> He was succeeded by Rear-Admiral [[John Denison]] on 3 January, 1908.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Saturday, 4 January, 1908. Issue '''38534''', col A, pg. 9.</ref> Rear-Admiral [[Cecil Burney, First Baronet|Cecil Burney]] relieved Denison on 4 January, 1909.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Tuesday, 5 January, 1909. Issue '''38848''', col D, pg. 7.</ref> Rear-Admiral [[Arthur Archibald Campbell Galloway|Arthur A. C. Galloway]] succeeded Rear-Admiral Burney on 5 January, 1910.<ref>''Hazell's Annual, 1911''. p. 191.</ref> On 5 January, 1912 Rear-Admiral [[Henry Loftus Tottenham]] succeeded Rear-Admiral Farquhar, hoisting his flag in the ''King Alfred'' on 6 January.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Saturday, 6 January, 1912. Issue '''39788''', col F, pg. 11.</ref> ===Nore Division=== Rear-Admiral [[Frank Finnis]] succeeded Adair as Rear-Admiral in the Home Fleet at Sheerness-Chatham on 3 January, 1907.<ref name=Times1906/> Rear-Admiral the Hon. [[Stanley Cecil James Colville|Stanley C. J. Colville]] succeeded Finnis on 3 January, 1908, hoisting his flag at Chatham.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Friday, 3 January, 1908. Issue '''38533''', col A, pg. 4.</ref> Rear-Admiral [[Charles Hope Dundas of Dundas|Charles H. Dundas of Dundas]] was appointed Rear-Admiral on 2 November, 1911.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). ''The Times''. Thursday, 2 November, 1911. Issue '''39732''', col C, pg. 4.</ref> ==Footnotes== {{reflist}} ==Bibliography== {{refbegin}} {{refend}}

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