First Fleet Sweeping Flotilla (Royal Navy): Difference between revisions

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==History==
==History==
Before mid-1916, a growing number of minesweeping vessels had been attached to the [[Grand Fleet]], but by 1 July the growth rate was such that it was deemed fit to break the assemblage into three flotillas: the First, [[Second Fleet Sweeping Flotilla (Royal Navy)|Second]] and [[Third Fleet Sweeping Flotilla (Royal Navy)|Third]].  The First would retain {{UK-Lupin}}, which had long borne the Senior Officer and nine other sweeping sloops.  The Second would be a mix of ten sweeping sloops and older torpedo gunboats, while the Third would be comprised of twelve paddle minesweepers.  It is not clear whether the man in ''Lupin'' remained the Senior Officer for all three flotillas, or merely of the First.
===June, 1916 – c. February, 1917===
The First is formed with a strength of ten sweeping sloops, one bearing the Senior Officer of, perhaps, all three flotillas.{{SMNLJul16|p. 12 and Supplements through March 1917, save February which was not found}}
{|style="margin:0" width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
|style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Attached to the [[Grand Fleet]]'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Senior Officer'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Lupin}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Sweeping Sloops'''
|-
|align=center |{{UK-Carnation}}||align=center |{{UK-Dahlia}}||align=center |{{UK-Daphne}}||align=center |{{UK-Lilac}}||align=center |{{UK-Marigold}}||align=center |{{UK-Myrtle}}
|-
|align=center colspan=2|{{UK-Delphinium}}||align=center colspan=2|{{UK-Crocus}}||align=center colspan=2|{{UK-Pansy}}
|}
===c. February, 1917 – March, 1917===
The Senior Officer who had been in {{UK-Lupin}} is has left and is now borne in {{UK-Godetia}} of the {{UK-FSF|2}}.{{SMNLMar17|p. 12 and April's Supplement}}
{|style="margin:0" width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
|style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=5 | '''Attached to the [[Grand Fleet]]'''
|-
|align=center colspan=5|'''Sweeping Sloops'''
|-
|align=center |{{UK-Lupin}}||align=center |{{UK-Carnation}}||align=center |{{UK-Dahlia}}||align=center |{{UK-Daphne}}||align=center |{{UK-Lilac}}
|-
|align=center |{{UK-Marigold}}||align=center |{{UK-Myrtle}}||align=center|{{UK-Delphinium}}||align=center|{{UK-Crocus}}||align=center|{{UK-Pansy}}
|}
===March, 1917 – June, 1918===
In classic Royal Navy fashion, things get complicated.  {{UK-Lupin}} has been exchanged with {{UK-Godetia}} from the {{UK-FSF|2}}.  In this new arrangement, ''Lupin'' bears the Senior Officer and ''Godetia'' now bears the "Captain in Charge", which I presume means "in charge of Grand Fleet Fleet Sweepers."  In addition, {{UK-Delphinium}} and {{UK-Crocus}} have been detached for unknown reasons, replaced by {{UK-Iris}} and {{UK-Sunflower}}.{{SMNLApr17|p. 12 and Supplements through X}}  No matter this shuffle, this new arrangement would prove durable.
{|style="margin:0" width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
|style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Attached to the [[Grand Fleet]]'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Captain in Charge'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Godetia}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Sweeping Sloops'''
|-
|align=center |{{UK-Carnation}}||align=center |{{UK-Dahlia}}||align=center |{{UK-Daphne}}||align=center |{{UK-Lilac}}||align=center |{{UK-Marigold}}||align=center |{{UK-Myrtle}}
|-
|align=center colspan=2|{{UK-Iris}}||align=center colspan=2|{{UK-Pansy}}||align=center colspan=2|{{UK-Sunflower}}
|}
===June, 1918 – X===
{{UK-Myrtle}} paid off some time in June, but nothing else has changed.{{SMNLJul18|p. 12 and Supplements through X}}
{|style="margin:0" width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
|style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Attached to the [[Grand Fleet]]'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Captain in Charge'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Godetia}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Sweeping Sloops'''
|-
|align=center |{{UK-Carnation}}||align=center |{{UK-Dahlia}}||align=center |{{UK-Daphne}}||align=center |{{UK-Lilac}}||align=center |{{UK-Marigold}}||align=center |{{UK-Myrtle}}*
|-
|align=center colspan=2|{{UK-Iris}}||align=center colspan=2|{{UK-Pansy}}||align=center colspan=2|{{UK-Sunflower}}
|}


==Senior Officers==
==Senior Officers==


<div name=fredbot:officeSO otitle="Senior Officer, First Fleet Sweeping Flotilla" nat="UK">
<div name=fredbot:officeSO otitle="Senior Officer, First Fleet Sweeping Flotilla" nat="UK">
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Cyril Herbert Gordon Benson|nick=Cyril H. G. Benson|appt=11 November, 1916<ref>Benson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/318.|}} f. 83.  This source calls it the "5th M/S Flotilla".</ref>|end=4 February, 1917<ref>Benson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/318.|}} f. 83.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{LCommRN}}|name=Hugh Coningsby Johnson|nick=Hugh C. Johnson|appt=14 August, 1916<ref>Johnson Service Record {{TNA|ADM 196/48/82.|}} f. 486.</ref>|end=27 September, 1916<ref>Johnson Service Record {{TNA|ADM 196/48/82.|}} f. 486. This source calls it the "4th Fleet Sweeping Flotilla".</ref>|note=formation possibly wrong}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Cyril Herbert Gordon Benson|nick=Cyril H. G. Benson|appt=11 November, 1916<ref>Benson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/318.|}} f. 83.  This source calls it the "5th M/S Flotilla".</ref>|end=4 February, 1917<ref>Benson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/318.|}} f. 83.</ref>|note=formation possibly wrong}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CaptRN}}|name=Hubert Henry Holland|nick=Hubert H. Holland|appt=4 February, 1917<ref>Holland Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/317.|}} f. 348.</ref>|end=November, 1918<ref>Holland Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/317.|}} f. 348.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CaptRN}}|name=Hubert Henry Holland|nick=Hubert H. Holland|appt=4 February, 1917<ref>Holland Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/317.|}} f. 348.</ref>|end=November, 1918<ref>Holland Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/317.|}} f. 348.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Acting {{CommRN}}|name=Charles Edward Aglionby|nick=Charles E. Aglionby|appt=6 December, 1918|end=15 January, 1919}}
{{Tenure|rank=Acting {{CommRN}}|name=Charles Edward Aglionby|nick=Charles E. Aglionby|appt=6 December, 1918|end=15 January, 1919}}

Latest revision as of 19:56, 4 October 2021

The First Fleet Sweeping Flotilla was a formation of fleet minesweepers of the Royal Navy. It was one of several attached to the Grand Fleet during the war.

History

Before mid-1916, a growing number of minesweeping vessels had been attached to the Grand Fleet, but by 1 July the growth rate was such that it was deemed fit to break the assemblage into three flotillas: the First, Second and Third. The First would retain Lupin, which had long borne the Senior Officer and nine other sweeping sloops. The Second would be a mix of ten sweeping sloops and older torpedo gunboats, while the Third would be comprised of twelve paddle minesweepers. It is not clear whether the man in Lupin remained the Senior Officer for all three flotillas, or merely of the First.

June, 1916 – c. February, 1917

The First is formed with a strength of ten sweeping sloops, one bearing the Senior Officer of, perhaps, all three flotillas.[1]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Senior Officer
Lupin
Sweeping Sloops
Carnation Dahlia Daphne Lilac Marigold Myrtle
Delphinium Crocus Pansy

c. February, 1917 – March, 1917

The Senior Officer who had been in Lupin is has left and is now borne in Godetia of the Second Fleet Sweeping Flotilla.[2]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Sweeping Sloops
Lupin Carnation Dahlia Daphne Lilac
Marigold Myrtle Delphinium Crocus Pansy

March, 1917 – June, 1918

In classic Royal Navy fashion, things get complicated. Lupin has been exchanged with Godetia from the Second Fleet Sweeping Flotilla. In this new arrangement, Lupin bears the Senior Officer and Godetia now bears the "Captain in Charge", which I presume means "in charge of Grand Fleet Fleet Sweepers." In addition, Delphinium and Crocus have been detached for unknown reasons, replaced by Iris and Sunflower.[3] No matter this shuffle, this new arrangement would prove durable.

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Captain in Charge
Godetia
Sweeping Sloops
Carnation Dahlia Daphne Lilac Marigold Myrtle
Iris Pansy Sunflower

June, 1918 – X

Myrtle paid off some time in June, but nothing else has changed.[4]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Captain in Charge
Godetia
Sweeping Sloops
Carnation Dahlia Daphne Lilac Marigold Myrtle*
Iris Pansy Sunflower

Senior Officers

Second-in-Command

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 12 and Supplements through March 1917, save February which was not found.
  2. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). p. 12 and April's Supplement.
  3. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1917). p. 12 and Supplements through X.
  4. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1918). p. 12 and Supplements through X.
  5. ↑ Johnson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/48/82. f. 486.
  6. ↑ Johnson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/48/82. f. 486. This source calls it the "4th Fleet Sweeping Flotilla".
  7. ↑ Benson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/318. f. 83. This source calls it the "5th M/S Flotilla".
  8. ↑ Benson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/318. f. 83.
  9. ↑ Holland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/317. f. 348.
  10. ↑ Holland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/317. f. 348.
  11. ↑ Bevan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 136.
  12. ↑ Bevan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/270. f. 136.

Bibliography

  • Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.

See Also



British Minesweeping Formations
Fleet Sweeping Flotillas (Great War)
First | Second | Third | Sixth | Seventh | Eighth | Ninth | Tenth
Eleventh | Twelfth | Thirteenth | Fifteenth | Sixteenth | Eighteenth | Nineteenth
Twentieth | Twenty-first | Twenty-second | Twenty-third | Twenty-fourth
Minesweeping Flotillas (World War II)
First | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth
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