First Battle Squadron (Royal Navy)
The British First Battle Squadron was a formation of battleships of the Royal Navy. The squadron changed composition often as ships were damaged, retired or transferred. For tactical reasons the squadron was divided into two divisions.
May, 1912
- Neptune (Flagship, Vice-Admiral)
- St. Vincent
- Bellerophon
- Dreadnought
- Collingwood
- Temeraire
- Superb
- Vanguard
On 22 June, 1912 Vice-Admiral S.C. Colville raised his flag in Collingwood as commander of the First Squadron (as it was then known).
Outbreak of war, August, 1914
- Marlborough (Flagship, Vice-Admiral Lewis Bayly) - Captain E.P.F.G. Grant
- St. Vincent (Flagship, Rear-Admiral Hugh Evan-Thomas) - Captain W.W. Fisher, M.V.O.
- Collingwood - Captain J.C. Ley
- Colossus - Captain The Hon. E.S. Fitzherbert
- Hercules - Captain H.H. Bruce, M.V.O.
- Neptune - Captain A.T. Hunt, C.S.I.
- Superb - Captain P. Vaughan Lewes, C.B., D.S.O.
- Vanguard - Captain C.S. Hickley, M.V.O.
Battle of Jutland, June 1916
The First Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet. As an element in the Grand Fleet, the Squadron participated in the Battle of Jutland. During the Battle of Jutland, the composition of the First Battle Squadron was as follows:
- First Division
- Second Division
- Colossus - Captain Pound, Rear-Admiral Gaunt
- Collingwood - Captain Ley
- Neptune - Captain Bernard
- St. Vincent - Captain Fisher
After Jutland, 1916
Following the Battle of Jutland, the First Battle Squadron was reorganized. Much of the First Squadron was transferred to the British 4th Battle Squadron. The organization was as follows, with dates the ship entered and left the squadron indicated.
- Colossus - Transferred to 4th Battle Squadron in July,1916
- Hercules - Transferred to 4th Battle Squadron in July, 1916
- St Vincent - Transferred to 4th Battle Squadron in July, 1916
- Collingwood - Transferred to 4th Battle Squadron in July, 1916
- Neptune - Transferred to 4th Battle Squadron in July, 1916
- Agincourt - Transferred to 2nd Battle Squadron in October,1918
- Revenge - Squadron Flagship, flying Flag Vice-Admiral
- Royal Oak - Joined May,1916
- Royal Sovereign - Joined June,1916
- Benbow - Joined July,1916
- Emperor of India - Joined July, 1916
- Resolution - Joined December,1916
- Ramillies - Joined September,1917
Post-War
- Revenge (Flag, Vice-Admiral) — Captain George Thomas Carlisle Parker Swabey
- Resolution (Flag, Rear-Admiral) — Captain Argentine Hugh Alington, relieved in 1920 by Captain Harold Douglas Briggs
- Ramillies — Captain John Luce, relieved 7 May, 1920 by Captain Aubrey Clare Hugh Smith
- Royal Oak — Captain Frederic Aubrey Whitehead
- Royal Sovereign — Captain Oliver Backhouse
Command of the First Battle Squadron
The Vice-Admiral Commanding the Battle Squadron commanded one division. His second in command, Rear-Admiral First Battle Squadron, commanded the other division.
Admiral Commanding, First Battle Squadron
- Vice-Admiral Stanley Cecil James Colville, 22 June, 1912 – 22 June, 1914
- Rear-Admiral Lewis Bayly, (promoted to Vice-Admiral in September, 1914) June, 1914 – December, 1914
- Vice-Admiral Cecil Burney, First Baronet, December, 1914 – November, 1916
- Admiral Sir Charles Madden, November, 1916 – April, 1919
- Vice-Admiral Sir Sydney Robert Fremantle
Rear-Admiral, First Battle Squadron
- Rear-Admiral Hugh Evan-Thomas, July, 1913 – August, 1915
- Rear-Admiral Ernest Gaunt, August, 1915 – December, 1916
- Rear-Admiral The Honourable Victor Albert Stanley (Post-war)
Footnotes
Bibliography
- Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.
