Devonport Local Defence Flotilla
The Devonport Defence Flotilla was a Local Defence Flotilla in the Royal Navy stationed in Devonport at the Western end of the English Channel.
History
Test Mobilisation, July 1914
Four destroyers and eight torpedo boats participated in the Test Mobilisation.[1]
Destroyers | |||||
Bittern | Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish | ||
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 |
September, 1914
The First Submarine Flotilla of two old "A" class submarines has joined, bringing the strength to four destroyers, eight torpedo boats and two submarines and their depot ship.[2]
Destroyers | |||||
Bittern | Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish | ||
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 | ||||
First Submarine Flotilla, tender to Onyx | |||||
A 8 | A 9 |
This roster would apply until February or March, 1915.[3][4][5]
March, 1915
Destroyers Boyne and Foyle have come over following service in Home and Atlantic Waters, bringing the strength to six destroyers, eight torpedo boats and the two submarines with their depot ship.[6]
Destroyers | |||||
Bittern | Boyne | Foyle | Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish |
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 | ||||
First Submarine Flotilla, tender to Onyx | |||||
A 8 | A 9 |
This roster would apply until February, 1916.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]
February, 1916
The First Submarine Flotilla has been detached, eventually to reappear in September as part of the Firth of Forth Defence Flotilla with different submarines, reducing the strength to six destroyers and eight torpedo boats.[17][18]
Destroyers | |||||
Bittern | Boyne | Foyle | Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish |
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 |
This roster would apply until May.[19][20]
May, 1916
Roebuck has been detached for just the month of May, temporarily reducing the strength to five destroyers and eight torpedo boats.[21]
Destroyers | |||||
Bittern | Boyne | Foyle | Opossum | Sunfish | |
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 |
June, 1916
Roebuck has returned, bringing the strength back up to six destroyers and eight torpedo boats.[22]
Destroyers | |||||
Bittern | Boyne | Foyle | Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish |
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 |
This roster would apply until April, 1917.[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]
April, 1917
Foyle has been detached as the flotilla's first loss of the war after being mined and lost on 15 March, reducing the strength to five destroyers and eight torpedo boats.[31]
Destroyers | |||||
Bittern | Boyne | Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish | |
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 |
This roster would apply until July.[32][33]
July, 1917
The old 27 knotter Opossum has been detached, destined to return in October, reducing the strength to four destroyers and eight torpedo boats.[34]
Destroyers | |||||
Bittern | Boyne | Roebuck | Sunfish | ||
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 |
This roster would apply until September.[35]
September, 1917
Boyne has been detached to join the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla, and patrol boats P 42 and P 56 have joined for just the month, bringing the strength to three destroyers, two patrol boats and eight torpedo boats.[36]
Destroyers | |||||
Bittern | Roebuck | Sunfish | |||
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 | ||||
Patrol Boats, tenders to Dreel Castle | |||||
P 42 | P 56 |
October, 1917
Opossum has returned, and patrol boats P 42 and P 56 have left to join the Milford and Pembroke Defence Flotilla, bringing the strength to four destroyers and eight torpedo boats.[37]
Destroyers | |||||
Bittern | Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish | ||
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 |
This roster would apply until May, 1918, though in March, the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla arrived in Devonport with over thirty modern destroyers.[38][39][40][41][42][43]
May, 1918
Bittern has been detached, reducing the flotilla's strength to three destroyers and eight torpedo boats, though the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla is still operating out of Devonport as well.[44]
Destroyers | |||||
Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish | |||
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 |
This roster would apply until X.[45][46]
August, 1918
The 18th (Devonport) Fleet Sweeping Flotilla has been attached, bringing the flotilla's strength to three destroyers, eight torpedo boats and four minesweepers, though the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla is still operating out of Devonport as well.[47]
Destroyers | |||||
Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish | |||
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 | ||||
18th (Devonport) Fleet Sweeping Flotilla | |||||
Bootle | Craigie | Sutton | Fareham |
This roster would last until sometime between September and November.[48]
November, 1918
The 18th (Devonport) Fleet Sweeping Flotilla's units have changed and it has been temporarily detached to Granton, and a flotilla of submarines under Ambrose has joined in a "detached" state, bringing the strength to three destroyers, eight torpedo boats, seven submarines and four minesweepers. The Fourth Destroyer Flotilla is still operating out of Devonport as well.[49]
Destroyers | |||||
Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish | |||
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 | ||||
18th (Devonport) Fleet Sweeping Flotilla | |||||
Eglinton | Gatwick | Melton | Pontefract | ||
Ambrose's Submarine Flotilla | |||||
L 1 | L 2 | L 3 | L 4 | L 5 | L 6 |
L 7 |
December, 1918
The 18th (Devonport) Fleet Sweeping Flotilla appears to be no longer detached to Granton, an additional submarine has joined Ambrose's flotilla, which may no longer be in a "detached" state, bringing the strength to three destroyers, eight torpedo boats, eight submarines and four minesweepers. The Fourth Destroyer Flotilla is still operating out of Devonport as well.[50]
Destroyers | |||||
Opossum | Roebuck | Sunfish | |||
Torpedo Boats | |||||
T.B. 054 | T.B. 067 | T.B. 074 | T.B. 99 | T.B. 104 | T.B. 105 |
T.B. 107 | T.B. 108 | ||||
18th (Devonport) Fleet Sweeping Flotilla | |||||
Eglinton | Gatwick | Melton | Pontefract | ||
Ambrose's Submarine Flotilla | |||||
L 1 | L 2 | L 3 | L 4 | L 5 | L 6 |
L 7 | L 8 |
January, 1919
With the war over, work has shifted to mine clearing. The destroyers and torpedo boats are gone. The sweeping flotilla has been augmented by thirteen patrol boats for mine clearance and depot ship Apollo has come to help and monitor Marshal Soult is expected shortly, to be attached to H.M.S. Vivid.[51]
Captains (D)
Dates of appointment given:
Footnotes
- ↑ Admiralty Weekly Order No. 109 of 10 July, 1914.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September 1914). p. 13.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 13.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 13.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 13.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). p. 16.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 16.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1915). p. 16.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1915). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1915). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1915). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1915). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1915). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1915). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1917). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1917). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1917). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). p. 18.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 18.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1917). pp. 16, 18.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1917). p. 18.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 18.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1917). p. 18.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1918). p. 18.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (February, 1918). p. 18.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1918). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1918). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1918). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1918). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1918). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1918). p. 17.
- ↑ No Supplements for Sep or Oct, 1918 were consulted.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1918). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 17.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1919). p. 17.
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 |