Third Battle Squadron (Royal Navy)
The Third Battle Squadron was a battleship squadron of the Royal Navy in the period before, during, and after the First World War.
History
In the House of Commons on 18 May, 1912, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston S. Churchill, announced that the battleships of the Atlantic Fleet, hitherto based on Gibraltar, would become the Third Battle Squadron and would be based on Home Ports. The strength of the squadorn would be increased from six battleships to eight as new ships joined the Fleet.[1]
Rear-Admiral Sir Douglas R. M. Nicholson was appointed Rear-Admiral Commanding the Third Battle Squadron in the newly-constituted Home Fleet on 8 April, 1919.[2]
Composition
May, 1912
- H.M.S. King Edward VII.
- H.M.S. Hibernia.
- H.M.S. Zealandia.
- H.M.S. Hindustan.
- H.M.S. Dominion.
- H.M.S. Britannia.
- H.M.S. Commonwealth.
- H.M.S. Africa.
August, 1914
- H.M.S. King Edward VII.
- H.M.S. Hibernia.
- H.M.S. Russell.
- H.M.S. Africa.
- H.M.S. Britannia.
- H.M.S. Commonwealth.
- H.M.S. Hindustan.
- H.M.S. Dominion.
- H.M.S. Zealandia.
- H.M.S. Albemarle.
- H.M.S. Exmouth.
- H.M.S. Duncan.
January, 1916
- H.M.S. King Edward VII.
- H.M.S. Hindustan.
- H.M.S. Dominion.
- H.M.S. Britannia.
- H.M.S. Commonwealth.
- H.M.S. Africa.
- H.M.S. Albemarle.
Vice-Admirals and Rear-Admirals Commanding
Dates of appointment given:
- Vice-Admiral Cecil Burney, 19 December, 1911.
- Vice-Admiral Lewis Bayly, 1 July, 1913 - June, 1914.
- Vice-Admiral Sir Edward E. Bradford, 22 June, 1914.[3]
- Vice-Admiral Sir John M. de Robeck, 19 July, 1916.[3]
- Vice-Admiral Sir Herbert L. Heath, 5 December, 1916.[3]
- Vice-Admiral Sir Dudley R. S. de Chair, 26 September, 1917.[3]
Squadron abolished on 20 April, 1918.[3]
- Rear-Admiral Sir Douglas R. M. Nicholson, 8 April, 1919.[2]
Rear-Admirals, Second-in-Command
Dates of appointment given:
- Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher G. F. M. Cradock, 29 August, 1911.
- Rear-Admiral Cecil F. Thursby, 29 August, 1912.
- Rear-Admiral Montague E. Browning, 29 August, 1913.[3]
- Rear-Admiral Sydney R. Fremantle, 27 July, 1915.[3]
- Rear-Admiral Cecil F. Dampier, 13 March, 1916.[3]
- Rear-Admiral Douglas R. L. Nicholson, 13 March, 1917.[3]
Position abolished on 21 September, 1917.[3]
Footnotes
- ↑ Hansard. HC Deb 18 March 1912 vol 35 c1564.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "End of Grand Fleet" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 3 April, 1919. Issue 42065, col D, pg. 13.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 "Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918, and Which Have Now Ceased to Exist." The National Archives. ADM 6/461. ["Squadrons."] p. 4.
Bibliography
- Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.
