First Fleet Sweeping Flotilla (Royal Navy)

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 –

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

Senior Officers

• Commander Cyril H. G. Benson, 11 November, 1916 – 4 February, 1917
• Captain Hubert H. Holland, 4 February, 1917 – November, 1918
• Acting Commander Charles E. Aglionby, 6 December, 1918 – 15 January, 1919
• Commander Richard H. L. Bevan, 10 January, 1919 – April, 1919
• Lieutenant-Commander Barry V. Sturdee, 30 April, 1919 – November, 1919

Second-in-Command

• Lieutenant-Commander Barry V. Sturdee, 6 December, 1918 – 30 April, 1919

Bibliography

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