Combined Force (Royal Navy)
The Southern Force was a formation of the Royal Navy during the early part of the First World War.
On 13 August, 1914, Rear-Admiral Arthur H. Christian was appointed Rear-Admiral in command of a Special Force, with his flag in Euryalus.[1] This special force was labelled the "Southern Force", and was composed of the First and Third Destroyer and the Tenth Submarine Flotillas at Harwich, under Commodores Tyrwhitt and Keyes respectively, and the Seventh Cruiser Squadron under Rear-Admiral Henry H. Campbell. The functions of the force were broadly defined by the Official Historian as:
to protect the Belgian coast, to prevent the Schelde being blocked, to keep a general command of our East Coast waters, and to give early notice of any attempt to interrupt our communications with France in the Channel. In carrying out this general idea the admiral was given a free hand in arranging patrols, subject only to orders from the Admiralty when special operations were required.[2]
The Seventh Cruiser Squadron, also known as Cruiser Force C, was detached from Admiral Jellicoe's command and reinforced by the cruiser Hogue from Queenstown.[3]
Both Rear-Admirals Christian and Campbell struck their flags on 6 October.[4][5]
Footnotes
- ↑ Christian Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 142.
- ↑ Corbett. Naval Operations. I. pp. 81-82.
- ↑ Home Waters—Part I. p. 80.
- ↑ Christian Service Record. f. 142.
- ↑ Campbell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 309.
Bibliography
