First Fleet (United Kingdom)

Former naval fleet of the Royal Navy

First Fleet
Active	31 July 1912–August 1914
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Fleet

Military unit

Structure
Parent unit	Home Fleets
Components	1st Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14) 2nd Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14) 3rd Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14) 4th Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14) 1st Cruiser Squadron (07.12-01.13) 2nd Cruiser Squadron (07.12-08.14) 3rd Cruiser Squadron (07.12-08.14) 4th Cruiser Squadron (07.12-08.14) 1st Light Cruiser Squadron (13-08.14) 1st Destroyer Flotilla (05.12-07.14) 2nd Destroyer Flotilla (05.12-07.14) 3rd Destroyer Flotilla (07.12-08.14) 4th Destroyer Flotilla (07.12-08.14)

Structure

Parent unit

Home Fleets

Components

1st Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14)
2nd Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14)
3rd Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14)
4th Battle Squadron (07.12-08.14)
1st Cruiser Squadron (07.12-01.13)
2nd Cruiser Squadron (07.12-08.14)
3rd Cruiser Squadron (07.12-08.14)
4th Cruiser Squadron (07.12-08.14)
1st Light Cruiser Squadron (13-08.14)
1st Destroyer Flotilla (05.12-07.14)
2nd Destroyer Flotilla (05.12-07.14)
3rd Destroyer Flotilla (07.12-08.14)
4th Destroyer Flotilla (07.12-08.14)

The First Fleet was a formation of the Royal Navy that briefly existed before the First World War from 1912 to 1914.

History

The First Fleet was formed on 31 July 1912, with the Commander-in-Chief Home Fleets in direct command of it; a vice admiral commanded the Second and Third Fleets. The numbered fleets during this period had different levels of battle readiness; ships of the First Fleet ships were in full commission.

The First Fleet included four destroyer flotillas under Captain Cecil Lambert. Captain Reginald Tyrwhitt took over the command of the destroyer flotillas in December 1913.

Commanders

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term
Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleets/First Fleet
1	Admiral		Sir George Callaghan	31 July 1912-December 1914

Components

Included

	Unit	Notes
1	1st Battle Squadron	(8 battleships)
2	2nd Battle Squadron	(8 battleships)
3	3rd Battle Squadron	(8 pre-dreadnoughts)
4	4th Battle Squadron	(4 battleships)
5	1st Cruiser Squadron	(4 cruisers then to Battle-Cruiser Squadron 01.13)
6	2nd Cruiser Squadron	(4-5 cruisers)
7	3rd Cruiser Squadron	(5-7 cruisers)
8	4th Cruiser Squadron	(7-8 cruisers)
9	1st Light Cruiser Squadron	(14 cruisers assigned-reassigned between 1913 and 1914)
10	1st Destroyer Flotilla	(1 scout cruiser, 20 destroyers)
11	2nd Destroyer Flotilla	(1 scout cruiser, 20 destroyers)
12	3rd Destroyer Flotilla	(1 scout cruiser,16 destroyers -all to Med as 5th DF, 1913, replaced by 4 destroyers)
13	4th Destroyer Flotilla	(1 scout cruiser, 12 destroyers + 18 K. Class, 1912–13)

References

Government, H.M. (October 1913). "List of officers on active list of the Royal Navy with the dates of their seniority". The Navy List. H.M Stationery Office. p. 86.
"Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914". naval-history.net. Gordom Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
The Times. Monday, 29 July 1912. Issue 39963, col D, p. 3.
The Times. Monday, 24 November 1913. Issue 40377, col B, p. 5.
Government, H.M. (October 1913). "Flag Officers - Vice Admirals". The Navy List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 87.
"Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914". naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
Smith. 2015
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Sources

Government, H.M. (October 1913). "List of officers on active list of the Royal Navy with the dates of their seniority". The Navy List. H.M Stationery Office.

External links

The Dreadnought Project: First Fleet

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