1st Cruiser Squadron

The First Cruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron of cruisers that saw service as part of the Grand Fleet during World War I, then later as part of the Mediterranean during the Interwar period and World War II. It was first established in 1904 and existed until 1952.

1st Cruiser Squadron
Active1904–1952
CountryUnited Kingdom
AllegianceBritish Empire
BranchRoyal Navy
EngagementsBattle of Dogger Bank
Battle of Jutland

History

First formation

The squadron was formed in December 1904 when Cruiser Squadron was re-designated the 1st Cruiser Squadron. In March 1909, then consisting of battlecruisers, it was assigned to the 1st Division of the Home Fleet until April 1912. When the First World War began, the squadron was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet where it participated in the pursuit of the German battlecruiser SMS Goeben and the light cruiser SMS Breslau. It joined then Grand Fleet in January 1915 where it participated in the battles of Dogger Bank and the Battle of Jutland. It was disbanded after the battle as three of its four ships had been sunk in June 1916. In July 1917 H.M. Ships Courageous, Glorious and Furious were detached from the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron and named the First Cruiser Squadron, part of the newly formed Light Cruiser Force. It remained part of Light Cruiser Force until April 1919 when it was once again disbanded.

Rear/Vice Admiral commanding

Post holders included:[1][2]

RankFlagNameTerm
Rear-Admiral/Vice-Admiral Commanding, 1st Cruiser Squadron [3]
1Rear-AdmiralEdmund S. PoeDecember, 1904 - July, 1905
2Rear-AdmiralGeorge NevilleJuly, 1905 - July, 1907
3Rear-AdmiralSir Percy M. ScottJuly, 1907 - September, 1908
4Rear-AdmiralCharles H. AdairSeptember, 1908 - February, 1909
5Rear-AdmiralHon. Stanley C. J. ColvilleFebruary, 1909 - February, 1911
6Rear-AdmiralLewis BaylyFebruary, 1911 - January, 1913
7Rear-AdmiralErnest C.T. TroubridgeJanuary, 1913 - September, 1914
8Rear-AdmiralSir Archibald G. H.W. MooreNovember, 1914 - January, 1915
9Rear-AdmiralSir Robert K. Arbuthnot †January, 1915 - May, 1916
squadron disbanded 06/1916 - 06/1917
10Vice-AdmiralTrevylyan D.W.NapierJuly, 1917 - April, 1919
squadron disbanded 1919-1924

Composition, April–May 1907

As per:[4]

Composition, First World War
HMS Black Prince
August 1914

As of:[5]

Armoured cruisers

Light cruisers

Commander Sidney R. Drury-Lowe, R. N.
24 January 1915

As of:[6]

22 February 1915

As of:[7]

  • Defence - Flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot
  • Duke of Edinburgh
  • Black Prince
  • Warrior
30 May 1916

As of:[8]

  • Defence - Flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot
  • Duke of Edinburgh
  • Black Prince
  • Warrior
October 1917

As of:[9]

17 November 1917

As of:[10]

  • Courageous
  • Glorious

Second formation

In October 1924 the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron is re-designated 1st Cruiser Squadron this takes effect in November 1924 and reformed as an enlarged unit of the Mediterranean Fleet under the command Rear Admiral Arthur K.Waistell. Louis Mountbatten served as commander of the squadron in the Mediterranean Fleet and, having been granted the substantive rank of vice admiral on 22 June 1949, he became Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in April 1950.

Rear/Vice Admiral commanding

Post holders included:[11][12]

RankFlagNameTerm
Rear-Admiral/Vice-Admiral Commanding, 1st Cruiser Squadron [13]
1Rear-AdmiralArthur K.WaistellNovember, 1924 - October, 1926
2Rear-AdmiralWilliam H.D. BoyleOctober, 1926 - October, 1928
3Rear-AdmiralHenry W. ParkerOctober, 1928 - March, 1930
4Rear-AdmiralJoseph Henley C. W. HenleyMarch, 1930 -April 1932
5Rear-AdmiralGeorge K. ChetwodeApril, 1932 - June, 1933
6Vice-AdmiralJohn K. im ThurnJune, 1933 - July, 1935
7Vice-AdmiralMax K. HortonJuly, 1935 - October, 1936
8Vice-AdmiralCharles E.Kennedy-PurvisOctober, 1936-September, 1938
9Vice-AdmiralJohn H. D. CunninghamSeptember, 1938 - December, 1940
10Rear-AdmiralW. Frederic Wake-WalkerDecember, 1940 - February 1942
11Rear-AdmiralLouis H.K. HamiltonFebruary 1942 - August, 1943
12Vice-AdmiralArthur F.E. PalliserAugust, 1943 - March, 1944
13Vice-AdmiralSir Rhoderick R. McGrigorMarch, 1944 - July 1945
14Rear-AdmiralHarold R.G. KinahanJune, 1946 - June, 1947
15Rear-AdmiralRichard V. Symonds-TaylerJune, 1947 - October, 1948
16Vice-AdmiralEarl Mountbatten of BurmaOctober, 1948 - May, 1950
17Rear-AdmiralC.T. Mark PizeyMay, 1950 - July, 1951
18Vice-AdmiralRalph A.B. EdwardsJuly, 1951 – 1952

Deployments

Included:[14]

fromtodeployed tonotes
March 1909April 19121st Division, Home Fleet
July 1914January 1915Mediterranean Fleet
January 1915June 1916Grand Fleet
July 1917April 1919Light Cruiser Force
November 1924August 1939Mediterranean Fleet
August 19391952Home Fleet

Footnotes
  1. Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie, December 2017. pp. 206–209. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  2. Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "First Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Lovelll and Harley, 30 August 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  3. Government, H.M. (October 1913). "Flag Officers - Vice Admirals". The Navy List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 87.
  4. Sieche, p. 146
  5. Corbett, I, p. 440
  6. Corbett, II, p. 413
  7. Corbett, II, p. 418
  8. Corbett, III, p. 429
  9. Newbolt, V, p. 152
  10. Newbolt, V, p. 168
  11. Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie, December 2017. pp. 206–209. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  12. Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "First Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Lovelll and Harley, 30 August 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  13. Government, H.M. (October 1913). "Flag Officers - Vice Admirals". The Navy List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 87.
  14. Houterman, J.N. "Royal Navy, Squadrons 1939-1945". www.unithistories.com. J.N. Houterman, 2010-2017. Retrieved 25 March 2018.

References
  • Corbett, Julian. Naval Operations to the Battle of the Falklands. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. I (2nd, reprint of the 1938 ed.). London and Nashville, TN: Imperial War Museum and Battery Press. ISBN 0-89839-256-X.
  • Corbett, Julian (1997). Naval Operations. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. II (reprint of the 1929 second ed.). London and Nashville, TN: Imperial War Museum in association with the Battery Press. ISBN 1-870423-74-7.
  • Corbett, Julian (1997). Naval Operations. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. III (reprint of the 1940 second ed.). London and Nashville, TN: Imperial War Museum in association with the Battery Press. ISBN 1-870423-50-X.
  • Newbolt, Henry (1996). Naval Operations. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents. Vol. V (reprint of the 1931 ed.). Nashville, TN: Battery Press. ISBN 0-89839-255-1.
  • Sieche, Erwin F. (1990). "Austria-Hungary's Last Visit to the USA". Warship International. XXVII (2): 142–164. ISSN 0043-0374.

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