1st Destroyer Flotilla

The 1st Destroyer Flotilla, also styled as the First Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the British Royal Navy from 1909 to 1940 and again from 1947 to 1951.

1st Destroyer Flotilla
Active1907; formal July 1909–July 1940, 1947-1951
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
SizeFlotilla
EngagementsWorld War I World War II
Commanders
FirstCommodore Edward F. B. Charlton
LastCaptain Michael S. Townsend

History

Pre-war history

In May 1906, the First Destroyer Flotilla was attached to the Channel Fleet. The flotilla was attached alongside the 2nd and 3rd Destroyer Flotillas.[1] Between February and August of 1907, it was stationed in Portsmouth until being reassigned to the Channel Fleet. In February 1909 the flotilla was transferred to the 1st Division of the Home Fleet. On 27 July 1909, it was placed under the command of Commodore Edward F. B. Charlton until 1910. From May 1912 to July 1914 the flotilla was allocated to the First Fleet of the Home Fleet.

World War I

At the outbreak of war in July, 1914, the First Destroyer Flotilla was part of the First Fleet and was composed of 20 destroyers, 1 depot ship, and 1 scout cruiser. In August 1914 it was grouped with two other flotillas to form the Harwich Force as part of the Grand Fleet, under the command of Reginald Tyrwhitt, until November 1916. The flotilla was next assigned to the Harwich Force where it remained until April 1917. From May 1917 until December 1918 it was in the Portsmouth Command.[1][2]


After World War One the flotilla was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet from November 1918 to April 1925. In 1925 it was re-designated 5th Destroyer Flotilla and assigned to its first overseas station as part of the Mediterranean Fleet until 1932.[3] It was renamed back to the 1st Destroyer Flotilla still with the Med Fleet until August 1938.[4] At the beginning of World War Two in September 1939, the flotilla was placed under the command of the Rear-Admiral, Destroyer Flotillas Mediterranean Fleet where it remained until July 1940 when it was moved to the Portsmouth Command, till May 1945.[5] Post the Second World War the Flotilla was reformed again as part of the Mediterranean Fleet in July 1945 until October 1951 when it was renamed 1st Destroyer Squadron.

Command structure organizational changes took place within the Royal Navy during the post-war period. The term Flotilla was previously applied to a tactical unit until 1951 which led to the creation of three specific Flag Officers, Flotillas responsible for the Eastern, Home and Mediterranean fleets. The existing destroyer flotillas were re-organized now as administrative squadrons.[6]

Operational deployments
Assigned toDatesNotes
Channel FleetMarch 1907 to February 1909
Home Fleet, 1st DivisionMarch 1909 to April 1912
Home Fleets, First FleetMay 1912 to July 1914
Grand FleetAugust 1914 to November 1916
Harwich ForceNovember 1916 to April 1917
Portsmouth CommandApril 1917 to November 1918
Atlantic FleetNovember 1918 to- April 1925renumbered 5DF
Mediterranean FleetSeptember to July 1940
Portsmouth CommandJuly 1940 to May 1945
Mediterranean FleetJuly 1945 to October 1951

Administration

In the Royal Navy, a Captain (D) afloat or Captain Destroyers afloat is an operational commander responsible for the command of destroyer flotilla or squadron.

Captains (D) afloat 1st Destroyer Flotilla

Incomplete list of post holders included:[7]

RankNameTermNotes
Captain (D) afloat 1st Destroyer Flotilla
1CommodoreEdward F. B. Charlton27 July, 1909 – after 27 June, 1910
2Commodore 2nd classSir Robert K. Arbuthnot29 November, 1910 – 1 May, 1912later R.Adm.
3CaptainArthur R. Hulbert10 May, 1912 – 12 January, 1913
4CaptainThomas L. Shelford20 January, 1913
5CaptainWilliam F. Blunt25 April, 1913 – 25 July, 1915(later R.Adm)[8]
6CaptainCharles D. Roper27 July, 1915 – 8 June, 1916
7CaptainBrien M. Money1 March, 1919 – 4 April, 1919
8CaptainGeorge W. McO. Campbell4 April, 1919 – 1 December, 1920(later V. Adm)
9CaptainArthur K. Betty1 December, 1920 – 19 December, 1922
10CaptainSir Andrew B. Cunningham19 December, 1922 – 1 July, 1924(later Adm. of the Fleet)
11CaptainKenneth MacLeod1 July, 1924 – 1 April, 1925
12CaptainJames V. Creagh7 July, 1925 – October, 1927
13CaptainJohn H. K. Clegg11 October, 1927 – 7 December, 1929
14CaptainAlan R. Dewar6 November, 1929 – 10 December, 1931(later R.Adm)
15CaptainEdward B. Cloete10 December, 1931 – December, 1932
16CaptainCharles F. Harris12 December, 1932 - 18 May, 1936
17CaptainCharles M. Blackman18 May, 1936 - 25 June, 1940
18CaptainAugustine W. S. Agar25 June, 1940 – 13 July, 1940(later Cmdre.) flotilla disbanded
19CaptainR. Dymock Watson1947 - October 1948flotilla reformed
20CaptainJohn E.H. McBeathOctober 1948 - April 1950
21CaptainMichael S. TownsendApril 1950 - October 1951flotilla renamed 1st Destroyer Squadron

References
  1. Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914". www.naval-history.net. G. Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  2. Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914-1918". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  3. Halpern, Paul (2016). The Mediterranean Fleet, 1919–1929. Cambridge, England: Routledge. p. 296. ISBN 9781317024163.
  4. Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1919-1939". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 2 September 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  5. Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Orgqnisation in World War 2, 1939-1945". www.naval-history.net. n Smith, 19 September 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  6. Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013: FLOTILLAS AND SQUADRONS 1947-1971". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 12 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  7. Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "First Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell, 17 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  8. Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). Colin Mackie, July 2018. pp. 224–226. Retrieved 10 July 2018.

Sources
  • Halpern, Paul (2016). The Mediterranean Fleet, 1919–1929. Cambridge, England: Routledge. ISBN 9781317024163.
  • Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. (2018) "First Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell.
  • Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914". www.naval-history.net. G. Smith.
  • Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914-1918". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.
  • Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation in World War 2, 1939-1945". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.
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