Atlantic Fleet (United Kingdom)


The Atlantic Fleet was a naval fleet of the Royal Navy. It existed for two periods; 1909 until 1914, and then 1919 until 1932.

History

On 14 December 1904 the Channel Fleet was re-styled the 'Atlantic Fleet'. The Atlantic Fleet lasted until 1912 when rising tensions with Germany forced the Royal Navy to relook at fleet formations and the Atlantic Fleet became the 3rd Battle Squadron. The Atlantic Fleet was based at Gibraltar to reinforce either the Channel Fleet or the Mediterranean Fleet, from January 1905 to February 1907. It remained at Gibraltar until April 1912.
The Atlantic Fleet was again formed after the end of World War I, when British naval forces were reorganised to reflect the changed economic and political situation in Europe. The fleet was created upon the disbandment of the Grand Fleet in April 1919, absorbing many, but not all of its elements. It was placed under a Commander-in-Chief, who for part of that year held the title of Commander-in-Chief Atlantic and Home Fleets, before the Home Fleet became the Reserve Fleet and a totally separate command. became the Fleet's flagship and served in that capacity until 1924.
The fleet never fought in a naval battle in its short history. In 1931, during the Invergordon Mutiny, sailors of the fleet openly refused to obey orders because of a dispute over pay with the government. The fleet's short history ended in 1932, when the Admiralty having been shaken by the events of the Invergordon Mutiny, renamed the fleet, as the Home Fleet.

Senior officers

Commanders-in-Chief Atlantic Fleet

The Commander-in-Chief's title was "Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet" between 1904 and 1910, and "Vice-Admiral Commanding, Atlantic Fleet" from 1910 to 1912.
RankFlagNameTermTitle
1Vice-AdmiralLord Charles Beresford31 December 1904 – 1 March 1905Commander-in-Chief
2Vice-AdmiralSir William May1 March 1905 – 23 February 1907Commander-in-Chief
3Vice-AdmiralSir Assheton Curzon-Howe23 February 1907 – 19 November 1908Commander-in-Chief
4Vice-AdmiralPrince Louis of Battenberg19 November 1908 – 20 December 1910Commander-in-Chief
5Vice-AdmiralSir John Jellicoe20 December 1910 – 19 December 1911Vice-Admiral Commanding
6Acting Vice-AdmiralSir Cecil Burney19 December 1911 – July, 1912Vice-Admiral Commanding

RankFlagNameTerm
1AdmiralSir Charles Madden, 1st Baronet8 April 1919 – 15 August 1922
2AdmiralSir John de Robeck15 August 1922 – 15 August 1924
3AdmiralSir Henry Oliver15 August 1924 – 15 August 1927
4AdmiralSir Hubert Brand15 August 1927 – 17 April 1929
5AdmiralSir Ernle Chatfield17 April 1929 – 27 May 1930
6Vice-AdmiralSir Michael Hodges27 May 1930 – 6 October 1931
7AdmiralSir John Kelly6 October 1931 – 1932

Rear-Admiral, Second-in-Command, Atlantic Fleet

The post of Rear-Admiral Second-in-Command, Atlantic existed during the first formation of the Atlantic Fleet from June 1904 to August 1912. There were no admirals appointed as seconds-in-command in the fleet's second iteration.
RankFlagNameTerm
1Rear-AdmiralFrancis Bridgeman25 June 1904 – 25 August 1905
2Rear-AdmiralSir Berkeley Milne25 August 1905 – 25 August 1906
3Rear-AdmiralGeorge Egerton25 August 1906 – 28 August 1907
4Rear-AdmiralSir John Jellicoe28 August 1907 – 25 August 1908
5Rear-AdmiralWilliam Fisher25 August 1908 – 26 August 1909
6Rear-AdmiralSir Colin Keppel26 August 1909 – 12 September 1910
7Rear-AdmiralSackville Carden12 September 1910 – 29 August 1911
8Rear-AdmiralSir Christopher Cradock29 August 1911 – 29 August 1912

Commodore/Rear-Admiral (D) Commanding Destroyer Flotillas, Atlantic Fleet

Post holders included:
RankFlagNameTerm
1Commodore 2nd ClassHugh Tweedie1919 - May 1920
2Rear-AdmiralMichael HodgesMay 1920-July 1922
3Rear-AdmiralArthur WaistellJuly 1922-April 1923
4Rear-AdmiralSir George BairdApril 1923-September 1924
5Rear-AdmiralColin MacleanSeptember 1924–September 1926
6Rear-AdmiralWion EgertonSeptember 1926-July 1928
7Commodore 2nd ClassRobin DalglishJuly 1928-August 1930
8Commodore 2nd ClassEdward OsborneAugust 1930-March 1932 continued as R.Adm HF till July 1932.

Components

First formation

UnitDateNotes
12nd Cruiser SquadronJanuary 1905 – March 1909replaced by 5th CSQ
25th Cruiser SquadronMarch 1909 – April 1912
3Atlantic Fleet Flotilla1906–1907no destroyers after 1907
48 battleshipsJanuary 1905 – March 1909distributed
47 pre-dreadnoughtsMarch 1909 – April 1912distributed

Second formation

UnitDateNotes
11st Battle Squadron1919 – November 1924re-titled 2nd BS
22nd Battle Squadron1919 – May 1924absorbed into 1st BS
33rd Battle SquadronMarch 1926 – May 1930ex Mediterranean Fleet
4Battlecruiser Squadron1919 – September 1936to Med, 4.39-returned to Home Fleet
5Aircraft Carriers1919 – September 1931
6Aircraft Carrier SquadronSeptember 1931 – 1932
71st Light Cruiser Squadron1919 – November 1924to Mediterranean Fleet
82nd Light Cruiser Squadron1919–1920re-designated 2nd CSQ
92nd Cruiser Squadron1920–1932
101st Destroyer Flotilla1919 – April 1925
102nd Destroyer Flotilla1919 – November 1924to Mediterranean Fleet
113rd Destroyer Flotilla1919 – August 1923to Mediterranean Fleet
124th Destroyer Flotilla1919 – August 1923to Mediterranean Fleet
135th Destroyer Flotilla1919 – April 1925to Mediterranean Fleet as 1DF
146th Destroyer Flotilla1919–1921absorbed 8th DF
157th Destroyer Flotilla1925 – August 1928
168th Destroyer Flotilla1925 – August 1927to China Station
179th Destroyer Flotilla1925 – August 1927absorbed 7th DF
181st Submarine Flotilla1919–1927Rosyth Command to 1926 then to Nore Command till 1927
192nd Submarine Flotilla1919–1924Plymouth Command to 1924, after to FO, Malta
203rd Submarine Flotilla1919–1927Portsmouth Command to 1922 Plymouth Command till 1927 then to 2nd SF
215th Submarine Flotilla1919–1932Portsmouth Command
226th Submarine Flotilla1919–1932FO, Portland