List of squadrons and flotillas of the Royal Navy

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    This is a List of squadrons and flotillas of the Royal Navy.

    Type squadrons

    Aircraft carriers

    Numbered

    Named

    Battleships

    Battlecruisers

    Cruisers

    Starting around the time that steam cruisers became popular in the 1870s, the Royal Navy tended to organise such ships into groups called Cruiser Squadrons. Squadrons were commanded by a rear-admiral whose title was given as Flag Officer Cruiser Squadron n, or CSn for short (e.g. the officer commanding the 3rd Cruiser Squadron would be CS3).

    During peacetime the grouping was primarily for administrative purposes, but during war the whole squadron tended to be operated as a unified fighting unit and such units would train in this formation during peace. In the main fighting fleets (Home Fleet and Mediterranean Fleet) members of a given squadron were normally of the same or similar classes. The use of Cruiser Squadrons died out as the number of such ships decreased following World War II.

    Light Cruisers

    • 1st Light Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 4th Light Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 5th Light Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 6th Light Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 7th Light Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)

    Defence boats

    • British 1st Seaward Defence Boat Squadron

    Destroyers

    • 1st Destroyer Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 2nd Destroyer Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 3rd Destroyer Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 4th Destroyer Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 5th Destroyer Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 6th Destroyer Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 7th Destroyer Squadron (United Kingdom)
    • 8th Destroyer Squadron (United Kingdom)

    Escorts

    • British 21st Escort Squadron
    • British 22nd Escort Squadron
    • British 23rd Escort Squadron
    • British 24th Escort Squadron
    • British 25th Escort Squadron
    • British 26th Escort Squadron
    • British 27th Escort Squadron
    • British 28th Escort Squadron
    • British 29th Escort Squadron
    • British 30th Escort Squadron

    Fast patrol boats

    • Coastal Forces Squadron formerly British 1st Fast Patrol Boat Squadron[7]
    • British 2nd Fast Patrol Boat Squadron
    • 1st Patrol Boat Squadron – formerly the Inshore Training Squadron – renamed Coastal Forces Squadron circa June 2020, seemingly with HMS Smiter (P272).[8]

    Fisheries

    Frigates

    • 1st Frigate Squadron
    • 2nd Frigate Squadron
    • 3rd Frigate Squadron – postwar, was with Far East Fleet, at Singapore and Hong Kong. Flag at one point in HMS Loch Killisport. On 21 November 1960, the 3rd Frigate Squadron, together for the last time, shaped course for Singapore.
    • 4th Frigate Squadron, from January 1949 with Far East Fleet, including HMS Cardigan Bay (K630), HMS Morecambe Bay, and HMS Mounts Bay.[9] Made up of Amazon class frigates in the 1980s.
    • 5th Frigate Squadron
    • 6th Frigate Squadron
    • 7th Frigate Squadron
    • 8th Frigate Squadron
    • 9th Frigate Squadron
    • 17th Frigate Squadron
    • 20th Frigate Squadron – anti-submarine warfare training squadron based in Londonderry Port during the 1960s.

    Heavy

    • Heavy Squadron, (1951–1954) consisted of mixed naval units including the battleship, aircraft carriers and cruisers of the Home fleet.[10]

    Minesweepers

    Coastal minesweepers

    • British 100th Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 101st Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 105th Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 106th Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 108th Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 120th Minesweeper Squadron Hong Kong 1951–1962

    Fleet minesweepers

    • British 1st Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 2nd Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 3rd Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 4th Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 5th Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 6th Minesweeper Squadron

    Inshore minesweepers

    • British 50th Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 51st Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 52nd Minesweeper Squadron
    • British 232nd Minesweeper Squadron

    Mine counter-measures

    • 1st Mine Counter-Measures Squadron
    • 2nd Mine Counter-Measures Squadron
    • 3rd Mine Counter-Measures Squadron
    • 5th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron
    • 6th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron
    • 7th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron
    • 8th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron Hong Kong 1962–1967
    • 9th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron Persian Gulf 1962–1971 & 2013–present
    • 10th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron
    • 11th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron Falklands Conflict 1982

    Submarines

    • 1st Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom) (SM1) – HMS Dolphin, Gosport.
    • 2nd Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom) – HMNB Devonport, Plymouth.
    • 3rd Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom) – HMNB Clyde, Faslane, until amalgamated with SM10 in 1993 to become 1st Submarine Squadron.
    • 4th Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom) – with China Station 1939. With headquarters at Singapore, the then-named Fourth Submarine Flotilla comprised Rorqual, Grampus, Regent, Rover, Parthian, Olympus, Proteus, Regulus, Rainbow, Phoenix, Perseus, Pandora Orpheus, Odin, and Otus.[11] Trincomalee May 1944, Perth, Australia, after October 1944 supported by the depot ship HMS Adamant. Australia postwar (decision to host flotilla seems to have been made in 1949). The 4th Submarine Squadron, which included "T" class submarines, was disbanded on 10 January 1969 when the 1st Australian Submarine Squadron comprising HMAS Otway and HMAS Oxley was founded.[12] HMS Trump departed Sydney for the United Kingdom that day.
    • 5th Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom) – Malta.
    • 6th Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom) alternately rendered as 6th Submarine Division – Halifax, Nova Scotia.
    • 7th Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom) – Singapore.
    • 10th Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom) (SM10) – 30 November 1959, reformed at Singapore.[13] Strategic nuclear missile submarines based HMNB Clyde, Faslane, until amalgamated into 1st Submarine Squadron, 1993.

    Training

    • Inshore Training Squadron – renamed the 1st Patrol Boat Squadron in 2002.
    • British 2nd Training Squadron
    • British 3rd Training Squadron
    • British 4th Training Squadron
    • Training Squadron, Home Fleet

    Type flotillas

    Destroyers

    See Pennant number#Flotilla bands

    • 1st Destroyer Flotilla, deployments:[14][15][16][17]
    • 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, deployments:[18][19][20][17]
    • 3rd Destroyer Flotilla: (1910–1945)
      • 1939 Mediterranean Fleet HMS Inglefield' (F)
        • 5th Destroyer Division HMS Ilex, HMS Isis, HMS Imperial, HMS Imogen[21]
        • 6th Destroyer Division HMS Ivanhoe, HMS Impulsive, HMS Intrepid, HMS Icarus[21]
      • 1954 Home Fleet HMS St. Kitts
    • 4th Destroyer Flotilla: (1910–1940)
      • 1939 Mediterranean Fleet HMS Afridi (F)
        • 7th Destroyer Division HMS Afridi, HMS Gurkha, HMS Mohawk, HMS Sikh[21]
        • 8th Destroyer Division HMS Cossack, HMS Maori, HMS Nubian, HMS Zulu[21]
      • 1945 British Pacific Fleet HMAS Quickmatch, HMAS Quiberon, HMAS Queenborough, HMS Quality.
      • 1951 Home Fleet HMS Agincourt
    • 5th Destroyer Flotilla: 1932 Home Fleet (1910–1933)
      • 1948 Home Fleet HMS St. Kitts
    • 6th Destroyer Flotilla: (1912–1943)–1932 Home Fleet; 1939 Home Fleet HMS Somali
      • 1939 11th Destroyer Division HMS Matabele, HMS Ashanti, HMS Mashona, HMS Somali(F)[22]
      • 1939 12th Destroyer Division HMS Punjabi, HMS Tarter, HMS Bedouin, HMS Eskimo[22]
    • 7th Destroyer Flotilla: (1912–1944) – 1941 British Eastern Fleet HMAS Norman, HMAS Napier, HMAS Nestor and HMAS Nizam.
    • 8th Destroyer Flotilla:
      • 1939 Home Fleet; HMS Faulknor
        • 1939 15th Destroyer Division HMS Foxhound, HMS Fearless, HMS Fury, HMS Forester[22]
        • 1939 16th Destroyer Division HMS Foresight, HMS Fortune, HMS Fame, HMS Firedrake[22]
      • 1940 Force H HMS Faulknor, HMS Forester, HMS Foresight, HMS Firedrake, HMS Fortune, HMS Fearless, HMS Fury, HMS Foxhound
    • 9th Destroyer Flotilla:
    • 10th Destroyer Flotilla:1940 Mediterranean Fleet
      • 19th Destroyer Division (Scrap Iron Flotilla) HMAS Stuart, HMAS Vampire, HMAS Voyager, HMAS Vendetta, HMAS Waterhen[23]
      • 20th Destroyer Division HMS Dainty, HMS Diamond, HMS Decoy, HMS Defender[23]
    • 11th Destroyer Flotilla: 1939 Home Fleet HMS Vanquisher, HMS Vansittart, HMS Vimy, HMS Walker, HMS Warwick, HMS Whirlwind and HMS Winchelsea
    • 12th Destroyer Flotilla
    • 13th Destroyer Flotilla
    • 14th Destroyer Flotilla:1942 Mediterranean Fleet HMS Jervis, Javelin, Kelvin, Nubian, Pakenham, Paladin and Petard
    • 15th Destroyer Flotilla
      • 1939 Rosyth Command
        • 29th Destroyer Division HMS Broke, HMS Wanderer, HMS Whitehall, HMS Witch[24]
        • 30th Destroyer Division HMS Wolverine, HMS Witherington, HMSVolunteer, HMS Verity[24]
    • 16th Destroyer Flotilla 1939 Portsmouth Command
    • 17th Destroyer Flotilla
    • 18th Destroyer Flotilla 1939 Home Fleet HMS Kempenfelt(1939–1939 (transferred to RCN)
    • 19th Destroyer Flotilla:
      • 1939 Nore Command HMS Codrington (F)[25]
        • 37th Destroyer Division HMS Basilisk, HMS Beagle, HMS Boreas [25]
        • 38th Destroyer Division HMS Blanche, HMS Brazen, HMS Brilliant, HMS Boadicea[25]
      • 1940 Force H HMS Lagos, HMS Laforey, HMS Lightning, HMS Lance, HMS Lively
      • 1945 to 1946 HMS Trafalgar (flotilla leader), HMS Armada, HMS Barfleur, HMS Hogue, HMS Lagos, HMS Camperdown and HMS Finisterre.
    • 20th Destroyer Flotilla
    • 21st Destroyer Flotilla:1939 China Station HMS Duncan, HMS Decoy, HMS Defender, HMS Delight, HMS Duchess, HMS Dainty, HMS Daring, HMS Diamond and HMS Diana
    • 22nd Destroyer Flotilla
    • 23rd Destroyer Flotilla: formerly French small destroyers Bouclier, Branlebas, L'Incomprise, La Cordeliere, La Flore, La Melpomène
    • 24th Destroyer Flotilla
    • 25th Destroyer Flotilla: 1945 British Pacific Fleet HMS Grenville, HMS Ulster, HMS Undine, HMS Urania, HMS Undaunted, HMS Ursa, HMS Ulysses, HMS Urchin
    • 26th Destroyer Flotilla: 1945 British Eastern Fleet HMS Saumarez, HMS Verulam, HMS Venus and HMS Virago
    • 27th Destroyer Flotilla: 1945 British Pacific Fleet HMS Kempenfelt, HMS Wager, HMS Wakeful, HMS Wessex, HMS Whelp, HMS Whirlwind, HMS Wizard.[26]
    • 28th Destroyer Flotilla:
    • 29th Destroyer Flotilla:

    Escorts

    • British 1st Escort Flotilla
    • British 2nd Escort Flotilla
    • British 3rd Escort Flotilla
    • British 4th Escort Flotilla
    • British 5th Escort Flotilla

    Local defences

    Included:[27]

    • 2nd Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[27]
    • Clyde Local Defence flotilla (1914–1916)[27]
    • Devonport Local Defence flotilla (1914–1919)[27]
    • Devonport & Falmouth Local Defence flotilla[27]
    • Falmouth Local Defence flotilla (1915–1918)[27]
    • Firth of Forth Local Defence flotilla
    • Gibraltar Local Defence flotilla
    • Liverpool Local Defence flotilla
    • Mersey Local Defence flotilla
    • Newhaven Local Defence flotilla
    • Nore Local Defence flotilla (1914–1919)[27]
    • North Channel Local Defence flotilla
    • Milford & Pembroke Local Defence flotilla
    • Pembroke Local Defence flotilla (1917–1919)[27]
    • Portland Local Defence flotilla
    • Portsmouth Local Defence flotilla
    • Queenstown Local Defence flotilla (1914–1915)[27]

    Minesweepers

    • 1st Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 2nd Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 3rd Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 4th Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 5th Minesweeper Flotilla
      • 1939 Nore Command: HMS Sphinx, HMS Niger, HMS Salamander, HMS Harrier, HMS Hussar, HMS Skipjack, HMS Halcyon, HMS Selkirk, HMS Speedwell[25]
    • 6th Minesweeper Flotilla
      • 1939 Nore Command: HMS Syringa, HMS Cypress, HMS Cedar, HMS Holly[25]
    • 7th Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 8th Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 9th Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 10th Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 11th Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 13th Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 14th Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 14th & 17th Minesweeper Flotilla, (1942–1944)
    • 15th Minesweeper Flotilla Chatham February 1944
    • 18th Minesweeper Flotilla Chatham May 1943
    • 21st Minesweeper Flotilla
    • 40th Minesweeper Flotilla Harwich 1945
    • 44nd Minesweeper Flotilla

    Motor torpedo boats

    • British 2nd MTB Flotilla
    • British 10th MTB Flotilla
    • British 58th MTB Flotilla

    Port

    Submarine flotilla

    numbered

    • 1st Submarine Flotilla,[29]
    • 2nd Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]
    • 3rd Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]
    • 4th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919),[30] (1939): Medway, Westcott, Grampus, Rorqual, Odin, Otus, Olympus, Parthian, Regent, Rover, Orpheus, Pandora, Perseus, Phoenix, Rainbow, Regulus, Proteus
    • 5th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]
    • 6th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]
    • 7th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30] later part of Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic. At Freetown, Sierra Leone, 3 September 1939, comprised HMS Clyde and HMS Severn.[31]
    • 8th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]
    • 9th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]
    • 10th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919),[32] based in Malta from January 1941
    • 11th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]
    • 12th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]
    • 13th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]
    • 14th Submarine Flotilla, (1917–1919)[30]
    • 15th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]
    • 16th Submarine Flotilla, (1914–1919)[30]

    named

    • Ambrose's Flotilla, (1917–1918)[30]
    • Mediterranean Fleet's Flotilla
    • Platypus's Flotilla, (1917–1919)[30]
    • Vulcan's Flotilla, (1917–1919)[30]
    • Hong Kong Submarine Flotilla, (1914)[30]

    Training flotilla

    • British 2nd Training Flotilla

    References

    1. ^ Graham Watson, Royal Navy: Fleet Air Arm, August 1945 Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, v 1.0, 7 April 2002, Orbat.com
    2. ^ Buck, H. B. "The East Indies & Egypt seaplane squadron during WWI compiled by H.B. Buck RNR (Australia)". collections.anmm.gov.au. Australian National Maritime Museum. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
    3. ^ Orbat.com, Mediterranean Fleet, 3 September 1939
    4. ^ Home Fleet listing for 1933
    5. ^ http://www.sydneymemorial.com/history.htm, and Jürgen Rohwer (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-119-8, p.29. Rohmer adds HMS Achilles.
    6. ^ Elleman, Bruce A.; Paine, S. C. M. (2007). "9: World War One: The Blockade". Naval Blockades and Seapower: Strategies and Counter-Strategies, 1805–2005. Oxford, England: Routledge. ISBN 9781134257287.
    7. ^ "Coastal Forces Squadron" (PDF). whatdotheyknow.com. Whatdotheyknow.com. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020. I can confirm that Ministerial approval for the change in name from 1st Patrol Boat Squadron to Coastal Forces Squadron was given on 21 May 2020.
    8. ^ @MarylaIngham (3 June 2020). "Cdr Jamie Wells has assumed Command as Commander Coastal Forces Squadron today! Good luck and enjoy it; it's a fabu…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
    9. ^ Watson, Graham; Smith, Gordon (12 July 2015). "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013". www.naval-history.net. G. Smith. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
    10. ^ Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947–2013". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 12 July 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
    11. ^ Orbat.com/Niehorster, http://niehorster.org/017_britain/39_navy/china-station_submarines.html
    12. ^ "Oberon Class – The First Australian Submarine Squadron". Submarine Institute of Australia. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
    13. ^ Royal Navy (HMS Enterprise)
    14. ^ Watson, (retired Historian, Cardiff University, 1969–1998)., Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900–1914". www.naval-history.net. Graham Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
    15. ^ Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914–1918". www.naval-history.net. Graham Smith, 27 October 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
    16. ^ Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1919–1939". www.naval-history.net. Graham Smith, 2 September 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
    17. ^ a b Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation in World War 2, 1939–1945". www.naval-history.net. Graham Smith, 19 September 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
    18. ^ Watson, (retired Historian, Cardiff University, 1969–1998)., Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900–1914". www.naval-history.net. Graham Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
    19. ^ Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914–1918". www.naval-history.net. Graham Smith, 27 October 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
    20. ^ Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1919–1939". www.naval-history.net. Graham Smith, 2 September 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
    21. ^ a b c d Niehorster, Leo, In cooperation with Donald Kindell and Mark E. Horan. "Order of Battle Mediterranean Fleet Rear-Admiral, Destroyers 3 September 1939". Retrieved 29 September 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
    22. ^ a b c d Niehorster, Leo. "Home Fleet". Retrieved 19 November 2012.
    23. ^ a b "HMAS Voyager (I)". Retrieved 18 November 2012.
    24. ^ a b Nierhorster, Leo. "Roysth Command". Retrieved 19 November 2012.
    25. ^ a b c d e Nierhorster, Leo. "Nore Command". Retrieved 19 November 2012.
    26. ^ The British Pacific Fleet Archived 21 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
    27. ^ a b c d e f g h i Watson, Graham. "World War 1 Dispositions of Royal Navy ships". www.naval-history.net. Graham Smith, 5 January 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
    28. ^ "RN Bridge Card – 30 Jul 10" (PDF). Retrieved 22 September 2010.
    29. ^ Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "Category:Formations – The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell, 23 July 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
    30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Harley and Lovell. 2012.
    31. ^ "South Atlantic Command, Royal Navy, 3.09.39".
    32. ^ http://Harley and Lovell. 2012.

    Sources

    • Mackie, Colin. (2017) Senior Royal Navy Appointments from 1865. Gulabin, http://www.gulabin.com/
    • Nierhorster, Leo Dr. (2013) World War II Armed Forces – Orders of Battle and Organizations – British, Colonial, and Dominion Armed Forces – British, Colonial, and Dominion Navies. http://niehorster.org/index.htm
    • Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947–2013". naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 12 July 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2017.