The Channel Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy from 1903 to 1909 and 1914 to 1915.
History, 1903-1909Vice-Admiral The Right Hon. Lord Charles Beresford was appointed Vice-Admiral Commanding, Channel Squadron, on 17 April, 1903.[1] On 6 May he was informed by the Admiralty "that for the future the Channel Squadron shall be known as the Channel Fleet."[2] The formation was at that stage comprised of six battleships, two armoured cruisers and three smaller cruisers.[3]
On 14 December, 1904, the Admiralty informed the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, Sir Arthur K. Wilson, that his command would forthwith be styled "The Channel Fleet", and that he would be styled "The Commander in Chief of the Channel Fleet."[4]
Admiral Beresford succeeded Wilson in absentia on 4 March, 1907.[5]
On 24 March, 1909, the vessels of the Channel Fleet were absorbed into the Home Fleet.[6]
Seconds-in-CommandOn 5 June, 1903, Rear-Admiral The Honourable Hedworth Lambton succeeded Rear-Admiral The Honourable Assheton G. Curzon-Howe as Second-in-Command of the Channel Fleet.[7] He was succeeded by Rear-Admiral Francis C. B. Bridgeman on 25 June, 1904.[8]
Rear-Admiral Charles J. Barlow had been Second-in-Command of the Home Fleet before it was renamed at the end of 1904. Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur W. Moore was appointed to succeed Barlow as Second-in-Command on 9 May of that year.[9] Vice-Admiral the Honourable Assheton G. Curzon-Howe succeeded Vice-Admiral Moore on 5 December.[10] Vice-Admiral Sir Reginald N. Custance was appointed Second-in-Command dated 23 February, 1907.[11] Custance was succeeded by Vice-Admiral Sir A. Berkeley Milne on 12 June, 1908.[12][13] Milne remained as Second-in-Command until the Channel Fleet was absorbed into the Home Fleet.
Rear-Admirals in the Channel FleetRear-Admiral Sir Richard Poore, Bart., Rear-Admiral in the Mediterranean Fleet,[14] was transferred to the Channel Fleet with four battleships from the Mediterranean in February, 1905.[15] Rear-Admiral Robert L. Groome succeeded Rear-Admiral Poore on 16 November, 1905.[16] Rear-Admiral George A. Callaghan was appointed in succession to Groome on 16 November, 1906.[17] Rear-Admiral Robert S. Lowry was appointed as Rear-Admiral in the Channel Fleet on 5 April, 1907.[18] Lowry struck his flag on 30 September, 1907, and on 1 October Rear-Admiral Francis J. Foley hoisted his flag in the battleship Illustrious.[19] Rear-Admiral James Startin succeeded Foley on 1 October, 1908, hoisting his flag in London, and transferring it to Hibernia on 28 May 1909.[20][21] Startin left on 9 October, 1909 and went onto half pay the following day.[22]
DestroyersAt the end of August, 1907 the Second and Fourth Destroyer Flotillas and the Home Fleet flotillas under Commodore Bayly ceased to be the responsibility of the Rear-Admiral Commanding Torpedo Boats, Robert A. J. Montgomerie, who with the First and Third Flotillas was transferred to the Channel Fleet.[23] Rear-Admiral Montgomerie consequently became Rear-Admiral (D) in the Channel Fleet. It was decided in November that his appointment would lapse after his term of service was completed,[24] and he struck his flag at sunset on 1 January, 1908.[25] On that day command of the "Western Group" of destroyers, as the Channel Fleet's flotillas were now known,[26] devolved upon Captain Walter H. Cowan.[27] On 5 January, 1909, Cowan was succeeded by Captain Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair,[28] in command of what had become the Channel Fleet Destroyer Flotilla.[29]
History, 1914-1915In the Royal Navy's War Orders from 1912 onwards it was decided that in the event of war with Germany the First Fleet of the Home Fleets would become the Grand Fleet, and the Second and Third Fleets would become the Southern Battle Fleet, known as the Channel Fleet. In August, 1914, under Vice-Admiral Sir Cecil Burney, it was composed of the Fifth Battle Squadron and the Seventh Battle Squadron, with attached light cruisers. The Seventh Battle Squadron was quickly dispersed for other duties, and in November, the Sixth Battle Squadron was formed from the Duncan class battleships of the Third Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet and joined the Channel Fleet. On 20 December, Vice-Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly succeeded Sir Cecil Burney. After the loss of the Formidable to submarine attack on 1 January, 1915, Bayly was relieved by Vice-Admiral The Hon. Sir. Alexander E. Bethell on 17 January. As 1915 wore on battleship divisions of the Fleet were dispersed, primarily to the Mediterranean for the Dardanelles Campaign, until by May only a number of battleships under the command of Vice-Admiral Bethell were left.
Admirals and Vice-Admirals CommandingDates of appointment given:
Seconds-in-CommandDates of appointment given:
The contradiction between Barlow and Bridgeman is noted. Perhaps importantly, Barlow's service record indicates "Home Fleet", crossed out and corrected, perhaps in error, to "Channel Fleet", though his last day matches the successor perfectly. Also, Startin and Milne appear to conflict. The relevant page in Startin's best Service Record appears to be missing from the TNA scans.
Composition 18 September, 1904The Fleet is about the same strength as the Channel Squadron which preceded it, but there are now eight battleships rather than six, and there is one fewer cruiser.[48]
18 October, 1905The Fleet has grown considerably, now boasting thirteen battleships, five cruisers and twenty-four destroyers.[49]
18 May, 1906Sixteen battleships, eight cruisers, thirty-six destroyers.[50]
18 February, 1907Sixteen battleships, three attached cruisers and the separate First Cruiser Squadron of six armoured cruisers. The destroyers seem to be gone entirely, First sent to Portsmouth, Second to the Nore, and Third to Devonport.[51]
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