Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy)

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The Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla was a formation of destroyers of the Royal Navy.

In Command

Dates of appointment given:

Other Personnel

Gunnery Duties


History

In May 1916, it was being formed of new "M" class destroyers and was to be immediately attached to the Grand Fleet.

June, 1916

The flotilla first appears in the Navy List this month, as the sixth then attached to the Grand Fleet. It has just three new "M" class destroyers.[7]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
"M" class Destroyers
Ophelia Relentless Observer

July, 1916

Depot ship Hecla has joined (though she is being shared with another flotilla) and thirteen new destroyers have brought the strength to one depot ship and sixteen "M" class destroyers.[8]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Depot Ship
Hecla, shared w/ Fourth Destroyer Flotilla
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Observer Ophelia
Opportune Orestes Partridge Patriot Pellew Peregrine
  Peyton Plover Plucky Relentless

August, 1916

The new leader Botha came from the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla and embarks a Captain (D). Ithuriel seems to be in her first assignment and destroyers Offa and Rival are likewise newly in service.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship (no longer shared) and eighteen "M" class destroyers.[9]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Botha
Flotilla Leader
Ithuriel
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Observer Offa
Ophelia Opportune Orestes Partridge Patriot Pellew
Peregrine Peyton Plover Plucky Relentless Rival

This roster would apply until October.[10]

October, 1916

Rival has left to join the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and seventeen "M" class destroyers.[11]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Botha
Flotilla Leader
Ithuriel
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Observer Offa
Ophelia Opportune Orestes Partridge Patriot Pellew
Peregrine Peyton Plover Plucky Relentless

This roster would apply until December.[12]

December, 1916

Orford has joined, and Botha has surrendered her role as flagship to Ithuriel.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and eighteen "M" class destroyers.[13]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Ithuriel
Flotilla Leader
Botha
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Observer Offa
Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford Partridge Patriot
Pellew Peregrine Peyton Plover Plucky Relentless

This roster would apply until May, 1917.[14]

May, 1917

Botha has been replaced by the new flotilla leader Anzac and gone over to the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla of the Dover Patrol.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and eighteen "M" class destroyers.[15]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Ithuriel
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Observer Offa
Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford Partridge Patriot
Pellew Peregrine Peyton Plover Plucky Relentless

This roster would apply until July.[16]

July, 1917

Medina, Orestes, Orford and Plucky have left to join the Northern Division of the Coast of Ireland Station, while Peyton has gone to the Southern Division. They would return in September.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and thirteen "M" class destroyers.[17]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Ithuriel
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Nizam Nonpareil Norman Observer Offa Ophelia
Opportune Partridge Patriot Pellew Peregrine Plover
Relentless

This roster would apply until September.[18]

September, 1917

Medina, Orestes, Orford, Peyton and Plucky have returned.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and eighteen "M" class destroyers.[19]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Ithuriel
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Observer Offa
Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford Partridge Patriot
Pellew Peregrine Peyton Plover Plucky Relentless

October, 1917

The new flotilla leader Vampire has replaced Ithuriel, which has temporarily gone to the Thirteenth Submarine Flotilla. Orestes is on loan to the Northern Division of the Coast of Ireland Station, possibly as part of the Second Destroyer Flotilla, though she is still tender to Greenwich of the Fourteenth. She would return in a month's time.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and seventeen "M" class destroyers.[20]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Observer Offa
Ophelia Opportune Orford Partridge Patriot Pellew
Peregrine Peyton Plover Plucky Relentless

November, 1917

Orestes has returned after one month away.

The strength is now back to two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and eighteen "M" class destroyers.[21]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Observer Offa
Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford Partridge Patriot
Pellew Peregrine Peyton Plover Plucky Relentless

This roster would apply until January, 1918.[22]

January, 1918

Partridge has been removed – sunk 12 December by German destroyers in the North Sea.[23]

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and seventeen "M" class destroyers.[24]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Observer Offa
Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford Patriot Pellew
Peregrine Peyton Plover Plucky Relentless

February, 1918

Norseman, Octavia, Paladin, Patrician, Penn and Pylades have all joined from the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla.[25]

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and twenty-three "M" class destroyers.[26]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Norseman Observer
Octavia Offa Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford
Paladin Patrician Patriot Pellew Penn Peregrine
Peyton Plover Plucky Pylades Relentless

March, 1918

Patrician has moved to the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla, replaced by Osiris from that same formation.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and twenty-three "M" class destroyers.[27]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Norseman Observer
Octavia Offa Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford
Osiris Paladin Patriot Pellew Penn Peregrine
Peyton Plover Plucky Pylades Relentless

April, 1918

Osiris, Paladin and Penn have gone to the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and twenty "M" class destroyers.[28]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Norseman Observer
Octavia Offa Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford
Patriot Pellew Peregrine Peyton Plover Plucky
Pylades Relentless

May, 1918

Osiris, Paladin and Penn have returned after just a month at the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla.

The new "R" class destroyer Tyrant has joined – our first non-"M".

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and twenty-four destroyers.[29]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Norseman Observer
Octavia Offa Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford
Osiris Paladin Patriot Pellew Penn Peregrine
Peyton Plover Plucky Pylades Relentless
"R" class Destroyers
Tyrant

On 9 May, Anzac led six flotilla destroyers on an attack exercise against the Sixth Division of the Battle Fleet in visibility conditions of 4-6,000 yards. The attack was considered especially realistic, as the destroyers had just given up on the tardy target formation when it appeared at 1011 at 6,00 yards. Anzac signalled "AU 2" to order the flotilla torpedo attack as the targets commenced a four point turn. Six torpedoes were fired two minutes after the attack commenced: Anzac's struck Neptune, Penn's against St. Vincent, one torpedo endangering the enemy, one hit on a friendly destroyer, one wasted shot due to deflection being entered backward, and the other torpedo's result undetermined.[30]

June, 1918

On paper, Orford has been removed and Osiris is confusingly listed for both the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla and the Fourteenth. Judging by the next month's Supplement, I am going to guess that Orford is actually in the Fourteenth and that Osiris has gone to the Thirteenth (she would return in August).

Paladin has unambiguously gone to the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla, also destined to return here in August.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and twenty-two destroyers.[31]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Norseman Observer
Octavia Offa Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford
Patriot Pellew Penn Peregrine Peyton Plover
Plucky Pylades Relentless
"R" class Destroyers
Tyrant

This roster would apply until August.[32]

On 19 June, the flotilla conducted a trial torpedo attack on the First Battle Squadron in an exercise, intended to mimic a similar exercise by the Second Destroyer Flotilla the day before. Vivien was a divisional leader, her division being tasked with laying a smoke screen. Orford led the other division.[33]

August, 1918

Pellew is paid off. Osiris and Paladin have returned from the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and twenty-four destroyers.[34]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Norseman Observer
Octavia Offa Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford
Osiris Paladin Patriot Pellew* Penn Peregrine
Peyton Plover Plucky Pylades Relentless
"R" class Destroyers
Tyrant

This roster would apply until some time between September and November.[35]

November, 1918

Pellew is still paid off, and Observer is on loan to the First Destroyer Flotilla and is tender to Victory.

Osiris has gone again, this time to the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla at Devonport, but eleven new destroyers have joined: Sabre, Seafire, Seraph, Somme, Sparrowhawk, Splendid, Tactician, Tobago, Velox, Warwick and Whirlwind, Warwick in a paid off state.

It appears from reading December's Supplement that there is reason to expect that Seraph did not arrive in November, but did in December or later.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and thirty-four destroyers.[36]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Medina Nizam Nonpareil Norman Norseman Observer*
Octavia Offa Ophelia Opportune Orestes Orford
Paladin Patriot Pellew* Penn Peregrine
Peyton Plover Plucky Pylades Relentless
"R" class Destroyers
Tyrant
"S" class Destroyers
Sabre Seafire Seraph* Somme Sparrowhawk Splendid
Tactician Tobago
"V" and "W" class Destroyers
Velox Warwick* Whirlwind

December, 1918

Pellew and Warwick are still paid off.

Medina, Nonpareil, Observer, Offa, Orestes and Plucky have gone to the First Destroyer Flotilla in Portsmouth, Nizam and Norseman have gone to the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla in Devonport and Ophelia has gone to the Third Destroyer Flotilla

The new destroyer Searcher has been attached, to be joined "shortly" by Sportive, Tara, Trojan, Tumult and the previously anticipated Seraph.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and thirty destroyers.[37]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Norman Octavia Opportune Orford Paladin Patriot
Pellew* Penn Peregrine Peyton Plover Pylades
Relentless
"R" class Destroyers
Tyrant
"S" class Destroyers
Sabre Seafire Searcher Seraph* Somme Sparrowhawk
Splendid Sportive* Tactician Tara* Tobago Trojan*
Tumult*
"V" and "W" class Destroyers
Velox Warwick* Whirlwind

January, 1919

Pellew and Warwick are still paid off. Those previously marked as joining "shortly" seem now to have arrived.

Peregrine has been detached to the Nore for a "temporary" stay, expected there "shortly".

Plover has arrived in Portsmouth and Pylades to Devonport for the same indeterminate purposes.

New destroyers Spear, Strenuous and Tintagel have joined.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and thirty destroyers.[38]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Norman Octavia Opportune Orford Paladin Patriot
  Pellew* Penn Peyton Relentless
"R" class Destroyers
Tyrant
"S" class Destroyers
Sabre Seafire Searcher Seraph Somme Sparrowhawk
Spear Splendid Sportive Strenuous Tactician Tara
  Tintagel Tobago Trojan Tumult
"V" and "W" class Destroyers
Velox Warwick* Whirlwind

February, 1919

Pellew is still paid off, but Warwick is no longer so.

Penn has returned to Portsmouth and Strenuous has gone to a Torpedo School at Portsmouth.

The strength is now two flotilla leaders, a depot ship and twenty-eight destroyers.[39]

Attached to the Grand Fleet
Flotilla Leader, Captain (D)
Vampire
Flotilla Leader
Anzac
Depot Ship
Greenwich
"M" class Destroyers
Norman Octavia Opportune Orford Paladin Patriot
Pellew* Peyton Relentless
"R" class Destroyers
Tyrant
"S" class Destroyers
Sabre Seafire Searcher Seraph Somme Sparrowhawk
Spear Splendid Sportive Tactician Tara Tintagel
Tobago Trojan Tumult
"V" and "W" class Destroyers
Velox Warwick* Whirlwind

March, 1919

Flotilla is Dis-established

The massive post-war reorganization of the destroyer flotillas eradicated the Fourteenth and sent its assets to various new purposes.[40]

The new First Destroyer Flotilla would grab Greenwich, Velox, Warwick and Whirlwind, rousing Warwick from her paid-off condition in so doing.

Third Destroyer Flotilla would take Vampire as well as destroyers Tactician, Tara, Tintagel and Trojan.

Destroyers Sabre, Seafire, Searcher, Somme, Sparrowhawk and Splendid would go to the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla.

Sixth Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean would take Spear, Sportive, Tobago and Tumult with Seraph to arrive "shortly".

Portsmouth would take Norman and Opportune into "miscellaneous service" and Peyton into Reserve.

The Nore would put Octavia and Paladin into "miscellaneous service".

Orford and Pellew paid off.

Patriot went to the Firth of Forth.

Relentless and Tyrant remained tenders to Greenwich, but embarked on "miscellaneous service".

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
  2. ↑ Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
  3. ↑ Allen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 280.
  4. ↑ Allen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 280.
  5. ↑ Godfrey Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/235. f. 235.
  6. ↑ Godfrey Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/235. f. 235.
  7. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1916). p. 12.
  8. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 12.
  9. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1916). p. 12.
  10. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). p. 12 and October's Supplement.
  11. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 12.
  12. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1916). p. 12 and December's Supplement.
  13. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 12.
  14. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 12 and Supplements through May, 1917, less February.
  15. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1917). pp. 12, 15.
  16. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1917). p. 12 and July's Supplement.
  17. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). pp. 12, 17.
  18. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 12 and September's Supplement.
  19. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). pp. 12, 17.
  20. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1917). pp. 12, 17.
  21. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 12.
  22. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1917). p. 12 and January, 1918's Supplement.
  23. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 67.
  24. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1918). p. 12.
  25. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1918). p. 12.
  26. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (February, 1918). p. 12.
  27. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1918). p. 12.
  28. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1918). p. 12.
  29. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1918). p. 12.
  30. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1918. p. 231, Plate 154.
  31. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1918). p. 12.
  32. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1918). p. 12 and August's Supplement.
  33. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1918. p. 230, Plate 151.
  34. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1918). p. 12.
  35. ↑ No Supplements for September or October were found.
  36. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1918). p. 12, 17.
  37. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1918). pp. 12, 16, 17.
  38. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1919). pp. 12, 19, 20.
  39. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (February, 1919). pp. 12, 16, 20.
  40. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). pp. 11, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22.

Bibliography

  • Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.

See Also


British Destroyer Flotillas
First | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth | Seventh | Eighth | Ninth | Tenth
Eleventh | Twelfth | Thirteenth | Fourteenth | Fifteenth | Sixteenth | Seventeenth | Eighteenth | Nineteenth
Twentieth | Twenty-first
Local Defence Flotillas
Clyde | Devonport | Devonport & Falmouth | Falmouth | Firth of Forth | Gibraltar
Liverpool | Mersey | Newhaven | Nore | North Channel | Milford & Pembroke | Pembroke
Portland | Portsmouth | Queenstown
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