Second Submarine Flotilla (Royal Navy)

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The Second Submarine Flotilla was a formation of submarines of the Royal Navy. Created around 1904 as one of the first two formations in the R.N. for submarines, it was called the Portsmouth Submarine Flotilla, also occasionally termed "Section V., Submarine Flotilla".[1]

History

When Britain first started organizing its early, coastal submarines into formations, it decided to create just two flotillas, basing them at Portsmouth and at Devonport. They sprang into being about 1904 or so, and involved the original, numbered boats, and soon thereafter "A", "B", "C" and even a few "D" class boats before numbers and the merit of the new weapon demanded moving to several numbered flotillas. The Portsmouth flotilla would, in 1912 or so, become the Second Submarine Flotilla.

April, 1911

The flotilla is comprised of four "A" class coastal boats and a single "D" class submarine.[2]

Portsmouth Submarine Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Submarines
A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 D 1

This roster would apply until at least 1 July, 1911, when Arrogant apparently replaced Dolphin.[3]

August, 1912

The Portsmouth Submarine Flotilla is by this time designated the Second Submarine Flotilla, this change occurring perhaps around May, 1912. Its composition has changed since our last data in April, 1911.[4]

Based at Portsmouth
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Submarines
A 5 A 6 A 13 B 1

March, 1913

The flotilla is comprised of three "A" and one "B" class coastal boats. It apparently is a new designation for the former Portsmouth Submarine Flotilla.[5]

Based at Portsmouth
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Submarines
A 5 A 6 A 13 B 1

Test Mobilisation of July 1914

The following vessels were known to participate: [6]

September, 1914

The flotilla is a component of the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla, which also has some six organic destroyers and twenty two torpedo boats. Its strength is a depot ship, a torpedo boat and four coastal submarines.[7]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Torpedo Boat
T.B. 026
Submarines
  A 5 A 6 A 13 B 1

This roster and tasking would apply until December.[8]

December, 1914

A 13 has been dropped for unknown reasons and has been replaced by the more modern coastal submarine, W 1.[9]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Torpedo Boat
T.B. 026
Submarines
  A 5 A 6 B 1 W 1

This roster and tasking would apply until February or March, 1915.[10]

March, 1915

W 1 has left to join the Sixth Submarine Flotilla.[11]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Torpedo Boat
T.B. 026
Submarines
A 5 A 6 B 1

This roster and tasking would apply until September.[12][13][14][15][16]

September, 1915

A large surge of foreign-built "H" class submarines brings the strength up to the depot ship, a destroyer, and nine coastal submarines.[17]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Torpedo Boat
T.B. 026
Submarines
A 5 A 6 B 1
H 5 H 6 H 7 H 8 H 9 H 10

The visitors would not remain long.

October, 1915

The new submarines leave to join the Eighth Submarine Flotilla, reducing strength again to the depot ship, a destroyer, and three coastal submarines.[18]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Torpedo Boat
T.B. 026
Submarines
A 5 A 6 B 1

November, 1915

B 5 has joined from the Fourth Submarine Flotilla, bringing the strength to one depot ship, a destroyer, and four coastal submarines.[19][20]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Torpedo Boat
T.B. 026
Submarines
  A 5 A 6 B 1 B 5

December, 1915

The newly-commissioned G 1 has joined, bringing the strength to one depot ship, a destroyer, and five coastal submarines.[21][22]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Torpedo Boat
T.B. 026
Submarines
A 5 A 6 B 1 B 5 G 1

This roster would apply until February, 1916.[23]

February, 1916

A 5 and G 1 have left for undiscovered ends, bringing the strength to one depot ship, a destroyer, and three coastal submarines.[24][25]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Torpedo Boat
T.B. 026
Submarines
A 6 B 1 B 5

March, 1916

T.B. 026 has been booted up to the parent Portsmouth Defence Flotilla and A 6 has left for undiscovered ends, reducing the strength to one depot ship and two coastal submarines.[26]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Submarines
B 1 B 5

This roster would apply until August.[27][28][29][30]

August, 1916

S 1 has joined, increasing the strength to one depot ship and three coastal submarines.[31]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Submarines
B 1 B 5 S 1

September, 1916

K 3 has joined temporarily, increasing the strength to one depot ship, three coastal submarines, and a steam-powered visitor.[32]

Attached to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Dolphin
Submarines
B 1 B 5 S 1 K 3

This roster would apply until December, 1916.[33][34]

December, 1916

A change of names with another flotilla is being effected this month. The flotilla serving with the Portsmouth Defence will be keeping Dolphin, S 1 and K 3 while picking up two other coastal submarines and the name Sixth Submarine Flotilla. It is not clear what has become of B 1 and B 5.

The new Second Submarine Flotilla is resuming the role previously assigned the Sixth, serving with another submarine and a destroyer flotilla under Rear-Admiral Commanding, East Coast of England:[35]

Under Rear-Admiral Commanding, East Coast of England
Parent Ship
Bonaventure
Destroyer
Bonetta
Submarines
C 7 C 8 C 9 C 10 C 12 C 13
  C 14 C 16

This roster would apply until February or March, 1917.[36]

March, 1917

C 7 and C 16 are now attached to the Ninth Submarine Flotilla, reducing strength to six submarines.[37]

Under Rear-Admiral Commanding, East Coast of England
Parent Ship
Bonaventure
Destroyer
Bonetta
Submarines
C 8 C 9 C 10 C 12 C 13 C 14

April, 1917

The attrition continues. C 8 and C 9 are now transferred to the Third Submarine Flotilla, reducing our strength to four submarines.[38]

Under Rear-Admiral Commanding, East Coast of England
Parent Ship
Bonaventure
Destroyer
Bonetta
Submarines
  C 10 C 12 C 13 C 14

This roster would apply until March, 1918.[39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48]

March, 1918

Parent ship Bonaventure has been dropped, sent down to Gibraltar to act as a depot ship for its submarine flotilla.[49]

Under Rear-Admiral Commanding, East Coast of England
Destroyer
Bonetta
Submarines
  C 10 C 12 C 13 C 14

April, 1918

The submarines are now tender to Titania.[50]

Assigned to East Coast Forces, out of Humber
Destroyer
Bonetta
Submarines
  C 10 C 12 C 13 C 14

This roster would apply until October or November.[51][52][53][54]

November, 1918

The flotilla is apparently disbanded in this month or October. Bonetta would be moved to the Fourteenth Submarine Flotilla, but I see no record of the submarines ever being listed again.[55]

March, 1919

Back as one of six flotillas supporting the Grand Fleet in the post-war navy, the Second has a leader, a depot ship and seven "K" class submarines. This line-up would carry through to some time in October, 1919 though the parent force would become the Atlantic Fleet some time in April.[56]

Supporting the Grand Fleet/Atlantic Fleet
one of six new flotillas
Leader, Commander (S)
Ithuriel
Depot Ship
St. George*
Submarines
  K 9 K 10 K 11 K 12
K 14 K 16 K 22

November, 1919

The flotilla has been greatly re-invented around "L" class submarines, and is now one of just three submarine flotillas attached to the Atlantic Fleet. On 25 November, E 27, E 39, E 40 and E 44 (which must have joined very recently) were reduced to Care and Maintenance parties at Devonport as part of a plan to reduce the Atlantic Fleet from four submarine flotillas to three.[57]

Supporting the Atlantic Fleet
one of three newly-fashioned flotillas
Depot Ship, Captain (S)
Lucia
Submarines
  L 11 L 12 L 14 L 16
L 17 L 18 L 56

December, 1919

L 33 has joined, as has a second depot ship, Adamant.[58]

Supporting the Atlantic Fleet
one of three newly-fashioned flotillas
Depot Ships
Lucia (Captain (S)) Adamant
Submarines
  L 11 L 12 L 14 L 16
  L 17 L 18 L 33 L 56

January, 1921

.[59]

Supporting the Atlantic Fleet
based in Devonport
Depot Ships
Lucia (Captain (S)) Adamant
Submarines
  L 16 L 17 L 18 L 21
L 25 L 56 L 71

October, 1926

Ordered back to England from Malta on 26 October, 1926. It would fall under the command of Rear-Admiral (S) upon its arrival in Devonport, and its place in the Mediterranean would be taken up by the reconstituted First Submarine Flotilla coming in from the Atlantic. They were due to arrive in Devonport on 7 November, and the formation was as follows.[60]

Leaving the Mediterranean
Depot Ship, Captain (S)
Lucia
Submarines
L 53 L 54 L 56 L 69 L 71

In Command

Dates of appointment given:

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 270b.
  2. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 270b.
  3. ↑ Tomkinson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 375.
  4. ↑ The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 270b.
  5. ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 270b.
  6. ↑ Admiralty Weekly Order No. 109 of 10 July, 1914.
  7. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September 1914). p. 13.
  8. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 13.
  9. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 13.
  10. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 13.
  11. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). pp. 16, 17.
  12. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 16.
  13. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1915). p. 16.
  14. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1915). p. 17.
  15. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1915). p. 17.
  16. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1915). p. 17.
  17. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1915). p. 17.
  18. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1915). pp. 13, 17.
  19. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1915). p. 17.
  20. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 15.
  21. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1915). p. 17.
  22. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1915). p. 15.
  23. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1916). p. 17.
  24. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1916). pp. 17.
  25. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1915). p. 15.
  26. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1916). p. 17.
  27. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1916). p. 17.
  28. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1916). p. 17.
  29. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1916). p. 17.
  30. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 17.
  31. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1916). p. 17.
  32. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). p. 17.
  33. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 17.
  34. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1916). p. 17.
  35. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1916). pp. 16, 17.
  36. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 16.
  37. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). p. 16.
  38. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). p. 16.
  39. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1917). p. 16.
  40. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1917). p. 16.
  41. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). p. 16.
  42. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 16.
  43. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1917). p. 16.
  44. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1917). p. 16.
  45. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 16.
  46. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1917). p. 16.
  47. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1918). p. 16.
  48. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (February, 1918). p. 16.
  49. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1918). pp. 15, 22.
  50. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1918). p. 15.
  51. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1918). p. 15.
  52. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1918). p. 15.
  53. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1918). p. 15.
  54. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1918). p. 15.
  55. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1918). p. 15.
  56. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). p. 12 and Supplements through July.
  57. ↑ "Naval Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Monday, Nov 24, 1919; pg. 19; Issue 42265.
  58. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1919). p. 702-3.
  59. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 702-3.
  60. ↑ "Naval And Military." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Oct 26, 1926; pg. 11; Issue 4441.
  61. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1908). p. 286.
  62. ↑ Brandt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 225.
  63. ↑ Brandt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 225.
  64. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 286.
  65. ↑ Tomkinson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 375.
  66. ↑ Tomkinson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 375.
  67. ↑ Palmer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/46. f. 46.
  68. ↑ Palmer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/46. f. 46.
  69. ↑ Candy Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/279. f. 279.
  70. ↑ Candy Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/279. f. 279.
  71. ↑ Talbot Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/120. f. 65.
  72. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 803.
  73. ↑ Talbot Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/120. f. 65.
  74. ↑ Ramsay Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/137. ff. 75, 78.
  75. ↑ Ramsay Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/137. ff. 75, 78.
  76. ↑ Darke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/88. f. ?.
  77. ↑ Darke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/88. f. ?.
  78. ↑ Cantlie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/263. f. 278.
  79. ↑ Cantlie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/263. f. 278.
  80. ↑ Poland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/306. f. 322.
  81. ↑ Poland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/306. f. 322.
  82. ↑ Phillips Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/173. f. 184.
  83. ↑ Phillips Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/173. f. 184.
  84. ↑ Watkins Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/154. f. 239.
  85. ↑ Watkins Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/154. f. 239.
  86. ↑ Watkins Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/154. f. 239.
  87. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1937). p. 253.
  88. ↑ Menzies Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/123/1. f. 1.
  89. ↑ Menzies Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/123/1. f. 1.

Bibliography

See Also


British Submarine Flotillas
First Submarine Flotilla | Second Submarine Flotilla | Third Submarine Flotilla | Fourth Submarine Flotilla
Fifth Submarine Flotilla | Sixth Submarine Flotilla | Seventh Submarine Flotilla | Eighth Submarine Flotilla
Ninth Submarine Flotilla | Tenth Submarine Flotilla | Eleventh Submarine Flotilla | Twelfth Submarine Flotilla
Thirteenth Submarine Flotilla | Fourteenth Submarine Flotilla | Fifteenth Submarine Flotilla | Sixteenth Submarine Flotilla
Ambrose's Flotilla | Mediterranean Flotilla | Platypus's Flotilla | Vulcan's Flotilla | Hong Kong Flotilla
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