Third Light Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)
Rear-Admirals Commanding
Dates of appointment given:
- Rear-Admiral Trevylyan D. W. Napier, 8 February, 1915[1] – 30 July, 1917[2]
- Rear-Admiral Allen T. Hunt, 1 January, 1918[3][4] – 1 February, 1919[5]
- Rear-Admiral Sir Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair, 1 February, 1919[6][7] – 5 August, 1919[8]
- Vice-Admiral Sir George P. W. Hope, 5 August, 1919[9][10] – 19 January, 1921[11]
- Rear-Admiral Sir Reginald Y. Tyrwhitt, Bart., 19 January, 1921[12] – 11 December, 1922[13]
Second in Command
- Captain Louis C. S. Woollcombe, 24 December, 1917[14] – 1 January, 1918[15]
History
March, 1915
The Squadron was founded in January or February of 1915. Its initial strength was two light cruisers.[16]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
Falmouth |
Yarmouth | ||||
April, 1915
Liverpool and Gloucester have joined, bringing the strength to four light cruisers. The roster would remain constant until some time in July.[17]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
| Falmouth |
Yarmouth | Liverpool | Gloucester | ||
August, 1915
Liverpool has dropped; she would appear, attached to the Grand Fleet, some time in October. Her departure reduced the strength to three light cruisers. The roster would remain constant until some time in X.[18]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
| Falmouth |
Yarmouth | Gloucester | |||
October, 1915
Birkenhead has joined, bringing the squadron back up to four light cruisers. The roster would next change some time in December, 1915.[19]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
| Falmouth |
Yarmouth | Gloucester | Birkenhead | ||
January, 1916
Gloucester has left. The roster would next change some time in March.[20]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
| Falmouth |
Yarmouth | Birkenhead | |||
April, 1916
Gloucester has re-joined, bringing the squadron back up to four light cruisers. The roster would next change some time in X.[21]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
| Falmouth |
Yarmouth | Birkenhead | Gloucester | ||
May, 1916
Gloucester is now marked as being "temporarily" with the squadron, and Chester has joined, bringing the strength to five light cruisers.[22]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | ||||
| Light Cruisers | ||||
| Falmouth |
Yarmouth | Birkenhead | Gloucester* | Chester |
Battle of Jutland
The cruisers now have a seaplane carrier attached. Chester as also at the battle, but was detached to screen the Third Battle Cruiser Squadron in company with the unaffiliated light cruiser H.M.S. Canterbury.[23]
- Falmouth, Captain John Douglas Edwards
Rear-Admiral Trevylyan Dacres Willes Napier - Yarmouth, Captain Thomas D. Pratt
- Birkenhead, Captain Edward Reeves
- Gloucester, Captain William Frederick Blunt
- seaplane carrier Engadine, Lieutenant-Commander Charles Gwillim Robinson
- Chester, Captain Robert Neale Lawson
July, 1916
Gloucester is still marked as being "temporarily" with the squadron, and Chatham has joined, bringing the strength to six light cruisers.[24]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
| Falmouth |
Yarmouth | Birkenhead | Gloucester* | Chester | Chatham |
August, 1916
Gloucester has finally left, leaving five light cruisers.[25]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | ||||
| Light Cruisers | ||||
| Falmouth |
Yarmouth | Birkenhead | Chester | Chatham |
September, 1916
Flagship Falmouth has left, handing her rol to Chatham and leaving four light cruisers. The roster would next change some time in November.[26]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||
| Light Cruisers | |||
| Chatham |
Yarmouth | Birkenhead | Chester |
December, 1916
The large light cruiser Courageous is expected to join "shortly", and Birkenhead has taken over as flagship, giving a paper strength of five cruisers. The roster would next change some time in November.[27]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | ||||
| Light Cruisers | ||||
| Birkenhead |
Yarmouth | Chatham | Chester | Courageous* |
January, 1917
The large light cruiser Glorious is now also expected to join "shortly", and Birkenhead has taken over as flagship, giving a paper strength of six cruisers. The roster would next change some time in January or February.[28]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
| Birkenhead |
Chatham | Yarmouth | Chester | Courageous* | Glorious* |
March, 1917
The large light cruisers joined in January or February making a strength of six cruisers. Chatham is once again the flag. The flagship assignment would change during the month.[29]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
| Chatham |
Birkenhead | Yarmouth | Chester | Courageous | Glorious |
April, 1917
Glorious is now acting as flagship, with the same six cruisers comprising the formation. The roster would next change some time in June.[30]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
| Glorious |
Chatham | Birkenhead | Yarmouth | Chester | Courageous |
July, 1917
Furious will be joining "shortly", making seven cruisers on paper. The roster would next change some time in August.[31]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||||
| Light Cruisers | |||||
| Glorious |
Chatham | Birkenhead | Yarmouth | Chester | Courageous |
| Furious* | |||||
September, 1917
The three large light cruisers have departed to form the First Cruiser Squadron, reducing this Squadron to four light cruisers, with no ship being marked as the flagship. The roster would next change some time in X, though a flagship would be designated in December 1917.[32]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||
| Light Cruisers | |||
| Chatham | Birkenhead | Yarmouth | Chester |
January, 1918
Chatham is once again acting as flagship, with the same four light cruisers comprising the formation. The roster would next change some time in March.[33]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||
| Light Cruisers | |||
| Chatham |
Birkenhead | Yarmouth | Chester |
April, 1918
Yarmouth paid off at some point in February.[34]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | |||
| Light Cruisers | |||
| Chatham |
Birkenhead | Chester | Yarmouth* |
May, 1918
Yarmouth remains paid off, and Southampton has joined. The roster would next change some time in X.[35]
| Screening the Battle Cruiser Fleet | ||||
| Light Cruisers | ||||
| Chatham |
Birkenhead | Chester | Southampton | Yarmouth* |
July, 1918
The Squadron is now:[36]
November, 1918
The Squadron has lost Yarmouth, which transferred to the Second Light Cruiser Squadron.[37]
1919
The flag passed as follows in 1919: Cardiff had it on 5 August, Calypso took over on 1 November, Centaur on 9 November, and Cardiff resumed her place as flagship on 12 December, 1919.[38]
Drill and Practice
In 1917, the squadron fired 16 practice torpedoes of which 13 or 81% were judged to be likely to endanger the enemy.[39]
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. p. 26.
- ↑ Napier Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 440.
- ↑ Squadrons and Senior Naval Officers in Existence on 11th November, 1918. p. 26.
- ↑ Hunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 354.
- ↑ Hunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 354.
- ↑ Alexander-Sinclair Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 361.
- ↑ Hunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 354.
- ↑ Alexander-Sinclair Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 361.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 741.
- ↑ Hope Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 44.
- ↑ Hope Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 44.
- ↑ Tyrwhitt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 125.
- ↑ Tyrwhitt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 125.
- ↑ Woollcombe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 267.
- ↑ Woollcombe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 267.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). p. 11 and January's Supplement, in which it is absent.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 11 and Supplements through August, 1915.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1915). p. 11 and Supplements through X.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 11 and Supplements through January, 1916.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1916). p. 11 and Supplements through April, 1916.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1916). p. 11 and Supplements through X.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. pp. 33, 46.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1916). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). p. 11 and Supplements through December.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). p. 11 and Supplements through December.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 11 and Supplements through March 1917, excepting February's edition, which was not found.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1917). p. 11 and Supplements through July.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). p. 11 and Supplements through September.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1917). p. 11 and Supplements through X.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1918). p. 11 and Supplements through April.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1918). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1918). p. 11 and Supplements through X.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1918). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1918). p. 11.
- ↑ Hope Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 23/44.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. p. 121.
Bibliography
| Light Cruiser Squadrons of the Royal Navy |
| First Light Cruiser Squadron | Second Light Cruiser Squadron | Third Light Cruiser Squadron | Fourth Light Cruiser Squadron | Fifth Light Cruiser Squadron | Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron | Seventh Light Cruiser Squadron | Eighth Light Cruiser Squadron |
