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When the peacetime organisation of the Royal Navy became effective in the spring of 1919, the main pre-war commands, fleets and stations become the framework for the deployment of naval forces for the following twenty years. The Grand Fleet [pre-war First Fleet] became the Atlantic Fleet; the pre-war Second Fleet was revived as the Home Fleet, but this fleet was dissolved after six months. The major home commands and the pre-war stations continued in being throughout the period.

The principal changes were ones of balance and size. The period between 1904 and 1914 had witnessed the gradual concentration of the principal fighting units in home waters. After the Washington Treaty of 1922 and the ending of the alliance with Japan the balance of power moved back to the Mediterranean and extra emphasis was placed on modern naval forces in the Far East.

This was seen in the movement of battleships, cruisers, destroyers and submarines in 1923-25 to Malta. The reduction in the number of battleships combined with fears about Italy and Japan meant that there were insufficient ships to cover both the Mediterranean and the Far East. As a result, the task of the Mediterranean Fleet was not only to protect British interests in that area but also to provide a force capable of movement to the Far East in an emergency. British naval power in the Far East would be asserted in the meantime by the establishment of a substantial force of the most modern submarines in the Far East.

The Royal Navy's ships and submarines were organised into squadrons and flotillas as pre-war but with one major difference - a reduction in size. The pre-1914 battle squadron was comprised of eight battleships: this was reduced to four or five from 1919. Often this strength was notional because of impact of the modernisation programme which kept ships out of action for long periods. Cruiser squadrons remained largely unchanged in terms of size, but destroyer flotillas were reduced from the pre-war and wartime norm of twenty ships to one leader and eight ships from 1921. As before submarine flotillas did not have a fixed composition. The previous use of reduced crews was less frequent and more used was made of a more formally organised Reserve Fleet-as witnessed by the establishment of the Maintenance Reserve at Rosyth from 1927.

The main operations of this period which caused disruption to the normal pattern of distribution were:


In the background but not directly impacting on the deployment of the Royal Navy were the main issues which influenced politicians, naval leaders, and historians - the various naval treaties and their impact on ship numbers and design; the economic and industrial constraints on building programmes; and dispute with the Royal Air Force over the command of aircraft in maritime operations.

The following notes will list the main command elements - fleets, squadrons and flotillas; and then deal with the changing deployment of each type of ship and submarine.


Information on the command structure of the Royal Navy and on the distribution of warships between each command can be found in the Navy List for each year of this period. Some of the distribution lists are reprinted in the relevant annual issues of Jane's Fighting Ships.

More detailed information of particular types of warships and their service careers can be found in works by the following authors-

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King George V, battleship (Photo Ships)

Initial post-war deployment with a short-term effort to keep some older battleships in reduced commission in the 3rd BS, Home Fleet. This abandoned in October 1919.

Atlantic Fleet	Home Fleet	Mediterranean Fleet
Queen Elizabeth [FF] 1st Battle Squadron- Revenge [F] Ramillies Resolution [2nd F] Royal Oak Royal Sovereign 2nd Battle Squadron- Barham [F] Malaya Valiant Warspite Battle-cruiser Squadron- Lion [F] Princess Royal [p/o 10.19] Renown [detached] Repulse [refit, Portsmouth] Tiger	3rd Battle Squadron- King George V [F] Conqueror Monarch Orion [2F] Thunderer Erin	4th Battle Squadron- Iron Duke [FF] Benbow Emperor of India [Black Sea] Marlborough Ajax Centurion Imperial Tour New Zealand

 

HMS Iron Duke, battleship (Maritime Quest)

The Atlantic Fleet continued to command two battle squadrons of the Queen Elizabeth and Royal Sovereign classes, together with a few battle-cruisers

Atlantic Fleet	Mediterranean Fleet
Queen Elizabeth [FF] 1st Battle Squadron Revenge [F] Ramillies Resolution [2F] Royal Oak Royal Sovereign -1.21 [to refit, Portsmouth] 2nd Battle Squadron Barham [F] Malaya Valiant Warspite Battlecruiser Squadron Lion [F] -3.20 Renown [RF Portsmouth 11.20-9.21 Repulse[refit at Portsmouth -1.21] Tiger 3.20-Hood [F]	4th Battle Squadron Iron Duke [FF] Benbow Emperor of India [2F] Marlborough [10.20-refit Devonport] Ajax Centurion [3.20-RF, Malta] 10.20-King George V

(3) May 1921-November 1924

The battle squadrons of the Queen Elizabeths and Royal Sovereigns were reduced to divisions of a single squadron. Four battleships were detached to the Mediterreanean September 1922 until March 1923 in response to the crisis over Turkey. Between November 1923 and September 1924 the battle-cruisers were detached on a world tour.

HMS Repulse, battlecruiser (Photo Ships)

Atlantic Fleet

Mediterranean Fleet

Queen Elizabeth [FF] 1st Division/1st Battle Squadron Barham [F] Malaya * Valiant Warspite * detached to Mediterranean 9.22-3.23 2nd Division/1st Battle Squadron Revenge [F] * Ramillies * Resolution [2F] Royal Oak [10.22-refit at Portsmouth-10.24 Royal Sovereign * [refit to 10.22] * detached to Mediterranean 9.22-3.23 Battle-cruiser Squadron Hood [F] *** Renown ** Repulse *** Tiger -4.22 to RF ** ex RF 9.21, Royal tour 9.21-7.22 then RF and refit at Portsmouth 5.23- *** Special Service Squadron/World Tour 11.23-9.24

4th Battle Squadron Iron Duke [F] Benbow Emperor of India [2F] [refit Devonport 2.22-2.23] Marlborough [refit to 1.22] Ajax -4.24 p/o Centurion RF Malta-8.22 [-p/o 4.24] King George V -1.23

The Queen Elizabeth's move to the Mediterranean as part of a major redistribution of ships from home waters to the Mediterranean. They replaced the remaining King George V class which were to be discarded. The Iron Dukes remained in the Mediterranean for the time being - squadron renumbered.

From 1924 until 1939 the process of modernisation reduced further the number of battleships which were fully operational at any given time.

Atlantic Fleet	Mediterranean Fleet
2nd Battle Squadron Revenge [FF] Ramillies Resolution [F] Royal Oak Royal Sovereign Battle-cruiser Squadron Hood [F] Renown [refit to 9.26] Repulse 6.26-Tiger	1st Battle Squadron Queen Elizabeth [FF] Barham [F] Malaya Valiant Warspite [refit Portsmouth 11.24-4.26] 3rd Battle Squadron Iron Duke [F] Benbow Emperor of India Marlborough

 

(5) March 1926-1931

HMS Revenge, battleship (Maritime Quest)

The Iron Dukes returned to home waters for their last period of service. They operated with reduced complements as boys training ships. The two Nelsons joined the Atlantic Fleet. The Queen Elizabeths and Royal Sovereigns swopped stations - the former to the Atlantic Fleet and the latter to the Mediterranean. The impact of the modernisation programme is appaarent.

Atlantic Fleet

Mediterranean Fleet

2nd Battle Squadron Revenge [1.28 refit Devonport] -1.29 to Med Ramillies -8.27 Resolution -3.26 Royal Oak -3.26 Royal Sovereign-12.26 10.27-Nelson [FF] 3.28- Rodney 11.29-Malaya 5.30- Warspite 1.31- Valiant 3rd Battle Squadron [reduced complements] Iron Duke -11.31 [refit 5.28-5.29] Benbow -9.30 Emperor of India-1.31 Marlborough -6.31 Battle-cruiser Squadron Hood [refit Portsmouth 5.29-5.31] Renown, ex refit 9.26- Repulse Tiger -5.31 p/o

Queen Elizabeth [refit Portsmouth 6.26-1.28] Barham [refit Portsmouth 1.31-] Malaya [refit Portsmouth 9.27-3.29], 11.29-to AF Valiant [refit Portsmouth 3.29-1.31] Warspite 5.30-to AF 3.26-Resolution [refits Portsmouth 12.26-1.28 and 7.29-2.31] 3.26-Royal Oak 12.36-Royal Sovereign [refit 10.27-6.28] 8.27-Ramillies 1.29-Revenge

 

(6) 1931-1935


HMS Hood, battlecruiser (Maritime Quest)

The Nelsons and Queen Elizabeth's - with the exception of the name ship of the latter class - constitute the Atlantic/Home Fleet, and the Royal Sovereigns remain in the Mediterranean.

Atlantic Fleet/Home Fleet	Mediterranean Fleet
2nd Battle Squadron Nelson [FF] Rodney Barham [refit at Portsmouth 1.31-1.34] Malaya [refit at Devonport 10.34-] Valiant -7.35 Warspite [refit at Portsmouth 12.33-3.37] Battle-cruiser Squadron Hood [F] Renown Repulse [6.32 RF/refit at Portsmouth -1.36]	1st Battle Squadron Queen Elizabeth [FF] Ramiilies -7.35 Resolution -12.35 Revenge -2.36 Royal Oak [refit at Devonport 6.34-8.36] Royal Sovereign [refit Portsmouth 1-11.32] -4.35

(7) 1935-1939

HMS Nelson, battleship (Maritime Quest)

The Queen Elizabeth's move to the Mediterranean, and the Royal Sovereign's return home to be used as training ships until the outbreak of war.

Home Fleet

Mediterranean Fleet

2nd Battle Squadron Nelson Rodney Ramillies [Boys TS 1.36-7.38 to refit] Resolution [RF -9.36, Boys TS 10.37-7.38] Revenge [refit Devonport 2.36-6.37, Boys TS 6.37-8.39] Royal Oak [refit to 8.36] Royal Sovereign [Boys TS 1.36-6.37, refit Portsmouth 6.37-2.38] 7.39-Ramillies Battle-cruiser Squadron Hood [F] [det Med 9.36-2.39] Renown [det Med 9.35-1.36]    [refit Portsmouth 9.36-8.39] Repulse [refit Portsmouth -4.36]    [det Med 9.36-2.39]

1st Battle Squadron Queen Elizabeth [FF] -2.37 [refit at Portsmouth] Barham  8.35- Malaya  1.37- Valiant  3.37 [mod at Devonport] Warspite 1.38-Warspite [FF] 2.39-Ramillies -7.39

(8) Capital Ship Modernisations


HMS Queen Elizabeth (Maritime Quest)

Portsmouth

Devonport

Queen Elizabeth-class 1.24-4.26 Warspite  6.26-1.28 Queen Elizabeth 9.27-3.29 Malaya 3.29-1.31 Valiant 1.31-1.34 Barham 3.34-3.37 Warspite Royal Sovereign-class 8.37-12.40 Queen Elizabeth 12.20-10.22 Royal Sovereign 10.22-10.24 Royal Oak 12.26-1.28 Resolution 7.29-2.31 Resolution 1.32-1.33 Royal Sovereign Battlecruisers 4.19-1.21 Repulse 5.23-8.26 Renown 5.29-5.31 Hood 4.33-5.36 Repulse 9.36-8.39 Renown

Queen Elizabeth-class 11.34-12.36 Malaya 3.37-11.39 Valiant   Royal Sovereign-class 8.26-8.27 Ramillies 1.28-1.29 Revenge 6.34-8.36 Royal Oak 2.36-6.37 Revenge

9. Battleships employed as Training Ships

Temeraire 9.19-3.21
Thunderer 5.21-8.26
Colossus 9.21-5.22
King George V 2.23-11.23
Tiger  2.24-6.26
Iron Duke 9.34- [disarmed 11.31-9.34]

 

10. Battlecruisers held in reserve 1919- and converted to aircraft carriers from 1924


HMS Courageous (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham)

Courageous RF/Rosyth .19-RF/Portsmouth-6.24
Glorious RF/Rosyth 1.21-RF/Devonport-2.24

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5. AIRCRAFT CARRIER DEPLOYMENT 1919-1939

Few in number, they were deployed as individual ships. Those in the Home Fleet and Mediterranean would operate together during spring and autumn cruises. The Flying Squadron was part of the the Atlantic Fleet in 1919 but was reduced to a single ship in 1920. It consisted of Furious, Argus, Nairana, Pegasus and Vindictive.

HMS Argus (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham)

HMS Ark Royal (Navy Photos/Ben Titheridge)

 

Atlantic Fleet/Home Fleet	Mediterranean Fleet	China Station
Argus  4.19-5.30 [detached to China 1927-28] Furious 5.25-7.30 Courageous .32-6.39 [detached Med 9.35-6.36] Furious 3.32- [refitted 12.38-5.29 to operate as training carrier] Ark Royal 11.38-	Eagle 2.24-8.31 [refit at Devonport 8.31-4.33] Courageous 5.28- .32 Glorious 2.30-9.39 [refit Devonport 5.34-7.35] Eagle 12.34-5.35 [refit at Devonport]	Hermes  6.25-9.33 Eagle  4.33-12.34 Hermes 11.34-6.37 Eagle  1.37-
Major conversions/refits	In reserve
Furious  11.19-9.25 [reserve at Rosyth 6.22-refit at Devonport] Eagle  11.20-9.23 Portsmouth Glorious 2.24-1.30 Rosyth .26-Devonport] Courageous 6.24-5.28 Devonport	Hermes  6.37- Devonport [boys training] Courageous 6.39- Devonport

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6. CRUISER DEPLOYMENT 1919-1939

The Royal Navy's cruiser force probably had the widest distribution and range of task of any type of warship during this period. They were employed in fleet duty at Home and in the Mediterranean, and on imperial policing and trade protection in the East Indies, China, New Zealand, Africa, South America and North America and West Indies Stations.

Most were allocated to cruiser squadrons in both fleets and in all the stations. The squadrons varied in size from 5-6 ships down to 2-3. In addition, individual cruisers were engaged in such tasks as flagship of the destroyer flotillas in the Atlantic/Home Fleet and Mediterranean Fleet. The squadrons retained the same number throughout the inter-war period. They were designated as Light Cruiser Squadrons until 1924/25 after which they were described as Cruiser Squadrons. With one exception - the 1st Squadron, all remained on the same station throughout this period.

As with the battleships, the numbers of cruisers available declined during this period as a result of attempts to keep within the naval treaties.

The cruisers can be allotted to one of three groups. The light cruisers of the pre-1914 and wartime period which included the first Town class, the many C classes, the D class, and the post-war completions of the E and Hawkins classes are the first. Then came the heavy cruisers built to the highest permitted size as determined by the Washington Naval Treaty. Finally, the light cruisers of the Leander, Amphion, Galatea and Town classes which entered service during the 1930's. In the following tables, for clarity, each group is listed separately.

1st Light Cruiser/Cruiser Squadron


HMS Danae (Photo Ships)

1st Light Cruiser Squadron Atlantic Fleet - 11.24	1st Cruiser Squadron Mediterranean Fleet 11.24-
Delhi [F] * Danae * Dauntless * Dragon * Dunedin -5.24 * detached to Special Service Squadron World Cruise 1923-1924	Older Light Cruisers Delhi [F] -5.29* Danae - .29* Dauntless - 2.28* Dragon -12.28* 9.24-Frobisher - .29	Heavy Cruisers 3.29-London -3.39** 3.29-Devonshire 5.29-Shropshire 5.29-Sussex Sussex exchanged places with HMAS Australia 12.34- 7.35 ** London begins refit at Chatham 3.39 HMAS Sydney attached 3-7.36

2nd Light Cruiser Squadron


HMS Galatea (1) (Photo Ships)

Home Fleet 4-10.19	Atlantic Fleet 10.19- Home Fleet 5.32-
Caledon [F] Carysfort Cleopatra Galatea (1) Phaeton Royalist	Older Light Cruisers Caledon [F] -8.26 Carysfort -9.25 Cleopatra -8.21 Cordelia -12.22 Castor -5.24 8.21-Curacoa [F] - .28 12.22-Cambrain -6.24 5.24-Calliope -4.26 6.24-Canterbury -1.25 1.25-Cleopatra -9.26 9.25-Comus -6.30 8.26-Cambrian -11.29 11.26-Canterbury -5.31 .28-Vindictive [F] - .29   .29-Hawkins F] -7.30 11.29-Frobisher -6.30	Heavy Cruisers 6.30-Norfolk  -3.33 6.30-York  -2.34 7.30-Dorsetshire [F] -10.33 5.31-Exeter  -1.34 10.37-Cornwall - 5.39 5.39-Cumberland	Light Cruisers 1933-1937 3.33-Leander [F] -3.37 10.33-Achilles - 8.37 1.34- Orion -9.37 2.34- Neptune - 3.37 1937- 3.37-Southampton [F] 3.37-Newcastle 8.37-Sheffield 9.37-Glasgow Added 1939- 7.39-Edinburgh 8.39-Belfast

 

  3rd Light Cruiser Squadron/3rd Cruiser Squadron


HMS Cardiff (Photo Ships)

Mediterranean 4.19-9.39
C Class Cardiff [F] -9.29 Calypso  -9.28 Caradoc  -9.27 Ceres  -8.30 Concord  -7.23 7.23-Comus -11.24 10.23-Cleopatra -6.24 6.24-Concord -8.27 8.27-Caledon -11.29 [repairs 1.28-1.29] 9.28-Calliope -11.29 9.29-Curacoa [F] -2.33 11.29-Calypso -5.32 11.29-Curlew - .34 8.30-Caledon [F] -7.31 8.30-Castor -5.32 7.31-Colombo [F]-5.32 5.32-Ceres -3.34	D Class 5.32-Delhi [F] -2.38 2.33-Despatch -12.37 3.34-Durban -4.36 .34-Dauntless -2.35	Modern Light Cruisers 2.35-Arethusa [F] 12.36-Penelope Temp attached 1935-36 HMAS Sydney

Destroyer & Submarine Flotilla Flagships


HMS Galatea (2) (Navy Photos)

Atlantic/Home Fleets	Mediterranean Fleet
Destroyer flotillas Castor 7.20-Coventry 4.25-Centaur 8.32-Cairo 11.37-Aurora Submarine Flotillas-Atlantic Fleet Inconstant 2.22-Conquest -1.27	Destroyer flotillas 4.25-Coventry 9.28-Cairo 8.30-Coventry 8.35-Galatea (2) Submarine flotillas 1.27-Conquest - 4.28

4th Light Cruiser Squadron/4th Cruiser Squadron


HMS Gloucester (Navy Photos)

East Indies 4.19-9.39
Old Light Cruisers Highflyer [F]  -9.21 Caroline  -1.22 Comus  - 6.22 9.21-Southampton [F] -7.25 1.22-Colombo -1.26 6.22-Cairo  -12.26 10.24-Chatham [F] -1.26 6.32- Colombo -2.36	E-class & Frobishers 7.25-Effingham [F] - .33 1.26-Emerald  -6.32 1.26-Enterprise - .35 .33-Hawkins [F] -3.35 .35-Emerald  -8.38 2.36- Enterprise - .39	Heavy Cruiser 3.35-Norfolk [F] -3.39 Town class Light Cruisers 8.38-Manchester [F] 11.38-Liverpool 1.39-Gloucester

 

5th Light Cruiser Squadron/5th Cruiser Squadron


HMS Suffolk (Navy Photos)

China 1919-1939
Old Cruisers Hawkins [F]  -6.28 Cairo  -10.22 Carlisle  -8.28 Colombo  -9.21 Curlew  -6.22 9.21-Durban  -5.28 6.22-Despatch -1.27 10.22-Diomede -10.25 10.25-Vindictive -1.28 1.27- Curlew -9.28 1.28- Constance -1.30 5.28- Castor  -7.30 7.30- Caradoc -7.34 7.34- Capetown -7.38 12.36-Danae -11.37 7.38- Cardiff -4.39 click for photographic album of  HMS Durban 1926-28	Heavy Cruisers 1.28- Cumberland -2.35 5.28- Cornwall -7.36 6.28- Kent [F] -12.36 8.28- Berwick - 7.37 9.28- Suffolk  -8.35 8.35-Dorsetshire [F] 7.36- Cumberland -12.38 12.36-Suffolk -8.39 12.38-Kent 4.39- Cornwall * Cumberland refit 2.35-7.36 * Suffolk refit 8.35-12.26 * Cornwall refit 7.36-12.37 * Kent refit 12.36-7.38 * Berwick refit 7.37-11.38 All at Chatham	Light Cruiser 11.37-Birmingham

6th Light Cruiser Squadron/6th Cruiser Squadron


HMS Lowestoft (Photo Ships)

Africa 4.19-9.39
Old Cruisers Lowestoft [F]  -2.24 Durban  -3.25 2.24-Birmingham [F] -9.28 3.25-Lowestoft -9.28 9.28-Calcutta [F] -4.31 9.28-Carlisle  -7.37 4.31-Cardiff [F] -5.33	Heavy Cruiser 5.33-Dorsetshire [F] -8.35	Light Cruisers 10.36-Amphion -5.39* 7.37-Neptune * 6.39-now HMAS Perth

 

 7th Light Cruiser Squadron


HMS Exeter (Navy Photos)

South America 4.19-6.21, South American Division 1934-
Southampton [F] - .20 Dartmouth  - 5.21 Weymouth  - 1.21 Yarmouth  - .20	1.34-Exeter 6.35-Ajax

 
 

8th Light Cruiser Squadron


HMS Norfolk (Navy Photos)

America & West Indies 4.1919-9.39
Old Cruisers Calcutta [F]  -12.27 Calliope  -2.21 Cambrian  -11.22 Constance  -7.26 11.22-Curlew  -4.27 12.22-Capetown -1.30 7.26-Colombo  -12.29 4.27-Cairo  -6.28 8.28-Caradoc  -3.30 2.21-Raleigh -lost 8.8. 22 12.27-Despatch [F] -6.31 6.28-Dauntless -damaged 7.28 5.29- Durban  -8.30 1.30- Delhi [F]  -5.32 3.30- Dauntless -1.34 3.30- Dragon  -7.37 8.30- Danae  -1.36 6.31- Durban  -12.32 click for photographic album of  HMS Curlew 1922-25	Heavy Cruisers 5.32- Norfolk -6.35 12.32-York [F]   .39- Berwick	Light Cruisers 1.36-Apollo -6.38* 7.37-Orion * 9.38 to HMAS Hobart

New Zealand Division


HMS Leander (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham)

1920-1939
Old Cruisers 9.20-Chatham  -10.25 5.24-Dunedin  - 4.37 10.25-Diomede  -3.36	Light Cruisers 9.36-Achilles 4.37-Leander

 

Conversions to Anti-Aircraft Cruisers


HMS Coventry (Photo Ships)

Conversion details 10.35- .36 Coventry [Portsmouth] 9.36- .38 Curlew [Chatham] 8.38- Calcutta [Chatham] 1.39- Carlisle [Chatham] 6.39- Curacoa [Chatham]

Active service pre-9.39 None

Cruisers Employed in Secondary Roles

Signals School, Portsmouth	Torpedo School, Portsmouth	Gunnery TS, Portsmouth	Training Ships
12.20-7.28 Yarmouth 12.28-12.32 Concord	4.19-12.33 Champion	11.19- .22 Canterbury 12.32-6.36 Curacoa	Cadets 11.32-10.37 Frobisher 10.37- Vindictive Boys 7.38-Diomede

Cruiser-Minelayer


HMS Adventure (Navy Photos)

Adventure 10.26-Atlantic Fleet .31-refit .32-Home Fleet .35-China .39-RF, Devonport

Cruisers in Reserve

Throughout this period a number of cruisers were out of service either because they were surplus to the peacetime needs of the Royal Navy, undergoing repairs and refits, or awaiting sale for scrap.

To illustrate the numbers of cruisers in reserve, four snapshots are provided of the cruisers in reserve at four different dates. These dates are at five year intervals - 1923, 1928, 1933 and 1938

1923	1928	1933	1938
Nore Command Calliope Cleopatra Birmingham Weymouth Portsmouth Command Comus Canterbury Vindictive Plymouth Command Dartmouth	Nore Command Calcutta Calliope Caardoc [refit] Castor Cleopatra Vindictive [refit] Portsmouth Command Cairo Concord* Conquest [for sale] Dartmouth Weymouth [for sale] * trooping to China Plymouth Command Carysfort	Nore Command Cardiff Calcutta Cambrian Canterbury Curlew Emerald [refit] Vindictive Portsmouth Command Effingham [VARF] Constance Plymouth Command Caledon Calypso Capetown Castor Comus	Nore Command Calcutta Caledon Cardiff Dragon Emerald [refit] Vindictive [refit Portsmouth Command Cairo [conv AA ship] Coventry [misc duties] Enterprise [ret] Effingham [VARF] Dauntless [refit] Dunedin [Boys tg] Danae Despatch Durban Hawkins Plymouth Command Frobisher

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7. MONITORS

None of the eight monitors listed in the Navy List at various times 1920-1939 served operationally.

Marshal Soult, Erebus and Terror were employed on harbour duty as gunnery training ships. Terror became HQ Ship at Singapore in October 1933.

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8. DISTRIBUTION OF DESTROYERS 1919-1939

Destroyers were organised into flotillas for both tactical and administrative purposes. From April 1919 until January 1921, the pre-war flotilla organisation was re-established. Each flotilla would contain 20 destroyers of the same class which would be led by 2 larger destroyer leaders. The reduction in the numbers of destroyers and the re-assessment of the tactical requirements for the use of destroyers in battle brought about a change. From January 1921 all destroyer flotillas were composed of a single destroyer leader and eight destroyers of the same class. This remained the standard flotilla organisation up to and including the Second World War.

As the prime purpose of a destroyer flotilla was participation in fleet actions, all the inter-war flotillas were allocated to the main fleets - the Atlantic/Home Fleet and the Mediterranean Fleet.

An extra flotilla was created in 1927 for employment on the China Station. In addition destroyers were employed in small groups, or individually, in a range of duties in the home ports - these ships were usually older vessels.

Until the advent of new construction in 1930, all active destroyers belonged either to the S class or to the V& W classes. From 1930 the new classes of destroyers comprised one leader and eight destroyers so as to fit into the flotilla structure. An exception was made in 1938 with the sixteen Tribal class destroyer which were organised into two flotillas, without leaders.

For the sake of clarity, the material on destroyer deployment is presented in two time periods-1919-1921 and 1921-1939  

8.1 DESTROYER FLOTILLAS 4.1919-1.1921

There were numerous and frequent changes in the distribution of destroyers in the main fleets and in the home commands between 1919 and 1922. The main fleet flotilla organisation was changed in 1921, and the rest by 1922.

OPERATIONAL FLOTILLAS

1st Destroyer Flotilla
Atlantic Fleet


HMS Valorous (Navy Photos)

1919 [to Baltic 6.19- .19]	1920
Wallace [L] Valorous [2L] Vancouver Vanessa Vanity Velox Verity Versatile Viscount Vivacious Vortigern Voyager Walker Walrus Warwick Waterhen Whirlwind Wryneck	Wallace [L] Malcolm [2L] Vancouver Vanessa Vanity Velox Versatile Vivacious Vortigern Voyager Walker Walrus Warwick Waterhen Whirlwind Wrestler Wryneck

 

2nd Destroyer Flotilla
Atlantic Fleet

HMS Vanquisher (Photo Ships)

1919 [Baltic 1919-20]	1920
Spenser [L] Shakespeare [2L] Valentine Vectis Vega Venetia Verulam -lost 4.9.19 in Baltic Vesper Vidette Vimiera Violent Walpole Wessex Westcott Westminster Winchelsea Windsor Wolfhound	Spenser [L] Shakespeare [2L] Valentine Valhalla Vanquisher Vectis Vega Venetia Vesper Vidette Vimiera Violent Walpole Wessex Westcott Westminster Winchelsea Windsor Wolfhound

3rd Destroyer Flotilla
Atlantic Fleet


HMS Campbell (Navy Photos)

1919 [* Baltic 1919]	1920
Campbell [L]* Mackay [2L] Valkyrie Vampire* Vendetta* Venemous Verdun Viceroy Vivien Wakeful* Whitley Whitshed Winchester Wolsey Woolston* Wrestler* Scimitar Tactician Trojan Trinidad	Campbell [L] Mackay [2L] Valkyrie Vampire Vansittart Vendetta Venemous Verdun Verity Veteran Vivien Volunteer Wanderer Whitshed Wild Swan Wishart Witherington Wivern Wolverine Wrestler

4th Destroyer Flotilla
Home Fleet 4.19-Atlantic Fleet 11.19-


HMS Raider (Photo Ships)

4-10.1919	11.19-?	By 9.1920
Seymour [L] Grenville [2L] Orpheus [temp] Radstock Raider Redoubt Restless Retriever Rigorous Rowena Sorceress Sterling Stonehenge Taurus Teazer Thanet Trusty	Bruce [L] Grenville [2L] Retriever Sardonyx Seawolf Serene Sesame Shamrock Sterling Stonehenge Strenuous Sturdy Thanet Torbay Trusty Turbulent Turquoise Ursa	Bruce [L] Douglas [2L] Seawolf Serene Sesame Shamrock Stonehenge [see 6DF] Stormcloud Tenedos Thanet Tourmaline Turquoise Tyrian Valorous Venturous Viceroy Whitley Wolsey Woolston

5th Destroyer Flotilla
Home Fleet 4-10.1919


HMS Umpire (Photo Ships)

	Saumarez [L]	Parker [2L]
Redgauntlet    Rob Roy      Salmon   Sarpedon	Sceptre Tancred Tirade Tower	Trenchant Tristram Ulster  Umpire	Undine Urchin Ursa Ursula

 6th Destroyer Flotilla
Mediterranean


HMS Sepoy (Navy Photos/Paul Simpson)

 

	Stuart [L]	Montrose [2L]
Senator       Seraph     Shark      Spear	Speedy Sportive Steadfast Swallow	Tilbury Tobago * Tomahawk Torch	Tribune Tryphon ** Tumult
		* Tobago damaged beyond repair 12.10.20 ** Tryphon damaged beyond repair 4.5.19
Reserve division 1920-
Sepoy Serapis Sirdar Somme
*** Stonehenge lost 6.11.20 [just arrived from UK?]

 

     7th Destroyer Flotilla
Rosyth 11.19-5th Destroyer Flotilla, Rosyth -1920

Bruce [L] Douglas [2L] Sabre Scimitar Scotsman Scout Scythe Seabear Seafire Searcher Sepoy Serapis Simoon Sirdar Somme Sparrowhawk Trinidad

Douglas [L] Scotsman Scout Scythe Seabear Seafire Searcher Serapis Sirdar Somme Sparrowhawk

   
    

      20th Destroyer Flotilla
minelayer flotilla, Home waters 1919-1920
* Baltic 1919


HMS Vanoc (Photo Ships)

Abdiel [L]* Gabriel

Tarpon Telemachus

Vanoc * Vanquisher *

Venturous* Vittoria * -lost 1.9.19 Baltic

 

HOME COMMANDS

Each home command had a local defence flotilla and a variety of destroyers allocated to the training establishments in each port. The local defence flotillas had been disbanded by 1922 and were not reformed for at least ten years.
 

Nore Command

Local Defence Flotilla-1922	Training ships
Sarpedon -2.22 Starfish  - .22 Tempest to GTS Thisbe  -2.20 Thruster  -2.23   .20-Redoubt -2.23	Stork [gunnery] Springbok [torpedo]- 8.20 Tintagel [torpedo]-2.22 8.20-Wakeful [torpedo]-8.20.

Portsmouth Command

Local Defence Flotilla -1922	Training ships
Rapid  -3.20 Ready  - .22 Rocket  -1.23 Rob Roy -11.21 Rosalind - .22 Sable - to torpedo tg	Sharpshooter [gunnery] Acasta  [torpedo] - .20 Orcadia [torpedo] - .20 Skate  [torpedo] Tara  [torpedo] 3.20-Winchester [torpedo] Truant  [signals] .20-Umpire [signals] Rival  [engineering]- .23 Tyrant  [tdr to Victory]

Plymouth Command

Local Defence Flotilla -1921	Training ships
Satyr Sceptre Salmon - .20 Tetrarch Tormentor Torrid	Tenacious [gunnery] Sylph [torpedo] -4.22 Tactician Sturgeon [BRNC Dartmouth]

Queenstown 11.1919-1922	Rosyth 1919-1922	Gibraltar 1919-1922
Trenchant Undine Urchin 1920-Salmon 1920-Tetrarch 9.20- Sesame [based at Devonport] 7,21- Seawolf [based at Devonport]	Radstock Raider  -8.22 Redgauntlet - .20 Skilful  - .20 Sorceress - 1.20 1920-Tancred -7.22	Restless -3.22 Rigorous Romola Rowena -3.22

RESERVE FLEET 1919-1922

During 1919 all the surviving pre-war destroyers and most of the war-built destroyers were paid off, placed on the disposal list, and sold for scrap by 1922. Such was the surplus of destroyers of the classes to be retained - Leaders, R Class, S Class, and V & W Classes, that many of them were placed in reserve in this period. By September 1920, there was the equivalent of a flotilla of modern destroyers in reserve at each of the home ports. This is illustrated by the following information from the September 1920 Navy List

Nore Command	Portsmouth Command	Plymouth Command
Abdiel [L] Radiant Redgauntlet Retriever Sabre Sabrina Skilful Springbok Steadfast Sterling Sybille Tilbury-joining Tower Turbulent Ulster	Seymour [L] Nimrod [L] Relentless Sable Saladin Skate Stronghold Sturdy Torbay Toreador Trojan Truculent Trusty Tuscan Tyrant [tdr to Victory] Umpire Ursa Viscount [temporary]	Grenville [L] Saumarez [L] Sardonyx Scimitar Scotsman Scout Scythe Seabear Seafire Searcher Simoon Spindrift Strenuous [temporary] Taurus Teazer Telemachus Vanoc

8.2 DESTROYER FLOTILLAS 1921-1939

Throughout this period, destroyer flotillas were composed on a single leader and eight destroyers of the same class. From 1930 the earlier ships were succeeded by new construction, and no V& W class destroyers remained in frontline service after 1936.

ALLOCATION OF DESTROYER FLOTILLAS

1921	1923	1925	1927	1928	1932	1936	1938	1939
Atlantic Fleet/Home Fleet [r] - reduced complements
1DF  2 DF    3 DF     4 DF      5 DF  6 DF [r] 9 DF [r]	1 DF 2 DF 6 DF 8 DF [r] 9 DF [r]	5 DF 6 DF 8 DF [r] 9 DF [r]	5 DF 6 DF 7 DF [r]	5 DF  6 DF	2 DF 5 DF 6 DF	4 DF 5 DF 6 DF	5 DF 6 DF	5 DF 6 DF 7 DF 8 DF
Mediterranean Fleet
7 DF 8 DF	3 DF 4 DF	1 DF    2 DF    3 DF    4 DF			1 DF 3 DF 4 DF	1 DF 2 DF 3 DF	1 DF 2 DF 3 DF 4 DF
China Station
			8 DF					21 DF

1st Destroyer Flotilla


HMS Defender (Photo Ships)

Atlantic Fleet 4.25-renumbered 5DF	Mediterranean 4.25- [ex 5DF]
Wallace [L] Vancouver Velox Versatile Vortigern Walker Warwick Watchman Whirlwind	1925-12.1932 Montrose [L] Vampire 1931-Worcester Vendetta Vivacious 1930-Wakeful Vimiera Voyager Walrus Waterhen Wryneck	12.32-12.34* Duncan [L] Dainty Daring Decoy Defender Delight Diamond Diana Duchess	12.34-3.36* Keppel [L] Verity Veteran Whitehall Whitshed Wild Swan Wishart Witch Wren	3.36-** Grenville [L] Gallant Garland Gipsy Glowworm Grafton Grenade Greyhound Griffin

* swopped between Mediterranean and China
** - see 20DF

2nd Destroyer Flotilla
Atlantic Fleet 3.25-Mediterranean 6.32-Home Fleet 12.36-Mediterraean


HMS Crusader, later HMCS Ottawa (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham)

1921-25	1925-1932	6.32-12.36	12.36-
Spenser [L] Valorous Vanquisher Venetia Viceroy Violent Viscount Winchelsea Wolfhound	Stuart [L] Valentine Vanessa Vanquisher Vega Venetia Viceroy Viscount Winchelsea	Kempenfelt [L] Comet Crescent Crusader Cygnet Valorous Vega Venetia Viceroy	Hardy [L] Hasty Havock Hereward Hero Hostile Hotspur Hunter* Hyperion * damaged 5.37-replaced by Worcester until 10.38

2 DF temporarily transferred to Mediterranean 9.35 in response to Abyssinian crisis - the four V & W's were allocated to the newly formed 19DF after arrival.

3rd Destroyer Flotilla
Atlantic Fleet 8.23-Mediterranean Fleet


HMS Achates (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham)

1921-1923	1923-1930	1930-1937	1937-
Campbell [L] Verity Veteran Wanderer Wild Swan Wishart Witherington Wivern Wolverine	Keppel [L] Verity Veteran Wanderer Wild Swan Wishart Witherington Wivern Wolverine	Codrington [L] Acasta Achates Acheron Active Antelope Anthony Ardent Arrow	Inglefield [L] Icarus Ilex Imogen Imperial Impulsive Intrepid Isis Ivanhoe

4th Destroyer Flotilla


HMS Bulldog (Navy Photos)

4th DF, Atlantic Fleet 8.23-Mediterranean 8.36-Home Fleet -3.39		1st Tribal Flotilla, Med 5.38-4th DF 4.39-
1921-1931 Mackay [L] 12.24-Broke [L] Vampire Vansittart 11.29-Verity Venomous Volunteer Whitshed Wolsey Woolston Worcester 2.23-Wren 10.30-Amazon	1931-1939 Keith [L] 9.37-Kempenfelt [L] Basilisk Beagle Blanche Boadicea Boreas Brazen Brilliant Bulldog Amazon - .32	Afridi [L] Cossack Gurkha Maori Mohawk Nubian Sikh Zulu

5th Destroyer Flotilla


HMS Express (Navy Photos)

Atlantic Fleet-4.25 [to Med as 1DF]		Atlantic Fleet/Home Fleet-7.39
Malcolm [L] Vanessa  Vanity  Vendetta Vesper  Vivacious Voyager Walrus Wryneck	10.23-Montrose [L] 1.22-Vimiera 10.23-Vampire 10.23-Waterhen	4.25-10.34 Wallace [L] Vancouver [1.4.28 renamed Vimy] Velox Versatile Vortigern Walker Warwick Watchman Whirlwind 1932-Wessex	10.1934-7.1939 Exmouth [L] Echo Eclipse Electra Encounter Escapade Escort Esk Express

5 DF temporarily transferred to Eastern Mediterranean 9.35 during Abyssinian crisis-returned 4.36. E-Class paid off summer 1939. 5DF planned to reform autumn 1939 with K class for Mediterranean

6th Destroyer Flotilla


HMS Matabele in World War 2 (Navy Photos)

6th DF, Atlantic Fleet 5.39-renumbered 8DF			2nd Tribal Flotilla, Home Fleet 12.38-6th DF 5.39-
1921-1935 [reduced complement to 10.23]		1935-5.39
Shakespeare  Valhalla  Vega   Vidette Walpole Wessex  Westcott Westminster Windsor	9.23-Campbell [L] .30-Valentine 9.24-Wolfhound .32-Vanquisher	Faulknor [L] Fame Fearless Firedrake Foresight Forester Fortune Foxhound Fury	Somali [L] Bedouin Boreas  4.39-Ashanti Eskimo Mashona Matabele Punjabi Tartar

6 DF temporarily transferred to Gibraltar 9.35 in response to the Abyssinian crisis-returned by 4.36

 

7th Destroyer Flotilla


HMS Javelin (Navy Photos)

Mediterranean 1.21-7.23	Atlantic Fleet 1927-1928	Home Fleet 5.39-
Stuart [L] Senator Sepoy Shark Sikh Sparrowhawk Spear Tribune Trinidad	[reduced complements] Mackay [L] Valorous Valkyrie Vanity Vectis Venturous Verdun Violent Whitley	Jervis [L] Jackal Jaguar Janus Javelin Jersey Juno Jupiter

8th Destroyer Flotilla


HMS Faulknor (Navy Photos/Peter Crocker)

Mediterranean	Atlantic Fleet	China 1927-5.39, retitled 21DF			Home Fleet
1.21-10.23 Montrose [L] Seraph Stormcloud Serapis Sirdar Somme Splendid Sportive Swallow Tourmaline	1923-1927 [reduced complements] Bruce [L] Sepoy Seraph Serapis Sirdar Somme Stormcloud Sterling Thracian	1927-1931 Bruce [L] Sepoy Seraph Serapis Sirdar Somme Stormcloud Sterling Thracian	1931-1934 Keppel [L] Verity Veteran Whitehall Whitshed Wild Swan Wishart Witch Wren	12.34- Duncan [L] Dainty Daring Decoy Defender Delight Diamod Diana Duchess	5.39- Faulknor [L] Fame Fearless Firedrake Foresight Forester Fortune Foxhound Fury

9th Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet 1921-1927
[reduced complements]


HMS Verdun in World War 2 (Navy Photoss)

Bruce [L] Valentine Valkyrie Vanessa  Vanity Vectis Venturous Verdun Whitely

1923-Mackay [L] 1925-Valorous 1925-Violent

19th and 20th Destroyer Flotillas


HMS Greyhound (Navy Photos/Peter Crocker)

19th Destroyer Flotilla, Malta 12.35- .36	20th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet 9.35-12.36
Formed at Malta in response to the Abyssinian crisis - partly from 2DF	Formed from ships in reserve and new G class as temporary replacement for despatch of 2DF, 5DF and 6 DF which had been sent to the Mediterranean during the Abyssinian crisis. Became 1DF in 12.36
Douglas [L] Mackay Valorous Venetia Viceroy Wessex Wolsey Rowena Torrid Thruster	Montrose [L] Vanoc  Versatile  Vesper  Viscount  Vivien  Wakeful  Winchelsea Wrestler	4.36-Grenville 3.36-Gallant 3.36-Garland 3.36-Gipsy 4.36-Grafton 3.36-Glowworm 3.36-Greyhound 4.36-Grenade 3.36-Griffin

21st Destroyer Flotilla


HMS Decoy (Photo Ships)

Home Fleet 9.35-12.36 Formed from ships in reserve as temporary replacement for desptach of 2DF, 5DF and 6 DF which had been sent to the Mediterranean during the Abyssinian crisis.	China 5.39- [formerly 8DF]
Campbell [L] Valentine  Vanquisher  Vidette  Walpole  Westcott  Westminster  Windsor  Wolfhound	Duncan [L] Dainty Daring Decoy Defender Delight Diamond Diana Duchess

DESTROYERS UNDER LOCAL COMMANDS

Throughout this period destroyers were attached to the major home commands where they were employed on a variety of duties such as local defence or tenders to training schools. The largest concentration of destroyers was to be found at Portsmouth but others were located at the Nore, Plymouth and Portland.

Destroyers were based at Gibraltar, and, from 1936 at Hong Kong on local defence duties. The two main fleets required destroyers to control target duties tasks, to act as plane guard attendants to the aircraft carriers, and as minelayers.

One task not listed here was as attendant destroyers to some of the submarine flotillas - these ships are listed with the relevant submarine flotilla.

Nore Command

Local Flotilla	Training ships
Tempest- .26 to Gunnery tg ship 1933-Scimitar -1937 1933-Scout -1937 1935-Veteran -1937 2.36- Wishart -2.38 1937-Wanderer -7.39 3.38- Anthony 5.39- Boadicea 7.39- Blanche	Stork [gunnery] - .26 .26-Tempest [gunnery] - .36

Portsmouth Command

Local Flotilla

Training ships

1934-Wessex -1936 1936-Whitshed -1937 1936-Wild Swan -1937 10.36-Verity -12.38 1937-Worcester -3.38 1937-Windsor -12.38 1937-Scimitar 3.37-Antelope 12.38-Kempenfelt 12.38-Vanoc 3.39- Acasta 8.39-Exmouth 8.39-Exmouth 8.39-Whitley [WAIR]

Sharpshooter [gunnery]-.26 1926-Restless [gunnery]-.35 1935-no gunnery tg ship 3.38-Arrow [gunnery] Sable [torpedo]-11.25 Skate [torpedo] -9.39 Winchester [torpedo] - 3.39 Wrestler [torpedo] - .38 1924-Vanoc [torpedo] - .32 1932-Stronghold [torpedo-air target]-1933 9.33-Amazon [torpedo] -2.39 9.33-Ambuscade[tropedo] -5.39 Truant  [signals] - .31? 1931-Sardonyx [signals] -later LDF-9.39 Rival [engineering]- .23 Tyrant [engineering ] - .37

Plymouth Command

Local Flotilla	Training ships
Sesame - .30 [Irish coast] Seawolf - .31 [Irish coast] Scythe - .31 [Irish coast] 1934-Broke - .38 1935-Keppel - .37 1935-Witch - .38 1936-Wren - .38 1937-Wolverine - .38 10.37-Achates -3.39 3.38- Acasta - 3.39 4.38- Ardent 3.39- Basilisk 3.39- Brazen	Tenacious [gunnery] -12.25 Tactician [torpedo] -1927 Wakeful [torpedo] -12.25 11.25-Saumarez [torpedo] -1.31 Sturgeon [BRNC] -1926 1938-Codrington [engineering]

Other Commands

Portland, ASW School 1922-	Rosyth -1931
3.22-Rowena -1936 1.23- Rocket -1926 7.25- Raider -1926 7.25- Redgauntlet-1927 7.25- Retriever -1926 1926-Thurster -1936 1926-Torrid -1936 1927-Salmon - 1934 1933-Woolston -1937 1935-Vanquisher 6.36- Vidette 6.36- Walpole 6.36- Wolfhound -1938 1938-Walker	Tancred -7.22 7.24-Tenedos -1927 1925-Venturous -1926 1925-Whitley -1926 1926-Tormentor- 1928 1927- Teazer -1931 Also- 1937-Sabre [air target duties]

Gibraltar	Hong Kong 1935-
Restless -3.22 Rigorous -1925 Romola -12.23 Rowena -3.22 11.23-Tourmaline -1931 12.23-Splendid -1930 1927- Shamrock -1934 1931- Searcher -1936 1936- Vanoc -1939 1938- Wryneck -1939 5.39- Active 1939- Wishart	1935-Tenedos 1936-Thracian 1937-Thanet [RF Singapore 1938] 1938- Scout

Atlantic-Home Fleet	Mediterranean Fleet
Minelayer Telemachus -1926 Target duties 1924-Shikari -1939 1.26-Tetrarch -1933 Attendant on aircraft carriers 12.36-Crusader -4.38 1938-Stronghold-1939 4.39- Boreas 8.39- Beagle	Attendant on aircraft carriers 12.36-Comet -6.38 6.38- Wishart -5.39 1.39- Boadicea

DESTROYERS IN RESERVE

Throughout this period a large number of destroyers were kept in reserve either for future use or because they were too new to scrap. Large numbers were moored in the Medway, at Portsmouth and Devonport. From 1927 a significant number were transferred to Rosyth to become the Maintenance Reserve. By the end of the 1920's many of the R and S classes had been disposed of, and had been replaced by V& W classes which in turn had been succeeded by new build ships. In the Navy Lists it is difficult to assess the status of each ship - laid up in long term reserve; short-term between commissions; or awaiting sale to the scrapyards. As a result, four 'snap shots' of the status of the reserve fleet destroyers is given below.

Destroyers in Reserve 1923

Types/Classes	Nore Command	Portsmouth Command	Plymouth Command
Leaders	Abdiel	Nimrod Seymour	Douglas  Grenville  Saumarez
M-classes	Sabrina  Sybille	Rapid Ready Relentless Truculent Tyrant
Talisman-class	Turbulent
R-classes	Radstock    Raider [temp 2DF] Redgauntlet    Retriever Sarpedon  Skilful  Sorceress  Springbok      Starfish Tancred Tempest Thisbe Tower Ulster	Redoubt Rob Roy Rosalind Skate  Trenchant Umpire Undine Urchin Ursa Ursula	Restless  Rowena Salmon  Satyr   Sceptre Simoon Stormcloud Sylph
S-classes	Sabre [temp 2DF] Shamrock Steadfast Tenedos [temp 2DF] Thanet Thracian Tintagel	Saladin Stronghold Sturdy Tilbury   Torbay  Toreador  Trojan Trusty Turquoise Tyrian	Sardonyx  Scimitar     Scotsman Scout Seabear Seafire Searcher Serene Sterling Strenuous Spindrift Tactician Taurus   Teazer Tetrarch Torrid
V-classes	Vesper Vivien		Vanoc

Destroyers in Reserve June 1928

Types/Classes	Nore Command	Portsmouth Command	Plymouth Command	Maintenance Reserve, Rosyth	Malta
Leaders	Abdiel Grenville Mackay Malcolm Spenser Shakespeare		Saumarez
R-classes	Ursula	Raider Sharpshooter Thisbe Trenchant Umpire Undine Urchin	Romola Taurus
S-classes	Torch Tumult		Shamrock Tumult	Sabre Saladin Sardonyx Scimitar Scotsman Scout Seabear Seafire Searcher Senator Serene Shamrock Shark Simoon Sparrowhawk Spindrift Sportive Steadfast Strenuous Stronghold Sturdy Swallow Tactician Tenedos Tilbury Tintagel Tribune Trinidad Trojan Trusty Turbulent Turquoise Tuscan
V-classes	Valkyrie Valorous Vanity Venturous Vectis Vesper Vimy (ex-Vancouver) Vivien			Verdun Violent
W-classes			Whitley
V&W-classes					Wolsey Woolston

Destroyers in reserve November 1933

Types/Classes	Nore Command	Portsmouth Command	Plymouth Command	Maintenance Reserve, Rosyth	Malta
Leaders	Abdiel Malcolm		Broke Montrose Wallace	Shakespeare Spenser
R-classes	Tetrarch	Thisbe
S-classes	Scimitar Scout Thracian	Sabre Saladin Sesame Sirdar Tenedos	Scotsman Seraph Steadfast Thanet	Seafire Senator Serene Spindrift Sportive Swallow Trojan Trusty Turbulent
V-classes	Vendetta [for RAN] Vesper Vimiera Vivien	Vampire [for RAN] Vanessa Vivacious		Valkyrie Vanity Vectis Venturous Violent
W-classes	Wakeful Wessex Whitley Wryneck	Voyager [for RAN]	Waterhen [for RAN]	Vansittart Venomous Wanderer Witherington Wivern	Worcester
V&W-classes	Viscount

Destroyers in reserve, August 1938

Types/Classes	Nore Command	Portsmouth Command	Plymouth Command	Maintenance Reserve, Rosyth	Malta
Leaders	Campbell Keppel	Wallace Bruce [for disposal]	Mackay Montrose	Malcolm
M-classes		Tyrant [for sale]
S-classes	Scout	Saladin	Sturdy
V-classes	Valorous Velox Versatile Vesper Vidette Vivien	Vega Vimy Vortigern	Valentine Venetia	Vanessa Vanity Verdun Vimiera [to refit Portsmouth] Vivacious
W-classes	Veteran Wakeful Whirlwind Whitley (WAIR conversion)	Wessex Westminster Whitshed Wild Swan Worcester	Walker Warwick Watchman Whitehall Witch Wolverine	Vansittart Venomous Volunteer Witherington Wivern Wryneck
V&W-classes		Viceroy			Wolsey
H-class					Hunter [under repair]

Modern Destroyers in reserve

Ambuscade 4.30-9.33 Portsmouth
Amazon .32-9.33 Devonport
Codrington 6.37- .38 Devonport
Acasta  5.37-3.38 Devonport
Achates 4.37-10.37 Devonport
Acheron 8,.35- 2.37 Portsmouth
Active  2.37- .38 Malta
Anthony 3.37-3.38 Nore
Ardent  7.37-4.38 Nore
Arrow  6.37-3.38 Nore
Keith  9.36- Portsmouth 11.37-Nore-6.38 and 3.39-
Exmouth [L] 7.39-Portsmouth
Eclipse  3.39-Devonport
Electra  1.39-Nore
Escort  5.39-Nore
  and 7.39-Echo, Encounter, Escapade, Express

 

---

9. SUBMARINE DEPLOYMENT 1919-1939

Submarines were grouped into a number of flotillas. Each flotilla commanded all the boats operating from a single base. There was no fixed total of boats for any of the flotillas. Each flotilla had a depot ship and one cruiser or destroyer. Two of the flotillas - 5th at Gosport and 6th at Portland - were training flotillas which also looked after the boats held in reserve.

After 1924, each major fleet and command - Atlantic/Home Fleet, Mediterranean Fleet, and China Station - had one flotilla which controlled all the boats assigned to that organisation.

Until 1924, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Flotillas operated in the Atlantic Fleet, with the 4th Flotilla at Hong Kong.

Submarine operations were restored in the Mediterranean with the 2nd Flotilla in 1924. In 1927 the 2nd Flotilla was renumbered the 1st; the 1st and 3rd were combined into the 2nd.

From 1927 until 1939 the flotilla organisation was:

1st Submarine Flotilla, Malta
2nd Submarine Flotilla, Devonport

(3rd had been combined with the 1st as the 2nd)

4th Submarine Flotilla, Hong Kong
5th Submarine Flotilla, Gosport
6th Submarine Flotilla, Portland

Until the end of the 1920's the flotillas commanded war-built boats, of which the two major classes were the H class [for training and coastal work], and the L class [for overseas/long distance patrols].

From 1929 these boats were replaced by a succession of new construction. The main focus of this stream of new boats was the 4th Submarine Flotilla in the Far East, the main purpose of which, was to provide a force capable of delaying the Japanese navy until major surface ships arrived in the area.

OPERATIONAL FLOTILLAS IN HOME WATERS

1st Submarine Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet 1919-1.1927


HM S/M K.15 (Photo Ships)

Rosyth 1919-1922

Chatham 1922-1927

Royal Arthur [depot ship] Pandora [old cruiser] Ithuriel [destroyer] -1919 1919-Inconstant [cruiser flagship for Atlantic Fleet submarines] K5  lost 20.1.21              In reserve K8  -6.21                        K2 K9  - .21                         K6 K11  -8.21                      K10 K12                                K14 K14                                K16 K15  -1922 K22 1921-K2 5.21-M1 8.21-M2 1921-M3

Cyclops [depot ship] 2.22-Conquest [cruiser flagship] K2 -1924 K12 -1924 K14 -1.23 K22 -1924 M1 lost 12.11.25 M2 M3 -1925 5.23- K26 1924-L11 1924-L16 1924-L21 1924-L23 In reserve K16

2nd Submarine Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet 1919-1924


HM S/M L.12 (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham)

Devonport -1922	Portsmouth 1922-1924
Lucia  [depot ship] Adamant [depot ship] L11 L12 L14 L16 L17 L18 L56	Lucia [depot ship] L18 L21 L22 L56 L59 L69 L71

3rd Submarine Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet 1919-Plymouth Command- 1927


HM S/M H.34 (Navy Photos)

Portsmouth 1919-1922	Devonport 1922-1927
Maidstone [depot ship] Alecto  [depot ship] H21 H23 H24 H28 H30 H42  lost 23.3.22 H48 H51	Maidstone [depot ship] Alecto [depot ship] H22 H24 H28 H29 H30 H34 H52

2nd Submarine Flotilla, Atlantic/Home Fleets 1927-1939-based at Devonport


HM S/M Starfish (Photo Ships)

1927-1932	1932-1936	1936-1939
Lucia [depot ship] L52 L53 L54 L56 L69 L71	Lucia  [depot ship] 3.32-Stuart [destroyer] 1933-Mackay [destroyer] L18 L19 L21 L23 L26 L27	Lucia [depot ship]- .38 1938-Forth [depot ship] Mackay [destroyer] Seahorse Starfish Swordfish Grampus -1937 Narwhal Porpoise 1938-Cachalot 8.39-Seawolf 8.39-Spearfish 8.39-Sterlet 8.39-Sunfish

OPERATIONAL FLOTILLAS OVERSEAS

2nd Submarine Flotilla, Malta 1924- 1st Submarine Flotilla, Malta 1.1927-1939


HM S/M Rover (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham)

1924-1927	1927-1931	1931-1939
Lucia  [depot ship] Adamant [depot ship] L52 L53 L54 L56 L69 L71	Cyclops [depot ship] Douglas [destroyer] K26 L16 L18 L21 L23 L26 X1	Cyclops [depot ship] 1938-Maidstone [depot ship] Douglas [destroyer] 1931-Oberon -1934 1931-Otway -1936 1931-Oxley -1936 1931-Regent -1935 1931-Regulus -1935 1931-Rover -1935 1934-Thames -1939 1935-Clyde 1935-Severn 1935-Salmon 1935-Sealion 1935-Shark 1935-Snapper

4th Submarine Flotilla, Hong Kong 1919-1939


HMS Perseus (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham)

Ambrose [depot ship] -1928                  1932-Bruce [destroyer] -1933 Titania 1920- [depot ship] -1929           1933-Westcott [destroyer] 1929-Medway [depot ship]
1919-1929 L1 L3 L4 L7 L9 -1927 L15 1920- L2 L5 L8 L20 1922- L19 L33 1927- L27	1929-1939 1929- Oswald -1938 Otus 1930- Odin Osiris  -9.37 Olympus Orpheus Perseus Poseidon -lost 9.6.1931 Proteus 1931- Parthian Phoenix 1935- Regent Regulus Rover 1936- Rainbow 1937- Grampus Rorqual

TRAINING FLOTILLAS

5th Submarine Flotilla, Gosport 1919-1939

[includes boats held in reserve]


HM S/M R.10, anti-U-boat type (Photo Ships)

Alecto 1930-1934 [depot ship],   Ross [minesweeper] 1919-1939,       Winchester [destroyer] 1920-1939

Wartime boats by class H27 1919-1932 H31 1919-1939 H52 1919-1922 H43 1921-1930 H23 1922-1934 H48 1922-1931 H34 1927-1931 H28 1927-1933 H30 1927-1933 H32 1931-1933 H33 1933-1938 H34 1936-1937 H49 1936-1939 H43 1939- K14 1.23-1925 K26 1922-1923 L6 1919-1935 [never commissioned] L24 1920- lost 10.1.24 L17 1925-1927 L22 1925-1934 L52 1932-1935 L53 1932-1935 L69 1932-1934 L54 1932-1937 L56 1933-1934 L71 1933-1934 L26 1935- M1 1920-1921 M2 1920-8.21 M3 1925-1932 M2 1928 lost 26.1.32 R2 1919-1920 R4 1920-1922 R10 1922-1925 X1 1930-1936

New boats by class Oberon 1927-1931 Oberon 1934-1938 Otway 1935-1939 Oxley 1936-1939 Swordfish 1932-1935 Seawolf 1936-8.39 Sunfish 1937-8.39 Sterlet 1938-8.39 Thames 1932-1934 Porpoise 1933-1936 Osiris 9.37- Oswald 1938- Undine 1938-

6th Submarine Flotilla, Portland 1919-1939
[includes boats held in reserve]


HMS Ursula (Photo Ships)

Titania 1930- [depot ship]                           Fermoy [minesweeper] -1938                                                                     1938-Viscount [destroyer]                                                                     3.39-Achates [destroyer]
Wartime boats by class H25 1919-1921 H26 1919-1928 H29 1919-1921 H32 1919-1931 H33 1919-1933 H41 1919-1920 H44 1920-1938 H47 1920- lost 9.7.29 H49 1920-1935 H50 1920-1938 H49 1927-1934 H24 1928-1933 H27 1931-1933 H34 1932-1939 H48 1932-1935 H32 1933- H43 1933-1937 H34 1937-1938 H44 1938-1939 H33 1939- L23 1936-1938 R10 1919-1922 R4 1920-1932	New boats by class Starfish 1934-1936 Sturgeon 1934- Seahorse 1935- Spearfish 1937-8.39 Swordfish 1938- Ursula 1938- Unity  8.39-

Note on submarines in reserve in 5th and 6th Flotillas.

To illustrate the balance between active and reserve boats in both flotillas, a snapshot of each at five year intervals is provided below.

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