This is the order of battle of the Royal Navy on the outbreak of World War I in August 1914.
Although George V, as the monarch and thus commander-in-chief of the UK's armed forces, [1] was nominally the head of the Royal Navy, actual command of the service was the responsibility of the Admiralty, which was a department of the UK's government. [2] The King had a number of naval advisors alongside the structure of the Admiralty Board, the most senior occupying the position of First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp.
At the top of the Admiralty was a group called the Board of Admiralty, consisting of politicians, civil servants and senior naval officers. The board consisted of a total of nine members, with its president known as the First Lord:
Under the Board of Admiralty were a number of departments, each headed by a senior officer:
The British Isles were divided into three major geographical commands for the purposes of administration, with responsibility for a range of major functions, including providing divisions of ratings, training establishments for other ranks, dockyards and local defence forces.
In addition to the three major geographical commands based around the south of England, there were two other geographical commands with responsibility for other areas of the British Isles:
A further command, Orkneys & Shetlands, was established on the outbreak of war with the primary purpose of maintaining the Grand Fleet's main operating base at Scapa Flow.
In addition to the command level organisations located in the British Isles, the Royal Navy operated a number of bases overseas for the purpose of maintaining its ships deployed outside home waters.
The Royal Marines was divided into two elements - the Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI) and the Royal Marine Artillery (RMA). The RMLI was divided into three operational divisions, each based at one of the Royal Navy's major ports in the south. A single division of the Royal Marine Artillery was based in Portsmouth, while the Royal Marines depot was at Deal in Kent. In August 1914, the Royal Marine Brigade was formed from untrained recruits from the depot, reservists and long-service marines, with each division of the RMLI forming a battalion. The brigade was planned for use as a mobile force intended to seize and protect forward naval bases. [4] [note 22]
The Grand Fleet was the primary strike force of the Royal Navy, and was established on the outbreak of war from the First Fleet and elements of the Second Fleet, which were two of the three major formations of the Home Fleets. The primary elements of the Grand Fleet were four battle squadrons, to which all of the Royal Navy's dreadnought battleships, plus a number of older pre-dreadnoughts were assigned. Upon its establishment, the Grand Fleet was under the command of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe.
The Grand Fleet's battlecruiser and cruiser squadrons operated under the name Cruiser Force A, with Vice Admiral David Beatty in overall command of the Grand Fleet's cruisers.
The Channel Fleet was formed from the remaining vessels of the Home Fleets that were not turned over to the Grand Fleet. The intention of the Channel Fleet was to serve as a defensive formation to protect the lines of communication between the United Kingdom and France for the British Expeditionary Force, and deny the German Navy access into the English Channel. The Channel Fleet also had a number of attached cruiser squadrons responsible for patrolling to the west of the British Isles.
The Harwich Force was formed in April 1914 and was intended to serve as a southern wing of the Grand Fleet, primarily consisting of light forces. In the first few months of the war, elements of the Harwich Force were subordinated to the Southern Force.
The Southern Force (also known as the "Combined Force") was formed in August 1914 around a cruiser squadron, with support from elements of the Harwich Force, and was intended to operate off the East Coast, protecting the coast of Belgium and communication channels to France. [10] [note 53]
In addition to the major overseas forces, the Royal Navy had a number of other smaller stations with two or three ships assigned.
Although in peacetime the fledgling naval forces of the Dominions operated independently, during time of war they were intended to be subordinated to the command of the Admiralty in London.
This is the order of battle of the Royal Navy on the outbreak of World War I in August 1914.
Although George V, as the monarch and thus commander-in-chief of the UK's armed forces, [1] was nominally the head of the Royal Navy, actual command of the service was the responsibility of the Admiralty, which was a department of the UK's government. [2] The King had a number of naval advisors alongside the structure of the Admiralty Board, the most senior occupying the position of First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp.
At the top of the Admiralty was a group called the Board of Admiralty, consisting of politicians, civil servants and senior naval officers. The board consisted of a total of nine members, with its president known as the First Lord:
Under the Board of Admiralty were a number of departments, each headed by a senior officer:
The British Isles were divided into three major geographical commands for the purposes of administration, with responsibility for a range of major functions, including providing divisions of ratings, training establishments for other ranks, dockyards and local defence forces.
In addition to the three major geographical commands based around the south of England, there were two other geographical commands with responsibility for other areas of the British Isles:
A further command, Orkneys & Shetlands, was established on the outbreak of war with the primary purpose of maintaining the Grand Fleet's main operating base at Scapa Flow.
In addition to the command level organisations located in the British Isles, the Royal Navy operated a number of bases overseas for the purpose of maintaining its ships deployed outside home waters.
The Royal Marines was divided into two elements - the Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI) and the Royal Marine Artillery (RMA). The RMLI was divided into three operational divisions, each based at one of the Royal Navy's major ports in the south. A single division of the Royal Marine Artillery was based in Portsmouth, while the Royal Marines depot was at Deal in Kent. In August 1914, the Royal Marine Brigade was formed from untrained recruits from the depot, reservists and long-service marines, with each division of the RMLI forming a battalion. The brigade was planned for use as a mobile force intended to seize and protect forward naval bases. [4] [note 22]
The Grand Fleet was the primary strike force of the Royal Navy, and was established on the outbreak of war from the First Fleet and elements of the Second Fleet, which were two of the three major formations of the Home Fleets. The primary elements of the Grand Fleet were four battle squadrons, to which all of the Royal Navy's dreadnought battleships, plus a number of older pre-dreadnoughts were assigned. Upon its establishment, the Grand Fleet was under the command of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe.
The Grand Fleet's battlecruiser and cruiser squadrons operated under the name Cruiser Force A, with Vice Admiral David Beatty in overall command of the Grand Fleet's cruisers.
The Channel Fleet was formed from the remaining vessels of the Home Fleets that were not turned over to the Grand Fleet. The intention of the Channel Fleet was to serve as a defensive formation to protect the lines of communication between the United Kingdom and France for the British Expeditionary Force, and deny the German Navy access into the English Channel. The Channel Fleet also had a number of attached cruiser squadrons responsible for patrolling to the west of the British Isles.
The Harwich Force was formed in April 1914 and was intended to serve as a southern wing of the Grand Fleet, primarily consisting of light forces. In the first few months of the war, elements of the Harwich Force were subordinated to the Southern Force.
The Southern Force (also known as the "Combined Force") was formed in August 1914 around a cruiser squadron, with support from elements of the Harwich Force, and was intended to operate off the East Coast, protecting the coast of Belgium and communication channels to France. [10] [note 53]
In addition to the major overseas forces, the Royal Navy had a number of other smaller stations with two or three ships assigned.
Although in peacetime the fledgling naval forces of the Dominions operated independently, during time of war they were intended to be subordinated to the command of the Admiralty in London.