The Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands [1] was an operational commander of the Royal Navy. His subordinate units, establishments, and staff were sometimes informally known as the Orkneys and Shetlands Command; they were charged with the administration of the Orkney and Shetland Islands and operating and defending the fleet base at Scapa Flow that was the main anchorage for both the Home Fleet and Grand Fleet at various times.
History
The Orkney and Shetland command was usually only formed at the outbreak of war to provide for the defence and administration of the main base for the Home Fleet. The duties of the Admiral Commanding were laid down as being responsible, under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet, for administration of naval defences, naval establishments, and shore duties generally in the Orkneys and Shetlands.
During the First World War and the Second World War the Rear-Admiral, Scapa Flow served under him, with a position similar to that of an Admiral Superintendent of a dockyard port. Directly under his orders were the Northern Patrol, Shetlands Patrols, the Officer Commanding Troops Orkney, the Officer Commanding Troops Shetlands, the Admiralty Port Officer Kirkwall, the Rear-Admiral commanding the local minefields and the officers responsible for the extended defences, the local defence flotilla and the Orkney Trawler Patrols.[2] He was responsible for the patrolling of the area from Wick to Cape Wrath.[3]
During the Second World War the Rear-Admiral, Scapa Flow continued to serve under him.
Admiral Commanding First World War
Flag Officer commanding:[4]
Subordinate commanders First World War
Flag officer commanding:[5]
The role was similar to that of Admiral Superintendent of a dockyard port
Flag Officer Scapa Flow/Rear Admiral Scapa
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term |
Flag Officer Scapa Flow/Rear Admiral Scapa |
1 | Rear-Admiral | | Francis Miller | September 1914 – April, 1916 January 1916 |
2 | Rear-Admiral | | Robert Prendergast | May 1916 – September 1917 1918 |
Flag Officer Shetlands
The Command was deactivated during interwar years 9 January 1920 – September 1939
Admiral Commanding Second World War
Flag officer commanding
Orkneys and Shetland Command
The Orkneys and Shetlands Command was formed at the outbreak World War One to establish and maintain the Grand Fleet's principal base at Scapa Flow.[9][10][11]
Shore units
Included:[12]
Unit | Date | Notes |
HMS Fox (shore establishment) | | Lerwick Naval Base |
HMS Pyramus (shore establishment) | | Kirkwall Naval Base |
Naval units
Included:[13]
Unit | Date | Notes |
5th Minesweeper Flotilla | 04/1942-02/1944 | |
6th Minesweeper Flotilla | 07/1941-12/1942 | |
21st Minesweeper Flotilla | 1918 | |
Northern Patrol | 1914-1918, 1939-1945 | Operating within the Orkneys & Shetland Command under VAdm Comm NP |
Scapa Local Defence Flotilla | 1914-1918 | |
References
- ↑ Haarr, Geirr H. (2013). The Gathering Storm: The Naval War in Northern Europe September 1939 - April 1940. Seaforth Publishing. p. 160. ISBN 9781473832732.
- ↑ Grand Fleet Order 107.
- ↑ Grand Fleet Order 136.
- ↑ Watson, Graham. "Organisation of the Royal Navy 1914 to 1918, The Home Commands World War One". naval-history.net. Naval History.Net, 27 October 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ↑ Watson, Graham. "Organisation of the Royal Navy 1914 to 1918, The Home Commands World War One". naval-history.net. Naval History.Net, 27 October 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ↑ Haarr, Geirr H. (2013). The Gathering Storm: The Naval War in Northern Europe September 1939 - April 1940. Seaforth Publishing. pp. 2–16. ISBN 9781473832732.
- ↑ "Patrick Macnamara Life and Career Post War". dreadnoughtproject.org. The Dreadnought Project.Org, 13 June 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ↑ "Admiral Superintendent's Office, Lyness". nationalarchives.gov.uk. The National Archives. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ↑ Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1919-1939". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 2 September 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
- ↑ Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Orgnisation in World War 2, 1939-1945". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 19 September 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
- ↑ Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914-1918". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 27 October 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
- ↑ Watson. 2015
- ↑ Watson. 2015
Attribution
Primary source for this article is by Harley, Simon and Lovell Tony, Admiral. (2015), Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands, http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org
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