The Reserve Fleet was a Royal Navy formation of decommissioned vessels which could be brought to a state of readiness at time of war.
History
In the early years of the 18th century ships were "laid up in ordinary" at various British naval bases so establishing the Reserve Fleet as a repository for serviceable but decommissioned ships.[1]
The Reserve Fleet was brought to readiness for the First World War.[2] It continued to exist in the inter-war years but in 1930 the Admiralty reduced it in size on the basis that war was unlikely in the ensuing 10 years.[3] At the start of the Second World War the Reserve Fleet, under the command of Vice Admiral Sir Max Horton,[4] was again brought to a state of readiness.[5] Some 15,000 men were called up in May 1939 to man the Reserve Fleet which became ready for service on 15 June 1939.[6] During the 1950s ships were regularly 'cocooned' for the Reserve Fleet[7] and it ceased to exist in 1960.[8]
Vice-Admirals commanding
Admirals commanding included:[9]
command then disbanded until 1944
Flag Officers commanding
Included:[10]
Reserve divisions under Admiral Commanding, Reserve Fleet
- Subordinate officers included[11][12]
Portsmouth Division
Rear Admiral Commanding Portsmouth Reserve
- Rear-Admiral Edward F. Bruen, 1 February 1919 – 23 April 1919
- Rear-Admiral Cole C. Fowler, 23 April 1919 – 23 April 1920
- Rear-Admiral Clement Greatorex, 23 April 1920 – 1 October 1921
- Rear-Admiral Edmond H. Parker, 1 October 1921
Devonport Division
Rear Admiral Commanding Devonport Reserve
- Rear-Admiral Douglas R. L. Nicholson, 1 February 1919 – 18 March 1919
- Rear-Admiral James A. Fergusson, 18 March 1919 – 9 April 1919
- Rear-Admiral Maurice Woollcombe, 9 April 1919 – 9 April 1920
- Rear-Admiral Philip H. Colomb, 9 April 1920
- Rear-Admiral Charles D. Johnson, 9 April 1921
Captain Commanding
- Captain Alfred A. Ellison, 16 May 1922 – 1 November 1922
- Captain Rowland H. Bather, 15 April 1922 – 1 July 1922 (temporary)
- Captain John E. Cameron, 1 November 1922 – April, 1924
- Captain Herbert A. Buchanan-Wollaston, 25 July 1927 – 17 April 1928
- Captain Edward B. Cloete, 3 November 1929 – 4 May 1931
Nore Division
Rear Admiral Commanding Nore Reserve
- Rear-Admiral A. Thomas Hunt, 1 February 1919 – 8 March 1919
- Rear-Admiral Henry L. Mawbey, 17 March 1919 – 17 March 1920
- Rear-Admiral Vivian H. G. Bernard, 17 March 1920 – 17 March 1921
- Rear-Admiral William J. S. Alderson, 17 March 1921 – 15 April 1922
Captain Commanding Nore Reserve
- Captain Lawrence W. Braithwaite, 24 April 1925 – 17 August 1926
- Captain Arthur L. Snagge, c. 1927
- Captain Claude C. Dobson, 17 October 1931 – 17 October 1933
- Captain Richard M. King, 17 October 1933 – 16 January 1935 (and as Captain of Cardiff)
- Captain Hamilton C. Allen, 16 January 1935 – 24 July 1935
- Captain John H. Young, 1 October 1935 – 1 September 1936
Rosyth Division
Vice-Admiral/Rear Admiral Commanding Rosyth Reserve
- Vice-Admiral Sir Trevylyan D. W. Napier, 1 February 1919 – 1 May 1919
- Rear-Admiral Charles F. Corbett, 1 May 1919 – 1 May 1920
- Rear-Admiral Crawford Maclachlan, 1 May 1920
- Captain Henry P. Boxer, 28 January 1937 – 1 June 1938
Portland Division
Rear Admiral Commanding Portland Reserve
- Rear-Admiral Sir Douglas R. L. Nicholson, 1 November 1919 – 1 April 1920
Vice-Admiral Reserve Fleet destroyers
Vice-Admiral Commanding
- Vice-Admiral Sir R. H. T. Balkes (1939-1945) (retired)
References
- ↑ Pinnock, William (2012). "The Guide to Knowledge, Volume 1". Rare Books Club. p. 420. ISBN 978-1153734462.
- ↑ "Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher of Kilverstone 1841–1920". National Archives. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ↑ Moretz, p. 82
- ↑ "Reserve Fleet". Orbat. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ↑ "Britain's Reserve Fleet 1939". British Pathe. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ↑ "Maritime War-The British Shore Organisation". The War at Sea. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ↑ "Reserve Fleet 1950". British Pathe. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ↑ "Royal Navy Maintenance and Supply Ships". Royal Navy Ships. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ↑ Senior Royal Navy Appointments Archived 15 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Naval Commands and Flag Officers (Hansard, 10 April 1946)". hansard.millbanksystems.com. Hansard, vol 421 cc1897-9. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ↑ Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "Reserve Fleet (Royal Navy)". dreadnoughtproject.org. The Dreadnought Project.Org, 5 September 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
- ↑ Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie, pp.143-144, December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
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