View source for Ninth Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy)

The '''Ninth Cruiser Squadron''', also called '''Cruiser Force I''' from 1914, was a cruiser squadron of the [[Royal Navy]].  

Rear-Admiral [[Henry Hervey Campbell|Henry H. Campbell]] commanded the Squadron during the 1914 Test Mobilisation, and hauled down his flag at Sheerness on 26 July.<ref>"Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices).  ''The Times''.  Monday, 27 July, 1914.  Issue '''40586''', col B, p. 4.</ref>

The squadron ceased to exist on 3 January, 1919.{{UKCeased|f. 20}}

==Rear-Admirals Commanding==
Dates of appointment given:

<div name=fredbot:office0 otitle="Rear-Admiral Commanding, Ninth Cruiser Squadron" nat="UK">{{TenureListBegin|Rear-Admiral Commanding, Ninth Cruiser Squadron}}
{{Tenure|rank={{RearRN}}|name=John Michael de Robeck, First Baronet|nick=John M. de Robeck|appt=1 August, 1914{{SMNLSep14|p. 5}}|ass=1 August, 1914{{SMNLSep14|p. 5}}|precBy=New Command|as=Rear-Admiral Commanding, Cruiser Force I|end=7 February, 1915<ref>de Robeck Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 128.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Rear-Admiral|name=Archibald Gordon Henry Wilson Moore|nick=Sir A. Gordon H. W. Moore|appt=12 February, 1915{{UKCeased|f. 20}}<ref>Moore Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 64.</ref>|end=30 August, 1916<ref>Moore Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 64.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Rear-Admiral|name=Sydney Robert Fremantle|nick=Sydney R. Fremantle|appt=30 August, 1916{{UKCeased|f. 20}}|end=28 December, 1916<ref>Fremantle Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 473.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Rear-Admiral|name=Thomas Dawson Lees Sheppard|nick=Thomas D. L. Sheppard|appt=8 December, 1916{{UKCeased|f. 20}}|ass=28 December, 1916<ref>Superseded his predecessor on that date.  Fremantle Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 473.</ref>|succBy=Command Abolished|end=3 January, 1919{{UKCeased|f. 20}}}}
{{TenureListEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:office0>

[[Robert Keith Arbuthnot, Fourth Baronet|Robert Keith Arbuthnot]] may have held this position.{{FC}}

==Composition==
===December, 1912===
<ref>Albert Francis Barclay Bridges papers at The Caird Library at the National Maritime Museum.  [BRG 1/1]</ref>

*{{UK-Amphitrite}}
*{{UK-Argonaut}}
*{{UK-Ariadne}}
*{{UK-Diadem}}
*{{UK-Europa}}
*{{UK-Spartiate}}

===December, 1913===
Significant changes, yielding the same strength as last year.  {{UK-Ariadne}}, {{UK-Diadem}}, and {{UK-Spartiate}} have been sent on to greener pastures somewhere, replaced by {{UK-Challenger}}, {{UK-Highflyer}} and {{UK-Vindictive}}.<ref>Albert Francis Barclay Bridges papers at The Caird Library at the National Maritime Museum.  [BRG 1/1]</ref>
*{{UK-Amphitrite}}
*{{UK-Argonaut}}
*{{UK-Challenger}} (joined from 12th C.S.)
*{{UK-Europa}}
*{{UK-Highflyer}} (joined from ?)
*{{UK-Vindictive}} (joined from 11th C.S.)

===July, 1914===
Operating as part of Third Fleet.<ref>Printed page "Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad" in Albert Francis Barclay Bridges papers at The Caird Library at the National Maritime Museum.  [BRG 1/1]</ref>
* {{UK-Donegal}} (being refit)
* {{UK-Monmouth}}
*{{UK-Amphitrite}} (detached for training duties at "Home Fort" - sp?)
*{{UK-Argonaut}} (being refit)
*{{UK-Challenger}}
*{{UK-Europa}}
*{{UK-Highflyer}} (detached for Cadet Training duties)
*{{UK-Vindictive}} (detached for training duties at "Home Fort" - sp?)

===5 August, 1914===
Based in Portland, the squadron has lost {{UK-Monmouth}} and possibly {{UK-Donegal}} (or {{UK-Argonaut}} has completed refit), leaving:{{DittColl|p. 15}}
*{{UK-Amphitrite}}
*{{UK-Argonaut}}
*{{UK-Europa}}
*{{UK-Highflyer}}
*{{UK-Vindictive}}
*{{UK-Challenger}} (in Bristol Channel)

A rapid succession of ships were flagship for Rear-Admiral de Robeck.  {{UK-Amphitrite}} on 1 August, {{UK-Warrior}} temporarily in November, then ''Amphitrite'' before November was out, {{UK-Argonaut}} on 20 December, and finally {{UK-Vengeance}} on 31 January, 1915.<ref>de Robeck Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 128.</ref>

When [[Archibald Gordon Henry Wilson Moore|Moore]] took over command, this flagship shuffle continued:  {{UK-Europa}} was the flag on 12 February, 1915, transferred to {{UK-Arrogant}} on 20 April, to ''Europa'' on 11 May, {{UK-Amphitrite}} on 23 May, {{UK-Argonaut}} on 31 May, {{UK-Essex}} on 4 September, ending up with {{UK-KingAlfred}} on 3 October, 1915.  ''King Alfred'' would retain the flag through at least 30 August, 1916 when Moore struck his flag.<ref>Moore Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 64.</ref>

===March, 1915===
{{SMNLMar15|p. 12}}

*{{UK-Europa}} [[File:RAdm.png|border|25px]]
*{{UK-Amphitrite}}
* {{UK-Argonaut}}
*armed merchant cruiser ''Calgarian''
*armed merchant cruiser ''Carmania''
*armed merchant cruiser ''Edinburgh Castle''
*armed merchant cruiser ''Ophir''
*armed merchant cruiser ''Victorian''

===November, 1915===
{{SMNLNov15|p. 19}}

*{{UK-KingAlfred}} [[File:RAdm.png|border|25px]]
*{{UK-Essex}}
*armed merchant cruiser ''Carmania''
*armed merchant cruiser ''Ophir''

===September, 1917===
{{SMNLSep17|p. 20}}

*{{UK-Bacchante|f=t}}  [[File:RAdm.png|border|25px]]
*{{UK-Africa|f=t}}
*{{UK-Britannia|f=t}}
*{{UK-KingAlfred|f=t}}
*armed merchant cruiser ''Ophir''
*armed merchant cruiser ''Mantua''
*armed merchant cruiser ''Marmora''
*armed merchant cruiser ''Morea''

===July, 1918===
{{SMNLJul18|p. 21}}
The Squadron is small, and augmenting the larger force of the North America and West Indies Station.
*{{UK-Africa|f=t}}  [[File:RAdm.png|border|25px]], temporary flagship
*{{UK-Britannia|f=t}}
*{{UK-Bacchante|f=t}}

===November, 1918===
{{SMNLNov18|p. 21}}

*{{UK-Bacchante|f=t}}  [[File:RAdm.png|border|25px]]
*armed merchant cruiser ''Nivonia''
*armed merchant cruiser ''Silesia''

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
{{refend}}

{{RNCruiserSquadrons|sort=9}}