View source for Third Submarine Flotilla (Royal Navy)

The '''Third Submarine Flotilla''' was a formation of [[Submarine|submarines]] of the [[Royal Navy]]. 

==History==


===Test Mobilisation of July 1914===
The flotilla was comprised of a depot ship and six coastal submarines.{{AWO1914|109 of 10 July, 1914}}

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Test Mobilisation'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Depot Ship'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Forth}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Submarines'''
|-
|align=center|{{UK-B3}}||align=center|{{UK-B4}}||align=center|{{UK-B5}}||align=center|{{UK-C14}}||align=center|{{UK-C15}}||align=center|{{UK-C16}}
|-
|}

===September, 1914===
The flotilla, with the same assets, is one of five assigned to the forces covering Home and Atlantic Waters.{{SMNLSep14|p. 14}}

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Serving in Home and Atlantic Waters'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Depot Ship'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Forth}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Submarines'''
|-
|align=center|{{UK-B3}}||align=center|{{UK-B4}}||align=center|{{UK-B5}}||align=center|{{UK-C14}}||align=center|{{UK-C15}}||align=center|{{UK-C16}}
|-
|}

This roster and tasking would apply until January, 1915.{{SMNLOct14|p. 14 and Supplements through December}}

===January, 1915===
It appears that the flotilla has been disbanded.  {{UK-Forth}} has gone over to the {{UK-SF|10}} while {{UK-C14}} has gone to the {{UK-SF|6}} and the other five submarines to the {{UK-SF|4}}.{{SMNLJan15|p. 14}}

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Disbanded?'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|It would be re-instituted in September, 1916
|-
|}

===September, 1916===
The flotilla is re-instituted using the parent ship and {{UK-D1}} and {{UK-D6}} of the {{UK-SF|10}}.{{UK-D3}} and {{UK-D4}} have come over from the {{UK-SF|8}} and {{UK-D7}} and {{UK-D8}} from the {{UK-SF|11}}.{{SMNLSep16|p. 16}}{{SMNLAug16|pp. 12, 16}}  The strength is now six modern submarines and their parent ship.

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Under the [[East Coast of England Station|Rear-Admiral Commanding East Coast of England]]'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Parent Ship'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Vulcan}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Submarines'''
|-
|align=center|{{UK-D1}}||align=center|{{UK-D3}}||align=center|{{UK-D4}}||align=center|{{UK-D6}}||align=center|{{UK-D7}}||align=center|{{UK-D8}}
|-
|}

This roster would apply until February or March, 1917.{{SMNLOct16|p. 16 and Supplements until March, 1917.  No Supplement for Feb 1917 was found}}

===March, 1917===
{{UK-Vulcan}}, {{UK-D3}}, {{UK-D7}} and {{UK-D8}} have left to become part of [[Vulcan's Flotilla]], operating under Vice-Admiral, Queenstown.  {{UK-Hebe}} has come over to serve as parent ship.{{SMNLMar17|p. 14, 16}}  Strength is now three submarines plus a parent ship.

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Under the [[East Coast of England Station|Rear-Admiral Commanding East Coast of England]]'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Parent Ship'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Hebe}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Submarines''', tender to {{UK-Wallington}}
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|{{UK-D1}}||colspan=2 align=center|{{UK-D4}}||colspan=2 align=center|{{UK-D6}}
|-
|}

===April, 1917===
All three submarines have left to join [[Platypus and Vulcan's Flotillas]] operating under Vice-Admiral, Queenstown.  They have been replaced by {{UK-C8}} and {{UK-C9}} from the {{UK-SF|2}}.  Strength is now two submarines plus a parent ship.{{SMNLApr17|pp. 14, 16}}{{SMNLMar17|p. 16}}

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Under the [[East Coast of England Station|Rear-Admiral Commanding East Coast of England]]'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Parent Ship'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Hebe}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Submarines''', tender to {{UK-Wallington}}
|-
|colspan=3 align=center|{{UK-C8}}||colspan=3 align=center|{{UK-C9}}
|-
|}

This roster would apply until October.{{SMNLMay17|p. 16 and Supplements through September}}

===August, 1917===
Operating submerged in tow of the sailing decoy ship H.M.S. ''Prize'', {{UK-D6}} was unable to intervene in time when her bait was attacked by day and then by night by a U-boat.  ''Prize'' was sunk.{{UKTH1|pp. 12, 13}}

===October, 1917===
{{UK-C19}} and {{UK-C22}} have joined from {{UK-SF|10}}.  Strength is now four submarines plus a parent ship.{{SMNLOct17|p. 16}}{{SMNLSep17|p. 12}}

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Under the [[East Coast of England Station|Rear-Admiral Commanding East Coast of England]]'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Parent Ship'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Hebe}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Submarines''', tender to {{UK-Wallington}}*
|-
|&nbsp;||align=center|{{UK-C8}}||align=center|{{UK-C9}}||align=center|{{UK-C19}}||align=center|{{UK-C22}}
|-
|}

This roster would apply until some time between September and November, 1918, though explicit mention of support from ''Wallington'' ceased being noted in December, 1917.{{SMNLNov17|p. 16 and Supplements through Nov 1918 except Sep and Oct 1918}}

===November, 1918===
{{UK-C8}} has left, to appear with the {{UK-SF|6}} in December, and {{UK-C9}} has left for undiscovered purposes, replaced by {{UK-C13}} from the {{UK-SF|2}}.  Strength is now three submarines plus a parent ship.{{SMNLNov18|p. 15}}{{SMNLAug18|p. 15}}

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Under the [[East Coast of England Station|Rear-Admiral Commanding East Coast of England]]'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Parent Ship'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Hebe}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Submarines'''
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|{{UK-C13}}||colspan=2 align=center|{{UK-C19}}||colspan=2 align=center|{{UK-C22}}
|-
|}

This roster would apply until January, 1919.{{SMNLDec18|p. 15}}

===January, 1919===
The war now over, {{UK-C19}} and {{UK-C22}} have left for undisclosed ends.  Strength is now one submarine plus a parent ship.{{SMNLJan19|p. 15}}

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Under the [[East Coast of England Station|Rear-Admiral Commanding East Coast of England]]'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Parent Ship'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-Hebe}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Submarines'''
|-
|colspan=6 align=center|{{UK-C13}}
|-
|}

===February, 1919===
The Flotilla is apparently disbanded,  {{UK-Hebe}} sent to the Humber, and {{UK-C13}} to undisclosed ends.{{SMNLFeb19|p. 21}}

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Disbanded?'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|Not to be re-instituted in the Dreadnought Era
|-
|}

===March, 1919===
Back as one of six flotillas supporting the Grand Fleet in the post-war navy, the flotilla has a depot ship, four assorted vessels and fifteen submarines of "E", H" and "L" classes..{{SMNLMar19|p. 12}}

{|width=75% class="toccolours"
|-
| style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Supporting the [[Grand Fleet]]<br>one of six new flotillas'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Depot Ship'''
|-
|align=center colspan=6|{{UK-1Maidstone}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Ships'''
|-
|&nbsp;||align=center|{{UK-1Firedrake}}||align=center|{{UK-Lurcher}}||align=center|{{UK-1Pandora}}||align=center|{{UK-Orby}}
|-
|align=center colspan=6|'''Submarines'''
|-
|align=center|{{UK-E29}}||align=center|{{UK-E31}}||align=center|{{UK-E38}}||align=center|{{UK-E43}}||align=center|{{UK-E51}}||align=center|{{UK-E52}}
|-
|align=center|{{UK-E53}}||align=center|{{UK-E55}}||align=center|{{UK-E56}}||align=center|{{UK-H21}}||align=center|{{UK-H22}}||align=center|{{UK-L9}}
|-
|align=center colspan=2|{{UK-L14}}||align=center colspan=2|{{UK-L15}}||align=center colspan=2|{{UK-L17}}
|}

==In Command==
Dates of appointment given:
<div name=fredbot:office0 otitle="Commander (S), Third Submarine Flotilla" nat="UK">
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Martin Eric Dunbar-Nasmith|nick=Martin E. Nasmith|appt=7 February, 1917<ref>Dunbar-Nasmith Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/48/178.|D7604082}} f. 583.</ref>|end=November, 1917<ref>Dunbar-Nasmith Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/90/89.|D8115817}} f. 89.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{LCommRN}}|name=Andrew Wilmot-Smith|nick=Andrew Wilmot-Smith|appt=September, 1917|end=1 February, 1919|as=Lieutenant-Commander (S), Third Submarine Flotilla}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CaptRN}}|name=Algernon Henry Chester Candy|nick=Algernon H. C. Candy|appt=1 March, 1919<ref>Candy Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/279.|D7576613}} f. 279.</ref>|end=8 August, 1919<ref>Candy Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/279.|D7576613}} f. 279.</ref>|as=Captain (S), {{UK-SF|3}}}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Geoffrey Layton|nick=Geoffrey Layton|appt=July, 1920{{NLJan21|p. 805}}|end=7 July, 1921<ref>Layton Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/134.|D7604233}} f. ?.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Robert Bertram Ramsay|nick=Robert B. Ramsay|appt=July, 1921{{NLJan23|p. 780}}|end=}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Reginald Burnard Darke|nick=Reginald B. Darke|appt=1 January, 1924<ref>Darke Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/50/88.|D7604500}} Unnumbered folio.</ref>|end=31 March, 1926<ref>Superseded that day.  Cantlie Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/51/263.|D7605018}} f. 278.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Colin Cantlie|nick=Colin Cantlie|appt=31 March, 1926<ref>Cantlie Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/51/263.|D7605018}} f. 278.</ref>|end=19 November, 1926<ref>Cantlie Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/51/263.|D7605018}} f. 278.</ref>|succBy=Formation Disbanded}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Geoffrey Meredith Keble Keble-White|nick=Geoffrey M. K. Keble-White|appt=|end=28 August, 1936<ref>Macintyre Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/106.|}}  f. 108.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Ian Agnew Patterson Macintyre|nick=Ian A. P. Macintyre|appt=28 August, 1936<ref>Macintyre Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/106.|}}  f. 108.</ref>{{NLFeb29|p. 252}}|end=28 April, 1938<ref>Macintyre Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/56/106.|}}  f. 108.</ref>}}
</div name=fredbot:office0>

The flotilla was disbanded in late 1926, and its submarines transferred to the Portsmouth and Portland Flotillas, and the depot ship {{UK-1Maidstone}} sent to the {{UK-SF|2}}.{{NMI|20 Oct. 1926, p. 22}}

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

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

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
{{refend}}

{{RNSubmarineFlotillas|sort=3}}