First Light Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy): Difference between revisions

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The First Light Cruiser Squadron was a formation of light cruisers in the Royal Navy. Founded before the Great War, during the war it was one of 3-4 such squadrons tasked with screening the Grand Fleet during operations.

The squadron operated throughout the war and beyond. At some time in perhaps September 1924 it was re-designated the First Cruiser Squadron as post-war operations suggested the wisdom of merging heavy and light cruiser operations.

In Command

Dates of appointment given:

Commodore, Second Class William E. Goodenough, 5 July, 1913^[1] – February, 1915^[2]
Rear-Admiral Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair, 8 February, 1915^[3] – 7 July, 1917^[4]
Rear-Admiral Sir Walter H. Cowan, 7 July, 1917^[5] – 5 July, 1920^[6] (flag transferred to Delhi in June, 1919)
Vice-Admiral James A. Fergusson, July, 1920^[7] – April, 1922^[8]
Rear-Admiral Hubert G. Brand, 15 April, 1922^[9] – 9 October, 1924^[10] (after this, formation re-designated the First Cruiser Squadron)

History

July, 1914

The squadron was:^[11]

September, 1914

Two additional light cruisers have reinforced the squadron.^[12]

Attached to Cruiser Force A
Light Cruisers
Southampton	Lowestoft	Birmingham	Falmouth	Nottingham	Liverpool

This arrangement would change some time in December, 1914.^[13]

January, 1915

Falmouth and Liverpool have been sent over to join the new Second Light Cruiser Squadron, which is serving alongside 1 L.C.S..^[14]

Attached to (former?) Cruiser Force A
Light Cruisers
Southampton	Lowestoft	Birmingham	Nottingham

March, 1915

The ships of the Squadron were renamed the Second Light Cruiser Squadron at some point in January or February, and a new 1 L.C.S. created as shown.^[15]

Attached to Battle Cruiser Fleet
Light Cruisers
Galatea	Caroline	Cordelia	Inconstant

This arrangement would not be altered before some time in November, 1915.^[16]

December, 1915

Caroline has been replaced by Phaeton.^[17]

Attached to Battle Cruiser Fleet
Light Cruisers
Galatea	Phaeton	Cordelia	Inconstant

This arrangement would prove unusually stable. Squadron command under Edwyn Sinclair Alexander-Sinclair would become a Commodore, First Class on 5 December, 1916, and then to Rear-Admiral on 26 April, 1917, but affairs would not otherwise be altered before some time in May, 1917.^[18]

Battle of Jutland

Main article: First L.C.S. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland

The squadron was at the battle as one of three screening the battlecruisers:^[19]

June, 1917

Caledon has been added to the mix, increasing strength to five cruisers.^[20]

Attached to Battle Cruiser Fleet
Light Cruisers
Galatea	Phaeton	Cordelia	Inconstant	Caledon

This arrangement would not be altered before some time in X.^[21]

August, 1917

Caledon was made the flagship some time in July, and Royalist has replaced Cordelia.^[22]

Attached to Battle Cruiser Fleet
Light Cruisers
Caledon	Royalist	Cordelia	Inconstant	Galatea

This arrangement would not be altered before some time in X.^[23]

17 November, 1917

At the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight^[24]

Screened by:

July, 1918

The Squadron is still assigned to screen the Battle Cruiser Force.^[25]

November, 1918

No change since July.^[26]

This roster would apply until March, 1919.^[27]

March, 1919

Now attached to the Battle Cruiser Force, Cleopatra has joined,^[28] coming from the Seventh Light Cruiser Squadron.^[29]

April, 1919

Still attached to the Battle Cruiser Force, Comus has joined,^[30] having come from the Fourth Light Cruiser Squadron,^[31] bringing the strength to seven light cruisers.

May, 1919

A considerable reorganization has occurred. All the ships except Comus (which is a "miscellaneous ship in commission") have been left to embody, with Champion, the Home Fleet's Second Light Cruiser Squadron.

1 L.C.S. is now part of the Atlantic Fleet; the reinvented squadron is comprised the six very modern light cruisers that were dubbed the Fifth Light Cruiser Squadron just a month ago.^[32]^[33]

June, 1919

Still part of the Atlantic Fleet, the squadron is now eight light cruisers.^[34] Danae is on her way, having just entered service while Cleopatra has come over from the Second Light Cruiser Squadron and Canterbury has recently been recommissioned.^[35]

Cleopatra (temporarily detached)
Coventry
Curacoa (refitting)
Danae
Dauntless
Delhi (to join "shortly", would in fact become flagship this month)
Dragon
Canterbury (temporarily assigned)

July, 1919

Still part of the Atlantic Fleet, Delhi seems to have fully arrived and assumed flagship duties.^[36]

Delhi
Coventry
Curacoa (refitting)
Danae
Dauntless
Canterbury (temporarily assigned)
Dragon
Cleopatra (temporarily detached)

Drill and Practice

In 1917, the squadron fired 56 practice torpedoes of which 45 or 80% were judged to be likely to endanger the enemy.^[37]

Footnotes

↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 5.
↑ Goodenough Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 433.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). p. 6.
↑ Alexander-Sinclair Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 361.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1919). p. 5.
↑ Cowan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 249.
↑ Fergusson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43 f. 199.
↑ Fergusson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/88 f. 102.
↑ Brand Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 220.
↑ Brand Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 220.
↑ 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]
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September 1914). p. 9.
↑ Supplements through January, 1915.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 9.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). p. 11.
↑ Supplements through December, 1915.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1915). p. 11.
↑ Supplements through June, 1917.
↑ Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. p. 33, 46.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1917). p. 11.
↑ Supplements through X.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 11.
↑ Supplements through X.
↑ Naval Operations. Vol. V. pp. 168-169.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1918). p. 11.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1918). p. 11.
↑ Supplements from December, 1918 through March, 1919.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). p. 10.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 10.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1919). p. 10.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). p. 10.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1919). pp. 10, 12, 19.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1919). p 13.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1919). p. 10.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1919). pp. 12, 20.
↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1919). p. 10.
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. p. 121.

Bibliography

Corbett, Sir Julian S. (1920). Naval Operations. Volume I. London: Longmans, Green and Co..
Newbolt, Henry (1931). Naval Operations. Vol. V. London: Longmans, Green and Co..

Light Cruiser Squadrons of the Royal Navy

[1] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 5.

[2] Goodenough Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 433.

[3] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). p. 6.

[4] Alexander-Sinclair Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 361.

[5] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1919). p. 5.

[6] Cowan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 249.

[7] Fergusson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43 f. 199.

[8] Fergusson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/88 f. 102.

[9] Brand Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 220.

[10] Brand Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 220.

[11] 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]

[12] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September 1914). p. 9.

[13] Supplements through January, 1915.

[14] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 9.

[15] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). p. 11.

[16] Supplements through December, 1915.

[17] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1915). p. 11.

[18] Supplements through June, 1917.

[19] Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. p. 33, 46.

[20] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1917). p. 11.

[21] Supplements through X.

[22] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 11.

[23] Supplements through X.

[24] Naval Operations. Vol. V. pp. 168-169.

[25] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1918). p. 11.

[26] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1918). p. 11.

[27] Supplements from December, 1918 through March, 1919.

[28] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). p. 10.

[29] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 10.

[30] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1919). p. 10.

[31] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). p. 10.

[32] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1919). pp. 10, 12, 19.

[33] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1919). p 13.

[34] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1919). p. 10.

[35] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1919). pp. 12, 20.

[36] Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1919). p. 10.

[37] Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. p. 121.

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@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 *{{UK-Nottingham}}
-===Outbreak of War===
+===September, 1914===
-Two additional light cruisers have reinforced the squadron.{{UKNavalOpsI|p. 440}}{{DittColl|p. 15}}
+Two additional light cruisers have reinforced the squadron.{{SMNLSep14|p. 9}}
-*{{UK-1Southampton}}, Commodore Goodenough [[File:Com2.png|25px]]
-*{{UK-1Birmingham}}, Captain [[Arthur Allan Morison Duff|Arthur Duff]]
-*{{UK-Nottingham}}, Captain [[Charles Blois Miller|C. B. Miller]]
-*{{UK-1Liverpool}}, Captain [[Edward Reeves]]
-*{{UK-1Falmouth}}, Captain [[John Douglas Edwards|J. D. Edwards]]
-*{{UK-Lowestoft}}, Captain [[Theobald Walter Butler Kennedy|Theobald Kennedy]]
-===November, 1915===
+{|width=75% class=toccolours
-Attached to the [[Battle Cruiser Fleet]].{{SMNLNov15|p. 11}}
+|-
-*{{UK-1Galatea}} [[File:Com1RN.png|25px]]
+|style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Attached to [[Cruiser Force A]]'''
-*{{UK-Caroline}}
+|-
-*{{UK-Cordelia}}
+|align=center colspan=6|'''Light Cruisers'''
-*{{UK-1Inconstant}}
+|-
+|align=center|{{UK-1Southampton}} [[File:Com2.png|25px]]||align=center|{{UK-Lowestoft}}||align=center|{{UK-1Birmingham}}||align=center|{{UK-1Falmouth}}||align=center|{{UK-Nottingham}}||align=center|{{UK-1Liverpool}}
+|}
+This arrangement would change some time in December, 1914.<ref>Supplements through January, 1915.</ref>
+===January, 1915===
+{{UK-Falmouth}} and {{UK-1Liverpool}} have been sent over to join the new {{UK-LCS|2}}, which is serving alongside 1 L.C.S..{{SMNLJan15|p. 9}}
+{|width=75% class=toccolours
+|-
+|style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Attached to (former?) [[Cruiser Force A]]'''
+|-
+|align=center colspan=6|'''Light Cruisers'''
+|-
+|align=center|{{UK-1Southampton}} [[File:Com2.png|25px]]||align=center|{{UK-Lowestoft}}||align=center|{{UK-1Birmingham}}||align=center|{{UK-Nottingham}}
+|}
+===March, 1915===
+The ships of the Squadron were renamed the {{UK-LCS|2}} at some point in January or February, and a new 1 L.C.S. created as shown.{{SMNLMar15|p. 11}}
+{|width=75% class=toccolours
+|-
+|style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Attached to [[Battle Cruiser Fleet]]'''
+|-
+|align=center colspan=6|'''Light Cruisers'''
+|-
+|align=center|{{UK-1Galatea}} [[File:Com2.png|25px]]||align=center|{{UK-Caroline}}||align=center|{{UK-Cordelia}}||align=center|{{UK-1Inconstant}}
+|}
+This arrangement would not be altered before some time in November, 1915.<ref>Supplements through December, 1915.</ref>
+===December, 1915===
+{{UK-Caroline}} has been replaced by {{UK-Phaeton}}.{{SMNLDec15|p. 11}}
+{|width=75% class=toccolours
+|-
+|style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Attached to [[Battle Cruiser Fleet]]'''
+|-
+|align=center colspan=6|'''Light Cruisers'''
+|-
+|align=center|{{UK-1Galatea}} [[File:Com2.png|25px]]||align=center|{{UK-Phaeton}}||align=center|{{UK-Cordelia}}||align=center|{{UK-1Inconstant}}
+|}
+This arrangement would prove unusually stable.  Squadron command under [[Edwyn Sinclair Alexander-Sinclair, Twelfth Laird of Freswick|Edwyn Sinclair Alexander-Sinclair]] would become a {{Com1RN}} on 5 December, 1916, and then to {{RearRN}} on 26 April, 1917, but affairs would not otherwise be altered before some time in May, 1917.<ref>Supplements through June, 1917.</ref>
 ===Battle of Jutland===
 :{{Main|First L.C.S. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland}}
-The squadron was one of three screening the battlecruisers:{{UKJutlandOD|p. 33, 46}}
+The squadron was at the battle as one of three screening the battlecruisers:{{UKJutlandOD|p. 33, 46}}
-* {{UK-1Galatea}}, [[Edwyn Sinclair Alexander-Sinclair, Twelfth Laird of Freswick|Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair]] ({{Com2RN}})
+* {{UK-1Galatea}}, {{Com2RN}} [[Edwyn Sinclair Alexander-Sinclair, Twelfth Laird of Freswick|Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair]]
 *{{UK-Phaeton}}, {{CaptRN}} [[John Ewen Cameron|John E. Cameron]]
+* {{UK-Cordelia}}, Captain [[Tufton Percy Hamilton Beamish|Tufton P. H. Beamish]]
 *{{UK-1Inconstant}}, {{CaptRN}} [[Bertram Sackville Thesiger|Bertram S. Thesiger]]
-* {{UK-Cordelia}}, Captain [[Tufton Percy Hamilton Beamish|Tufton P. H. Beamish]]
+===June, 1917===
+{{UK-Caledon}} has been added to the mix, increasing strength to five cruisers.{{SMNLJun17|p. 11}}
+{|width=75% class=toccolours
+|-
+|style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Attached to [[Battle Cruiser Fleet]]'''
+|-
+|align=center colspan=6|'''Light Cruisers'''
+|-
+|align=center|{{UK-1Galatea}} [[File:RAdm.png|border|25px]]||align=center|{{UK-Phaeton}}||align=center|{{UK-Cordelia}}||align=center|{{UK-1Inconstant}}||align=center|{{UK-Caledon}}
+|}
+This arrangement would not be altered before some time in X.<ref>Supplements through X.</ref>
+===August, 1917===
+{{UK-Caledon}} was made the flagship some time in July, and {{UK-Royalist}} has replaced {{UK-Cordelia}}.{{SMNLAug17|p. 11}}
+{|width=75% class=toccolours
+|-
+|style="background:#CEDFF2" align=center colspan=6 | '''Attached to [[Battle Cruiser Fleet]]'''
+|-
+|align=center colspan=6|'''Light Cruisers'''
+|-
+|align=center|{{UK-Caledon}} [[File:RAdm.png|border|25px]]||align=center|{{UK-Royalist}}||align=center|{{UK-Cordelia}}||align=center|{{UK-1Inconstant}}||align=center|{{UK-1Galatea}}
+|}
+This arrangement would not be altered before some time in X.<ref>Supplements through X.</ref>
 ===17 November, 1917===