Difference between revisions of "Eighth Submarine Flotilla (Royal Navy)"

Revision as of 17:56, 3 June 2013

The Eighth Submarine Flotilla was a formation of submarines of the Royal Navy. It was a large flotilla, and generally comprised of large, modern submarines. Its roster changed almost every month.

History

Test Mobilisation of July, 1914

The flotilla was comprised of two depot ships and seventeen modern submarines.^[1]

September, 1914

The flotilla, which has been further bolstered by the arrival of E 10 and a pair of modern destroyers, is one of five flotillas assigned to the forces covering Home and Atlantic Waters. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and eighteen submarines.^[2]

October, 1914

The flotilla continues to grow with the arrival of three more new "E" class boats. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-one submarines.^[3]

This roster would apply until November or December.^[4]

December, 1914

D 5 has been removed, as she was mined on 3 November. E 3 has also been removed, having been torpedoed on 18 October. E 13 and E 14 have joined. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-one submarines.^[5][6]

January, 1915

S 1 has joined, coming from the Fourth Submarine Flotilla. The flotilla is so large that Alecto has been brought in from the Tenth Submarine Flotilla. The strength is three depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-two submarines.^[7]{SMNLDec15|p. 14}}

This roster would apply until February or March.^[8]

March, 1915

D 2 and E 10 have been removed, as they were lost on 25 November and 18 January, respectively. E 16 has arrived, seemingly new in service. The strength is three depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-one submarines.^[9]{SMNLDec15|p. 14}}

April, 1915

The flotilla is now part of the Harwich Striking Force, along with a light cruiser squadron and two destroyer flotillas. Adamant has left and taken E 11, E 14 and E 15 with her to the Mediterranean Fleet's Submarine Flotilla. E 16 has arrived, seemingly new in service. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and eighteen submarines.^[10]

This roster would apply until June.^[11]

June, 1915

E 17, V 1 and S 2 have joined. None seem to appear in previous Supplements to the Monthly Navy List. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-one submarines.^[12][13]

July, 1915

E 2, E 7 and E 12 have transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet's Submarine Flotilla. E 18 and F 1 have joined, seemingly new to the Navy List. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty submarines.^[14]

August, 1915

The churn continues. C 33 and C 34 have joined from Fourth Submarine Flotilla in exchange for D 1 and D 6 which have gone there, E 19 has joined, seemingly newly commissioned.

The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-one submarines.^[15]

September, 1915

C 33 has been removed, lost on 4 August. E 13 has also been removed for undiscovered ends. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and nineteen submarines.^[16]

October, 1915

C 34, S 1 and S 2 have dropped for undiscovered ends. D 6 has returned from the Fourth Submarine Flotilla, and six "H" class submarines have joined from the Second Submarine Flotilla. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-three submarines.^[17][18]

November, 1915

V 2 has joined. E 25 and E 29 have joined. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-six submarines.^[19][20]

December, 1915

E 25 has left to join the mediterranean Fleet's Submarine Flotilla, replaced by E 22. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-six submarines.^[21][22]

January, 1916

D 1 has rejoined from the Fourth Submarine Flotilla, while F 1, V 1 and V 2 have left to go there. {UK-D7}} and D 8 are mysteriously listed in both the Eighth and the Eleventh Submarine Flotilla for this month. They will certainly be gone in the next month. E 23 seems to be joining, new to service. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-five (or twenty-three) submarines.^[23][24]

February, 1916

D 7 and D 8 have left to join the Eleventh Submarine Flotilla. Other departures signal greater misfortunes. E 6, E 17 and H 6 are gone, being lost to a mine on 26 December,^[25] and wrecks on 6 January^[26] and 8 January,^[27] respectively.

Almost offsetting this attrition, E 24, E 26, E 31 and E 41 have joined.

The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-four submarines.^[28][29]

March, 1916

Depot ship Pandora and destroyer Melampus have arrived to help. The new sub E 55 has arrived and V 1 has come back from the Fourth Submarine Flotilla. The strength is two depot ships, two destroyers and twenty-six submarines.^[30][31]

Captains (S)

Dates of appointment given:

Footnotes

Bibliography

See Also