Ninth Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy)

The Ninth Destroyer Flotilla was a formation of destroyers of the Royal Navy.

History

July 1914 Test Mobilisation

The Ninth was deemed a "Patrol Flotilla" and served as part of the Nore Command with the Eighth flotilla, based out of Chatham. Operating with depot ship St. George, the flotilla was to mobilise with:

Scout Cruiser

Patrol

River Class

Eden

Ettrick

Foyle

Itchen

Kale

Liffey

Moy

Nith

Ouse

Rother

Stour

Test

Teviot

Waveney

Additional Rivers to join Late

Arun

Boyne

Cherwell

Dee

Erne

Exe

Swale

Ure

September, 1914

The flotilla is one of four patrol flotillas in Home and Atlantic Waters. The strength is two flotilla cruisers (Forward is detached), thirteen destroyers, and four torpedo boats.

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruisers
Forward*			Patrol
Depot Ship
St. George
Destroyers
Derwent	Doon	Eden	Ettrick	Itchen	Kale
Ness	Nith	Ouse	Rother	Stour	Test
Waveney
First-class T.B.s
	T.B. 4	T.B. 13	T.B. 22	T.B. 24

October, 1914

Forward has departed to join the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. The strength is one cruiser, thirteen destroyers, and four torpedo boats.

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruiser
Patrol
Depot Ship
St. George
Destroyers
Derwent	Doon	Eden	Ettrick	Itchen	Kale
Ness	Nith	Ouse	Rother	Stour	Test
Waveney
First-class T.B.s
	T.B. 4	T.B. 13	T.B. 22	T.B. 24

This arrangement would last until November or December.

December, 1914

The four torpedo boats have all gone over to the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. St. George has gone with them, but the destroyers of the Ninth are still tenders to her. Moy has joined. The strength is one cruiser and fourteen destroyers.

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruiser
Patrol
Destroyers
Derwent	Doon	Eden	Ettrick	Itchen	Kale
Moy	Ness	Nith	Ouse	Rother	Stour
Test			Waveney

January, 1915

The four torpedo boats have returned from the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. The strength is one cruiser, fourteen destroyers and four torpedo boats.

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruiser
Patrol
Destroyers
Derwent	Doon	Eden	Ettrick	Itchen	Kale
Moy	Ness	Nith	Ouse	Rother	Stour
Test			Waveney
First-class T.B.s
	T.B. 4	T.B. 13	T.B. 22	T.B. 24

This arrangement would last until February or March.

March, 1915

The four torpedo boats have again disappeared, T.B. 4, T.B. 13 and T.B. 24 to the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla and T.B. 22 to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla. St. George has rejoined, though she is being shared with the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. The strength is one cruiser and fourteen destroyers.

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruiser
Patrol
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 7)
St. George
Destroyers
Derwent	Doon	Eden	Ettrick	Itchen	Kale
Moy	Ness	Nith	Ouse	Rother	Stour
Test			Waveney

April, 1915

Forward has returned from the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. Derwent and Eden have left to join the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. Ettrick has gone to the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla and Rother has gone, and would join Ettrick in Portsmouth in May. The Ninth's strength is now two cruisers and ten destroyers.

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruisers
Patrol			Forward
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 7)
St. George
Destroyers
Doon	Itchen	Kale	Moy	Ness	Nith
	Ouse	Stour	Test	Waveney

This arrangement would apply until June.

June, 1915

Forward has departed to join the Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron. The Ninth's strength is now one cruisers and ten destroyers.

A Patrol Flotilla in Home and Atlantic Waters
Flotilla Cruiser
Patrol
Depot Ship (shared w/ D.F. 7)
St. George
Destroyers
Doon	Itchen	Kale	Moy	Ness	Nith
	Ouse	Stour	Test	Waveney

This arrangement would apply until September.

September, 1915

The Ninth is dissolved, all the ships except Waveney have been transferred immediately to the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla, but she, too, would appear there in the coming month.

The designation of Ninth Flotilla is soon to be re-used.

Flotilla is Disestablished Ships merging into Seventh Destroyer Flotilla, Flotilla name to be given to former Third Destroyer Flotilla in October

October, 1915

The flotilla formerly known as the Third Destroyer Flotilla was renamed the Ninth Flotilla some time in September, and was listed as the Ninth in the Navy List. The changes discussed here are, then, relative to the roster of 3DF in June, 1915.

Part of the Harwich Striking Force, under the command of Commodore (T) in light cruiser Arethusa. Tipperary has been replaced as second-in-command, eventually to go to the Second Destroyer Flotilla. She has been replaced by flotilla leader Lightfoot, which probably just entered service. Laforey, Lawford, Louis and Lydiard have been sent over to the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla, and the newly-completed Lassoo has been added. The strength is two leaders and seventeen destroyers.

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader (2nd in command)
Lightfoot
Deport Ship
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes	Lance	Landrail	Lark	Lassoo	Laurel
Laverock	Legion	Lennox	Leonidas	Liberty	Linnet
Llewellyn	Lookout	Loyal	Lucifer	Lysander

This arrangement would apply until December.

December, 1915

The newly-completed Lochinvar has been added, increasing strength to two leaders and eighteen destroyers.

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader (2nd in command)
Lightfoot
Deport Ship
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes	Lance	Landrail	Lark	Lassoo	Laurel
Laverock	Legion	Lennox	Leonidas	Liberty	Linnet
Llewellyn	Lochinvar	Lookout	Loyal	Lucifer	Lysander

This roster and tasking would last until April, 1916.

April, 1916

Laforey has been added, having been busy on "miscellaneous" or detached service in Home Waters and Tipperary has come in from the Fifth Light Cruiser Squadron to act as a second flotilla leader, increasing strength to three leaders and nineteen destroyers.

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leaders
Lightfoot (2nd in command)			Tipperary
Deport Ship
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes	Laforey	Lance	Landrail	Lark	Lassoo
Laurel	Laverock	Legion	Lennox	Leonidas	Liberty
Linnet	Llewellyn	Lochinvar	Lookout	Loyal	Lucifer
Lysander

May, 1916

Tipperary has been sent to lead the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, where she would soon meet glory, and Lydiard has joined (though she is also listed as being on vague assignments in Home Waters), having been with the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean, making the Ninth's strength now two leaders and twenty destroyers.

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader
Lightfoot (2nd in command)
Deport Ship
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes	Laforey	Lance	Landrail	Lark	Lassoo
Laurel	Laverock	Legion	Lennox	Leonidas	Liberty
Linnet	Llewellyn	Lochinvar	Lookout	Loyal	Lucifer
Lydiard			Lysander

Battle of Jutland

Four destroyers from the flotilla were at the Battle of Jutland:

• Lydiard, Commander Malcolm L. Goldsmith
• Liberty, Lieutenant-Commander Philip W. S. King
• Landrail Lieutenant-Commander Francis E. H. G. Hobart
• Laurel, Lieutenant Henry D. C. Stanistreet

June, 1916

Lawford has joined, making the Ninth's strength now two leaders and twenty one destroyers.

Part of the Harwich Force
Flotilla Cruiser
Undaunted
Flotilla Leader
Lightfoot (2nd in command)
Deport Ship
Dido
Destroyers
Laertes	Laforey	Lance	Landrail	Lark	Lassoo
Laurel	Laverock	Lawford	Legion	Lennox	Leonidas
Liberty	Linnet	Llewellyn	Lochinvar	Lookout	Loyal
Lucifer		Lydiard		Lysander

[TO BE CONTINUED - TONE]

In 1916, it was comprised of Laforey class destroyers, whose torpedoes proved only 64% likely to be dangerous to the enemy in limited test runs of that year.

Captains (D)

Dates of appointment given:

• Captain Alan C. Bruce, 27 January, 1914.
• Captain Sidney Robert Bailey,
• Captain Edward George Lowther-Crofton,

Bibliography

• Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.
• March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892-1953. London: Seeley Service & Co. Limited. (on Bookfinder.com).