Annual Manoeuvres of 1901

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The Royal Navy's Annual Manoeuvres of 1901 were described in documents issued publically from the Admiralty on 10 July.[1] An official report of the manoeuvres was later issued.

Scenario and Rules

Two fleets "B" and "X" would engage in a battle exercise between the 56th and 47th parallels. The event was umpired by Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Harris and Rear-Admirals James L. Hammet and Sir Baldwin Walker, Bart., with Lieutenant General J. F. Owen, R.A. helping to determine the effect of land defences.

Fleet "B"

Fleet "B" would would cruise the North Sea and would coal at any of the "fortified" (and unassailable, in this scenario) ports of Plymouth, Portland or Portsmouth, at which ports it also maintained forces of cruisers and torpedo craft. Britain was considered the territory of Fleet "B".

Main Fleet

Squadron "C"

Squadron "C" was a sub-component of Fleet "B" based on Plymouth

Squadron "D"

Squadron "D" was a sub-component of Fleet "B" based on Portland and Portsmouth

Under C-in-C, Plymouth

These ships based at Plymouth supported Fleet "B", the starred ships being for "examination service".

The Times indicates that T.B. 80 was to be involved as flotilla lead, but she is not listed in the official report.[2]

Under C-in-C, Portsmouth

These ships based at Portland and Portsmouth supported Fleet "B", the starred ships being for "examination service".

Fleet "X"

Fleet "X" would cruise off the North Coast of Ireland, and be able to coal at the "fortified" (and unassailable) port of Queenstown and the Scilly Islands and maintain cruisers and torpedo craft at the Scillys and the Channel Islands. Ireland, the Scillys and the Channel Islands were territories of "X".

Main Fleet

Squadron "Y"

Squadron "Y" was a sub-component of Fleet "X" based in the Scilly Islands

Squadron "Z"

Squadron "Z" was a sub-component of Fleet "X" based in the Channel Islands

Under Rear-Admiral, Queenstown

These ships supported Fleet "X", the starred ships being for "examination service".

Action

The Admiralty published the typical dry account of the exercise rich in detail. A more exciting accounting is found in the public press of the day, capturing the novel intensity of interest in such evolutions as recorded by journalists aboard both fleets, reporting via wireless telegraphy.[3]

Bibliography

  • Admiralty "Naval Manœuvres, 1901". Copyright 2005, ProQuest. under "Simon PDFs/UK/Command Papers"

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "The Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), Thursday, July 11, 1901, Issue 36504, p.8.
  2. ↑ "The Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), Thursday, July 11, 1901, Issue 36504, p.8.
  3. ↑ "The Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), 31 July 1901, p. 10.


Annual Manoeuvres of the Royal Navy
1880s
1880 | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889
1890s
1890 | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899
1900s
1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909
1910s
1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914
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