Nore Local Defence Flotilla

The Nore Defence Flotilla was a formation of destroyers and torpedo boats of the Royal Navy.

History

By mid-1918, the ships in this flotilla were, along with the destroyers of several early classes, approved to receive "alarm circuits".

Test Mobilisation, July 1914

As the Nore Flotilla, the following vessels participated in the Test:

• Brazen, Coquette, Cygnet, Cynthia, Electra, Fervent, Kestrel, Lightning, Porcupine, Recruit, Zephyr
• T.B. 6, T.B. 7, T.B. 8, T.B. 9, T.B. 10, T.B. 11, T.B. 12, T.B. 17, T.B. 18, T.B. 19, T.B. 20, T.B. 23, T.B. 072, T.B. 079, T.B. 111, T.B. 112, T.B. 113, T.B. 114, T.B. 115, T.B. 117

September, 1914

Comprised of an eponymous destroyer flotilla of twelve older T.B.Ds, 20 T.Bs. and the six submarines of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla.

It would remain in this form until June, 1915.

June, 1915

Administratively just as before, but Recruit has been dropped after being torpedoed on May 1st, bringing the destroyer strength down to eleven, plus the same 20 T.Bs. and the same six submarines of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla.

July, 1915

T.B. 10 and T.B. 12 have been dropped as both were mined on 10 June, leaving the flotilla with eleven destroyers, eighteen T.Bs. and the six submarines of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla.

August, 1915

Lightning has been dropped after being mined on 30 June, leaving the flotilla with ten destroyers, eighteen T.Bs. and the six submarines of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla.

This roster would apply until October.

October, 1915

T.B. 2 has joined from the Newhaven Defence Flotilla. T.B. 17 and T.B. 18 has been dropped for undiscovered reasons, leaving the flotilla with ten destroyers, seventeen T.Bs. and the six submarines of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla.

This roster would apply until April, 1916.

April, 1916

Coquette and T.B. 11 have been dropped after being mined on 7 March. Offsetting these losses in part, patrol boats P15 and P26 have joined, leaving the flotilla with nine destroyers, sixteen T.Bs., two patrol boats and the six submarines of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla.

May, 1916

P29 has replaced P26, leaving the flotilla with nine destroyers, sixteen T.Bs., two patrol boats and the six submarines of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla.

June, 1916

Fervent has been dropped for unknown reasons, destined to return in August, reducing the flotilla to eight destroyers, sixteen T.Bs., five patrol boats and the six submarines of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla.

This roster would apply until August.

August, 1916

Fervent has returned and patrol boats P16 and P20 and gunboat Cockchafer have arrived, bringing the flotilla's strength to nine destroyers, sixteen T.Bs., seven patrol boats, one gunboat and the six submarines of the Fifth Submarine Flotilla.

September, 1916

Patrol boat P13 has joined and T.B. 9 has been dropped after being lost in a collision on 26 July. Zephyr has been dropped for unknown reasons, destined to return in November, but Fervent has returned. These changes brought the flotilla's strength to eight destroyers, fifteen T.Bs., eight patrol boats, one gunboat and the same six submarines, though their flotilla has been newly redesignated the Fourth Submarine Flotilla.

October, 1916

P14 has joined while T.B. 6 has left. These changes brought the flotilla's strength to eight destroyers, fourteen T.Bs., nine patrol boats, one gunboat and the six submarines of the Fourth Submarine Flotilla.

November, 1916

Zephyr has returned, bringing the flotilla's strength to nine destroyers, fourteen T.Bs., nine patrol boats, one gunboat and the six submarines of the Fourth Submarine Flotilla.

This roster would last until January, 1917.

January, 1917

P33 has joined, bringing the flotilla's strength to nine destroyers, fourteen T.Bs., ten patrol boats, one gunboat and the six submarines of Fourth Submarine Flotilla.

This roster would last until February or March (no February Supplement was consulted).

March, 1917

Electra has been dropped, destined to return in one month's time. Submarines {UK-C2}, C 3 and C 4 have left the Fourth Submarine Flotilla, to attach to the Ninth Submarine Flotilla. The Southend Boarding Flotilla is now also operating in support. This brings the flotilla's strength to eight destroyers, fourteen T.Bs., ten patrol boats, one gunboat, three submarines and six boarding vessels.

April, 1917

Electra has rejoined, but destroyers Brazen has been dropped, destined to appear in the paravane department of the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla in June, and Cygnet has dropped though she'd return in the coming month. The Southend Boarding Flotilla now has an additional boarding vessel. This brings the flotilla's strength to seven destroyers, fourteen T.Bs., ten patrol boats, one gunboat, three submarines and seven boarding vessels.

May, 1917

Vulture has been removed. Cygnet has rejoined, and T.B. 23 and P26 have been dropped. This brings the flotilla's strength to seven destroyers, thirteen T.Bs., nine patrol boats, one gunboat, three submarines and seven boarding vessels.

June, 1917

T.B. 23 has returned to the group. In the attached submarine flotilla, C 6 has been detached to provide "special service" with the Pembroke and Milford Defence Flotilla, and has been replaced by the C 23, drawn from the Ninth Submarine Flotilla.

This brings the flotilla's strength to seven destroyers, fourteen T.Bs., nine patrol boats, one gunboat, three submarines and seven boarding vessels.

July, 1917

P16, P29 and P33 have been dropped. T.B. 117 has also been removed, and City of Belfast has left the boarding flotilla, to join the Downs Boarding Flotilla. In the attached submarine flotilla, C 1 has been detached to provide "special service" with the Pembroke and Milford Defence Flotilla, and has been replaced by the C 25, drawn from the Ninth Submarine Flotilla.

This brings the flotilla's strength to seven destroyers, thirteen T.Bs., six patrol boats, one gunboat, three submarines and six boarding vessels.

Captains (D)

Dates of appointment given:

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).