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RN Mediterranean Fleet

Page history last edited by Michael 5 years, 11 months ago

back to the Index or the Groups page 

 

As of October 1932. The assignment of ships is generally the same from 1931 to 1935, but of course commanding officers, etc. will change. During the Abyssinian Crisis of 1935-1936 the fleet in general moved around -- the British government imposed an embargo 25 July 1935 on arms purchases or transfers by Italy (and Ethiopia). The embargo ended on 5 May 1936.

 

The Commander in Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet is Admiral Sir Alfred Ernle M. Chatfield, KCB, KCMG, CVO; his flagship is HMS Queen Elizabeth.

 


 

First Battle Squadron

 

Vice Admiral R. R. C. Backhouse, CB, CMG; his flagship is HMS Revenge

 

  • REVENGE

    • Capt.  S. D. Tillard

  • QUEEN ELIZABETH

    • Capt. R. C. Davenport

  • RESOLUTION

    • Capt. Max K. Horton, DSO -- a famous submarine commander in the Great War; and will be promoted in mid-October to Rear Admiral with his flag on HMS Malaya. He returns to the Mediterranean in 1935 to command the First Cruiser Squadron; and during the Second World War will play a vital part in winning the Battle of the Atlantic. An avid golfer with an 8 handicap.

  • ROYAL OAK

    • Capt. C. G. Ramsey

  • ROYAL SOVEREIGN -- temporarily returned to the UK for repairs in January of 1932

    • Capt. K. E. L. Creighton, MVO

 

First Cruiser Squadron

 

Rear Admiral G. K. Chetwode, CB, CBE; his flagship is HMS London

 

  • LONDON

    • Capt. H. H. Harwood, OBE

  • SUSSEX

    • Capt. H. T. England

  • DEVONSHIRE -- temporarily assigned to the China Station

    • Capt. D. B. Le Mottee

  • SHROPSHIRE

    • Capt. F. A. Buckley

 

Third Cruiser Squadron

 

Rear Admiral F. L. Tottenham, CBE; his flagship is HMS Curacoa

 

  • CURACOA

    • Capt. Henry B. Rawlings

  • COLOMBO

    • Capt. A. Poland, DSO

  • CERES

    • Capt. G. A. Scott, DSC

  • CURLEW

    • Capt. B. C. Watson, DSO

 

Aircraft Carrier

 

  • GLORIOUS   part of this fleet from February of 1930 to September of 1939 -- except for a refit at Devonport from May of 1934 to July of 1935. The carrier HMS Eagle took her place during the refit.

    • Capt. C. E. Kennedy-Purvis

 

    • HQ Flight

      • Wing Cmdr. A. R. Arnold, RAF, DSC, DFC

    • No. 405 Flight -- Fairey III reconnaissance biplanes

      • Lt. G. W. Dennis

    • No. 408 Flight -- Hawker Nimrod fighters

      • Lt. Cmdr. E. M. C. Abel-Smith

    • No. 441 Flight

      • Flt. Lt. N. Young, RAF

    • No. 447 Flight -- Hawker Osprey Mk. III ? fighter-reconnaissance biplanes

      • Lt. Cmdr. J. B. Heath

    • No. 448 Flight

      • Lt. Cmdr. J. H. F. Burroughs

    • No. 460 Flight -- Blackburn Ripon torpedo-bomber and reconnaissance biplane

      • Lt. Cmdr. A. M. Rundle

    • No. 461 Flight

      • Lt. Cmdr.F. W. H. Clarke

    • No. 462 Flight

      • Flt. Lt. F. P. Smythie, RAF

 

Destroyers


Rear Admiral F. F. Rose, CB, DSO; his flagship is HMS Coventry

 

  • COVENTRY (F)

    • Capt. H. E. Horan, DSC

 

First Destroyer Flotilla

 

Captain E.B. Cloete; he commands from HMS Mackay 

 

  • MACKAY

    • Lt. Cmdr.  A. F. Pugsley (normally First Lieutenant under Captain Cloete)

  • WORCESTER

    • Capt. F. R. M. Johnson

  • VIMIERA

    • Lt. Cmdr.  D. H. M. Leggatt

  • VIVACIOUS

    • Lt. Cmdr. A. F. C. Layard

  • VOYAGER

    • Cmdr. B. C. S. Martin

  • WATERHEN

    • Lt. Cmdr. A. D. B. James

  • WALRUS

    • Lt. Cmdr. J. L. Younghusband

  • VENDETTA

    • Lt. Cmdr. B. S. Davies

  • WRYNECK

    • Cmdr.  T. B. Fellowes

 

Third Destroyer Flotilla

 

Captain R. B. T. Miles; he commands from HMS Codrington

 

  • CODRINGTON

    • Lt. Cmdr.  F. B. Tours

  • ACTIVE

    • Capt. G. C. Muirhead-Gould, DSC. 

  • ACHATES

    • Lt. Cmdr. C. J. L. Bittleston, DSO

  • ANTELOPE

    • Lt. Cmdr. J. A. Gifford

  • ACASTA

    • Lt. Cmdr. W. J. Phipps

  • ARROW

    • Lt. Cmdr. J. G. Bickford

  • ARDENT

    • Cmdr. C. H. Ringrose

  • WORCESTER

    • Capt. F. R. M. Johnson

  • ACHERON

    • Lt. Cmdr. P. V. James

 

Fourth Destroyer Flotilla

 

Captain G. C. Harrison; he commands from  HMS Keith

 

  • KEITH

    • Lt.  Cmdr. M. W. Bailward

  • BASILISK

    • Cmdr. R. F. B. Swinley

  • BEAGLE

    • Lt. Cmdr.  M. W. Ewart-Wentworth

  • BLANCHE

    • Cmdr. I. G. Glennie

  • BOADICEA

    • Cmdr. H. M. Hughes

  • BOREAS

    • Lt. Cmdr. T. M. Pizey

  • BRAZEN

    • Cmdr. L. D. MacKintosh, DSC

  • BRILLIANT

    • Lt. Cmdr. H. W. Williams

  • BULLDOG

    • Lt. Cmdr. C. F. H. Churchill

 

Other Vessels

 

  • SANDHURST - destroyer depot ship

    • Capt. J. Powell, DSO

  • RESOURSE - repair ship

    • Capt. E. R. Corson, MVO, DSO

  • BRYONY - sloop, of the Anchusa class, serving as a cartel all along the Mediterranean, and as a yacht for the CinC

    • Cmdr. I. W. L. Frewen-Loton, DSC

  • HASTINGS - sloop and minesweeper, for Red Sea duty; also can serve as a cartel

    • Captain C. S. Sandford, OBE (senior Red Sea officer)

  • PENZANCE - sloop and minesweeper, for Red Sea duty; also can serve as a cartel

    • Cmdr. A. R. Farquhar, DSC

  • EDDY - small steam vessel used as a tender for carrying supplies etc. around the Grand Harbour in Malta

 

First Submarine Flotilla

 

Captain F. H. Taylor, DSC; he commands from HMS Wolsey

 

  • WOLSEY - an old destroyer

    • Capt.  F. H. Taylor, DSC

  • CYCLOPS - depot ship

    • Capt. J. V. Creagh, DSO

  • OBERON

    • Lt. Cmdr. F. L. Merriman

  • OXLEY

    • Lt. Cmdr. W. R. Fell

  • OTWAY

    • Lt.  Cmdr. T. H. Dickson

  • ROVER

    • Lt. Cmdr. C. B. Allen

  • REGENT

    • Lt. Cmdr. J.R.H. D'Aeth

  • REGULUS

    • Lt. Cmdr. L. M. Shadwell

 

Malta

 

Rear Adm. The Hon. M. R. Best, CB, DSO, MVO; Rear Admiral in Charge, Malta and Superintendent of the Malta Dockyard

 

  • EGMONT - depot ship

    • Capt. J. V. Creagh, DSO

  • ENDEAVOUR - surveying ship

    • Lt. Cmdr. R. M. Southern

  • CHRYSANTHEMUM - sloop, normally employed towing targets, but also employed as a cartel from time to time. Famous for appearing in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

    • Cmdr. H. S. Bowlby

  • MEDUSA - training minelayer

  • MAINE - hospital ship (with RFA prefix); formerly the SS Panama, a passenger liner built in 1902

 

There are nine minesweepers and two destroyers (HMS Anthony, HMS Vampire) in reserve at Malta; five trawlers and drifters, a tugboat, and many un-named small craft are available.

 

Gibraltar

 

Rear Adm. T. N. James, CB, MVO; Rear Admiral in Charge, Gibraltar, and Superintendent of the Gibraltar Dockyard

 

  • CORMORANT - depot ship

    • Cmdr. H. M. Robson, DSO

 

Local Defense Flotilla

 

  • SEARCHER

    • Cmdr. M. O. D. Ellwood

  • SHAMROCK

    • Lt. Cmdr. J. H. Plumer

 


 

information derived from here and an archived version of this page

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