Former naval fleet of the Royal Navy
Military unit
TheChannel Fleet and originally known as theChannel Squadron was theRoyal Navy formation ofwarships that defended the waters of theEnglish Channel from 1854 to 1909 and 1914 to 1915.[ 1]
Throughout the course of Royal Navy's history there had been different squadrons stationed in home waters. One of the earliest knownnaval formations to be based at Plymouth was called theWestern Squadron [ 2] [ 3] [ 4] [ 5] William Penn , Commander-in-Chief, was charged with guarding the Channel from Beachy Head to Lands End with six ships. This system continued following the Restoration. It was the start of what was to become a Western Squadron.[ 6] [ 7] [ 8] [ 9] [ 10]
During the 19th century, as the French developedCherbourg as a base forsteam-powered ships, the Royal Navy developedPortland Harbour as a base for the fleet.[ 11] Isle of Portland .[ 12]
With the amelioration of Anglo-French relations, and the German challenge towards 1900, the need for a Channel Formation diminished and the main European naval arena shifted to theNorth Sea . Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson was officially "Senior Officer in Command of the Channel Squadron" from 1901 to 1903. His subordinate flag officer in that squadron was the Second-in-Command, who commanded a division of battleships. For the period 1858 to 1903 the Channel squadron was often incorrectly referred to as the Channel Fleet.[ 13]
On 17 April 1903 The Right Hon. Lord Charles Beresford was appointed Vice-Admiral Commanding, Channel Squadron.[ 14] [ 15] Atlantic Fleet ' and theHome Fleet became the 'Channel Fleet'.[ 16]
On 24 March 1909, under a fleet re-organisation, the Channel Fleet became the 2nd Division of the Home Fleet.[ 17]
[ edit ] Senior Officers in Command of the Channel Squadron [ edit ] Post holders have included:[ 22] [ 23]
Second-in-Command Channel Squadron [ edit ] Post holders included:[ 24]
Rear-AdmiralHenry Chads , 1 October 1869. Rear-AdmiralWilliam M. Dowell , 1877 Rear-AdmiralHenry Boys , 1878 Rear-Admiral The Hon.Henry C. Glyn , 20 June 1881. Rear-AdmiralSir Francis W. Sullivan , 14 August 1882 Rear-AdmiralJohn C. Wilson , 1 April 1883 Rear-AdmiralWilliam H. Whyte , 13 May 1884 Rear-AdmiralAlgernon C. F. Heneage , 3 July 1885 – 7 August 1886 Rear-Admiral The Hon.Edmund R. Fremantle , 9 August 1886 Rear-AdmiralCharles J. Rowley , 18 August 1887 Rear-AdmiralSt. George Caulfield d′Arcy-Irvine , 1 September 1888 Rear-AdmiralRichard E. Tracey , 12 September 1889 Rear-AdmiralLoftus F. Jones , 12 September 1890 Rear-AdmiralEdward S. Adeane , 15 September 1891 Rear-AdmiralEdward H. Seymour , 16 September 1892 – 25 April 1894 Rear-AdmiralAlfred T. Dale , 25 April 1894 – 20 April 1895 Rear-AdmiralArthur H. Alington , 1 May 1895 Rear-AdmiralArmand T. Powlett , 1 May 1896 – 19 May 1897 Rear-AdmiralJohn Fellowes , 19 May 1897 Rear-AdmiralJohn W. Brackenbury , 1 June 1898 Rear-AdmiralArthur D. Fanshawe , 1 June 1899 – 31 May 1900 Rear-AdmiralAlbert B. Jenkings , 1 June 1900 - 5 June 1901 Rear-AdmiralSir William A. D. Acland, Bart. , 5 June 1901 – September 1901 Commanders-in-Chief Channel Fleet [ edit ] Note Channel Fleet is re-named Atlantic Fleet 1909-1914
Second-in-Command Channel Fleet [ edit ] Post holders included:[ 25]
Rear-Admirals in the Channel Fleet [ edit ] Post holders included:[ 26]
Distribution of the Fleet first included:[ 27] Unit Date Notes 1 Battleships 4 September 1895 5 ships: Royal Sovereign, Empress of India, Resolution, and Repulse. 2 Cruisers 4 September 1895 5 ships: Blenheim, Endymion, Bellona, Halcyon, and Speedy.
Distribution of the Fleet first included:[ 28] Of note:As the Channel Squadron - renamed The Channel Fleet, September, 1901 .
Unit Date Notes 1 Battleships September 1901 - 1904 5 ships 2 Cruiser Squadron September 1901 - 1904 10 ships
Distribution of the Fleet first included:[ 29] Unit Date Notes 1 Battleships January 1905-February 1907 12 ships - increased to 18 by 1907 2 1st Cruiser Squadron January 1905-February 1907 5 ships to 1905 + 2 more ships from 1906 3 Channel Fleet Flotilla January 1905-February 1907 consisting of destroyers and divided into 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Divisions
Distribution of the Fleet first included:[ 30] Of note: On 8 August 1914, ships from the pre-warSecond andThird Fleets were organised into the Channel Fleet.
Distribution of the Fleet first included:[ 31] The Channel Fleet features in several historical novels about the Royal Navy, notablyHornblower and the Hotspur C. S. Forester , in which Forester's fictional hero becomes a favourite of the real Channel Fleet commander, AdmiralWilliam Cornwallis . The fleet also features in several of theAubrey–Maturin novels byPatrick O'Brian .
The novelBilly Budd Herman Melville is set on board ships of the Channel Fleet, in the immediate aftermath of theSpithead and Nore mutinies of 1797.
In the novelThe War of the Worlds HMS Thunder Child and the subsequent general engagement, is detailed in the chapter entitled "The Thunderchild".
^ Archives, The National."Admiralty: Channel Squadron and Fleet: Correspondence" .discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . National Archives UK, ADM 144, 1859-1910. Retrieved8 February 2018 . ^ Weigley, Russell F. (2004).The Age of Battles: The Quest for Decisive Warfare from Breitenfeld to Waterloo ISBN 0253217075 ^ Ranft, Bryan (1995).The Oxford illustrated history of the Royal Navy . Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. p. 144.ISBN 9780198605270 ^ "THE ROYAL NAVY AND THE FRENCH WARS: THE LONG-TERM BACKGROUND: by Jeremy Black, University of Exeter" (PDF) .napoleonicsociety.com . The Napoleonic Society, 2011. Retrieved27 December 2017 .^ Mackesy, Piers (1964).The War for America: 1775-1783 ISBN 0803281927 ^ Saunders, Andrew (1997).Book of Channel defences . London: Batsford [u.a.] p. 32.ISBN 9780713475944 ^ Annal, David; Collins, Audrey (2012).Birth, Marriage and Death Records: A Guide for Family Historians ISBN 9781848845725 ^ "Royal Navy Dockyards: Plymouth" .rmg.co.uk . Royal Museums Greenwich, 2017. Retrieved27 December 2017 .^ Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony."Channel Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project" .www.dreadnoughtproject.org . Harley & Lovell, 26 November 2017. Retrieved27 December 2017 . ^ "William Loney RN: Channel Fleet" . Archived fromthe original on 2015-05-10. Retrieved2010-10-17 .^ Channel Fleet Archived 2004-01-26 at theWayback Machine The Heritage Coast^ Portland Harbour Authority: History Archived December 31, 2009, at theWayback Machine ^ Davis, Peter."The Times newspaper on the Channel Squadron, 1858-1862" .www.pdavis.nl . Peter Davis. Archived fromthe original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved27 December 2017 . ^ Harley & Lovell, 2017 ^ Harley & Lovell, 2017 ^ National Archives records ^ HMS Bulwark Archived August 22, 2011, at theWayback Machine ^ Admiralty, Great Britain (January 1855).The Navy List ^ Admiralty, Great Britain (January 1855).The Navy List ^ Admiralty, Great Britain (January 1857).The Navy List ^ Admiralty, Great Britain (January 1857).The Navy List ^ Mackie, Colin."Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF) .gulabin.com . Colin Mackie, December 2017. Retrieved27 December 2017 . ^ Whitaker's Almanacks 1900 - 1909 ^ Harley & Lovell, 2017 ^ Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony."Channel Fleet (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project" .www.dreadnoughtproject.org . Harley and Lovell, 7 February 2018. Retrieved24 February 2018 . ^ Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony."Channel Fleet (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project" .www.dreadnoughtproject.org . Harley and Lovell, 7 February 2018. Retrieved24 February 2018 . ^ "CHANNEL SQUADRON. (Hansard, 4 September 1895)" .Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Retrieved24 February 2018 .^ Watson, Graham."Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914" .www.naval-history.net . Gordon Smith, 8 August 2015. Retrieved23 February 2018 . ^ Watson, 2015. ^ Watson, 2015. ^ Watson, Graham."Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914-1918" .www.naval-history.net . Gordon Smith, 27 October 2015. Retrieved23 February 2018 . Annal, David; Collins, Audrey (2012). Birth, Marriage and Death Records: A Guide for Family Historians. Casemate Publishers.ISBN 9781848845725 . Archives, The National. (1859-1910) "Admiralty: Channel Squadron and Fleet: Correspondence". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives UK. ADM 144. Barry, Quintin (2022).From Ushant to Gibraltar: The Channel Fleet 1778-1783 . From Reason to Revolution. Warwick: Helion & Company.ISBN 9781915070395 Black, Jeremy, (2011) "THE ROYAL NAVY AND THE FRENCH WARS: THE LONG-TERM BACKGROUND: University of Exeter" (PDF). napoleonicsociety.com. The Napoleonic Society. Davis, Peter. "The Times newspaper on the Channel Squadron, 1858-1862". www.pdavis.nl. Peter Davis. Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. (2018)"Channel Fleet (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell. Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. (2017)"Channel Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley & Lovell. Loney, William. RN. "Channel Squadron, the Naval Intelligence column of the Times newspaper refer to the activities of the Squadron in the period 1858-1862". www.pdavis.nl/Channel.php. William Loney. Mackesy, Piers (1964). The War for America: 1775-1783. Lincoln, Nebraska, USA: U of Nebraska Press.ISBN 0803281927 . Mackie, Colin. (2017) "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Ranft, Bryan (1995). The Oxford illustrated history of the Royal Navy. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.ISBN 9780198605270 . Royal Museums Greenwich. "Royal Navy Dockyards: Plymouth". (2017). rmg.co.uk. Royal Museums Greenwich. Saunders, Andrew (1997). Book of Channel defences. London: Batsford [u.a.]ISBN 9780713475944 . Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith. Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914-1918". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith. Whitaker's Almanacks (1900 - 1909). Weigley, Russell F. (2004). The Age of Battles: The Quest for Decisive Warfare from Breitenfeld to Waterloo. Indiana University Press.ISBN 0253217075 . Rodger, N.A.M. (1979).The Admiralty . Lavenham, England: T. Dalton.ISBN 9780900963940
Direction and control Boards and offices under Direction of Secretariat and staff under Operational planning, policy Divisions and sections Offices of the Sea Lords Admiralty civil departments Admiralty Area Cash Offices Admiralty Central Dockyard Laboratory Admiralty Central Metallurgical Laboratory Admiralty Civilian Shore Wireless Service Admiralty Compass Observatory Admiralty Constabulary Admiralty Constabulary Headquarters Admiralty Engineering Laboratory Admiralty Experimental Station Admiralty Experiment Works Admiralty Gunnery Establishment Admiralty Interview Board Admiralty Labour Department Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment Admiralty Materials Laboratory Admiralty Mine Design Department Admiralty Mining Establishment Admiralty Naval Aircraft Materials Laboratory Admiralty Record Office Admiralty Regional Offices Admiralty Research Laboratory Admiralty Signal Establishment Admiralty Signals and Radar Establishment Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment Admiralty Surveying Service Admiralty Torpedo Experimental Establishment Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment Admiralty Underwater Weapons Launching Establishment Architectural and Engineering Works Department Air Equipment and Naval Photography Department Air Department Air Materiel Department Air Personnel Department Amphibious Warfare Headquarters Armament Supply Department Board of Invention and Research Board of Longitude Boom Defence Department Boom Defence and Marine Salvage Department Britannia Royal Naval College Chemical Board Chemical Department Civil Catering Department Civil Engineer in Chiefs Department Coastguard and Reserves Branch Combined Operations Headquarters Commissioner for Property and Income-tax for the Naval Department Compass Department Contract and Purchase Department Council of Naval Education Dental Examining Board Department of Radio Equipment Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy Department of Aeronautical and Engineering Research Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development Department of Naval Assistant (Foreign) to Second Sea Lord Department of Naval Education Operational Research Department of Personal Services and Officer Appointments Department of Physical Research Department of Physical Training & Sports Department of Radio Equipment Department of Research Programmes and Planning Department of Superintendent of de-magnetisation Department of the Admiral of the Training Service Department of the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance Department of the Chief of Naval Information Department of the Chief Scientist Department of the Civil Engineer-in-Chief Department of the Comptroller of Steam Machinery Department of the Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services Department of the Controller of the Navy Department of the Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding Department of the Controller for Navy Pay Department of the Deputy Controller for Auxiliary Shipbuilding Department of the Deputy Controller for Dockyards and Shipbuilding Department of the Director Contract-Built Ships Department of the Director-General Aircraft Department of the Director-General of Manpower Department of the Director-General, Supply and Secretariat Branch Department of the Director of Aircraft Maintenance and Repair Department of the Director of Contract Labour Department of the Director of Dockyards Department of the Director of Electrical Engineering Department of the Director of Manning Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs Department of the Director of Merchant Ship Repairs Department of the Director of Naval Construction Department of the Director of Naval Equipment Department of the Director of Naval Recruiting Department of the Director of Naval Weather Service Department of the Director of Personal Services Department of the Director of Physical Training and Sports Department of the Director of Torpedoes and Mining Department of the Director of Transports Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Materials Department of the Director of Unexploded Bombs Department of the Director of Warship Production Department of the Director of Welfare and Service Conditions Department of the Director of Wreck Dispersal Department of the Flag Officer Sea Training Department of the Engineer in Chief Department of the Paymaster Director-General Department of the Inspector of Anti-Aircraft Weapons Department of the Inspector of Dockyard Expense Accounts Department of the Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets Department of the Medical Director-General of the Navy Department of the Physician of the Navy Department of the Physician General of the Navy Department of the Storekeeper-General of the Navy Department of the Surveyor of Buildings Department of the Surveyor of Dockyards Directorate-General, (Naval Manpower and Training) Directorate General Training Dockyards and Fleet Maintenance Department Dockyards Branch Dockyard Expense Accounts Department Dockyard Schools Electrical Engineering Department Engineer Branch Engineering Department Experimental Department Fire Control Group Greenwich Hospital Department Inspector of Telegraphs Inspector of Repairs Joint Warfare Establishment Medical Consultative Board Medical Examining Board Historical Section Hydrographic Department Marine Department Marine Pay Department Materials and Priority Department Medical Consultative Board Medical Department Medical Examining Board Movements Department Nautical Almanac Office Naval Artillery and Torpedo Department Naval Engineering College Naval Equipment Department Naval Historical Branch Naval Construction Department Naval Intelligence Department Naval Medical Service Naval Law Division Naval Manpower Department Naval Mobilisation Department Naval Ordnance Department Naval Ordnance Inspection Department Naval Ordnance Stores Department Naval Personnel Services and Officer Appointments Department Naval Publicity Department Naval Regional Offices Naval Reserve Department Naval Security Department Naval Stores Department Naval Training Department Naval Works Department Navy, Army and Air Force Institute Navy and Army Canteen Board Navy Works Department Navigation Department Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope Office of the Admiral Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves Office of the Admiralty Chemist Office of the Adviser on the Naval Construction to the Board of Admiralty Office of the Assistant Controller Office of the Assistant Controller Research and Development Office of the Clerk of the Journals Office of the Chief Polaris Executive Office of the Deputy Controller of Navy Office of the Deputy Controller Production Office of Extra Naval Assistant to Second Sea Lord Office of the Inspector Gun Mountings Office of the Keeper of Records Office of the Senior Psychologist (Naval) Office of the Senior Psychologist of the Navy Office of the Translator of French and Spanish Languages Office of the Vice Controller Air Office of the Vice Controller of the Navy Organisation and Methods Department Packet Service Regional Organisation for Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs Royal Corps of Naval Constructors Royal Flying Corps Royal Marine Police Royal Marines Office Office of the Chaplain of the Fleet Royal Naval Academy Royal Naval Aircraft Workshops Royal Naval Air Service Royal Naval Air Stations Royal Naval Armaments Depot Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Royal Naval Cordite Factories Royal Naval Propellant Factory Royal Naval College Royal Naval College and the School for Naval Architecture Royal Naval College, Dartmouth Royal Naval College, Greenwich Royal Naval College, Keyham Royal Naval College, Osborne Royal Naval Engineering College Royal Naval Film Corporation Royal Naval Hospital Royal Naval Medical Depot Royal Naval Minewatching Service Royal Naval Mine Depot Royal Naval Patrol Service Royal Naval Scientific Service Royal Naval Sick Quarters Royal Naval Torpedo Depot Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Naval War College Royal Naval War College, Portsmouth Royal Navy Dockyard Royal Navy Medical Service Royal Navy Shore Signal Service Royal Observatory, Greenwich Royal School of Naval Architecture Salvage Department School of Mathematics and Naval Construction Scientific Research and Experiment Department Sea Transport Branch Sea Transport Department Sea Transport Division Ship Department Ship Design Department Signal Department Signal School Sixpenny Office Statistics Department Steam Department Superintendent of De-magnetisation Torpedo Experimental Establishment Transport Department Undersurface Warfare Department Victualling Department Volunteer Boys and Cadet Corps Weapons Department Weapons Department (Naval) Women's Royal Naval Service Wireless Telegraphy Board Direction/Command of the Fleet Naval formations after 1707 1st Fleet 2nd Fleet 3rd Fleet Commander-in-Chief, Africa Atlantic Fleet Commodore, Arabian Seas and Persian Gulf Australia Station Cape of Good Hope Station Cape and West Africa Station Battle Cruiser Fleet Battle Cruiser Force Caspian Flotilla Channel Fleet Channel Squadron Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland Cork Station Coast of Scotland Commander-in-Chief, China Commander-in-Chief, Dover Flag Officer, East Africa East Indies Station East Indies and China Station Eastern Fleet Far East Fleet English Channel Grand Fleet Flag Officer Gibraltar Harwich Force Home Fleet Jamaica Station Leith Station Commander-in-Chief, Levant Levant and East Mediterranean Commander-in-Chief, Leeward Islands Mediterranean Fleet Medway Newfoundland Station New Zealand Division New Zealand Naval Forces Nore North America and West Indies Station Commander-in-Chief, North Sea Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands Pacific Fleet Pacific Station Admiral of Patrols Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth Queenstown Station Royal East African Navy Royal Indian Navy Flag Officer Submarines Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth Reserve Fleet Scotland and Northern Ireland Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic South East Coast of America Station Commander-in-Chief, Thames and Medway West Africa Squadron Flag Officer, West Africa Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches Naval formations before 1707 Direction of Naval Finance Departments under the Direction of Naval Administration Branches and offices under the Civil Administration Departments under the Legal
Historic fleets and naval commands of the
Royal Navy North and Irish Seas and English Channel Atlantic Ocean Baltic, Black, Caspian, and Mediterranean Seas Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean
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