4th Battle Squadron
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The 4th Battle Squadron was a squadron of the British Royal Navy consisting of battleships. The 4th Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet (1912–14) and then the Grand Fleet after the outbreak of the First World War. The squadron changed composition often as ships were damaged, retired or transferred.
August 1914
On 5 August 1914, the squadron was constituted as follows:[1]
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January 1915
By January 1915, the composition had changed slightly:[1]
- HMS Agincourt
- HMS Bellerophon
- HMS Dreadnought
- HMS Temeraire
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Battle of Jutland, June 1916
As an element in the Grand Fleet, the squadron participated in the Battle of Jutland. During the battle, the composition of the 4th Battle Squadron was as follows:[2]
- Third Division
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- Fourth Division
- HMS Benbow, flagship of Vice Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee; Captain H. W. Parker;
- HMS Bellerophon, Captain E. F. Bruen;
- HMS Temeraire, Captain E. V. Underhill;
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January 1917
Following the Battle of Jutland, the 4th Battle Squadron was reorganized, with Colossus, Hercules, St. Vincent, Collingwood and Neptune all transferred from the 1st Battle Squadron. In January 1917, the squadron was constituted as follows:[3]
- HMS Bellerophon
- HMS Temeraire
- HMS Vanguard
- HMS Superb
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After the loss of HMS Vanguard in July 1917, HMS Superb and HMS Temeraire were detached to the Mediterranean in 1918. HMS Dreadnought rejoined the squadron as flagship in March 1918.
Postwar
The squadron was dispersed in February 1919, appears to have been formally dissolved in March 1919, but then reformed.
In September 1920 Rear Admiral Richard Webb was posted to the Mediterranean as Rear-Admiral 4th Battle Squadron and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet. He served there until 1922.[4]
Admirals commanding
Post holders as follows:[5][6]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admirals, Commanding, 4th Battle Squadron | |||||
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | File:Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Sir Sir Charles Briggs | 1 July 1912 – 1 July 1914 | |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | File:Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Sir Douglas Gamble | 1 July 1914 – 7 February 1915 | |
| 3 | Admiral | File:Flag of Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Sir F. C. Doveton Sturdee | 7 February 1915 – 13 February 1918 | |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral | File:Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Sir Montague Browning | 13 February 1918 – 3 December 1918 | |
| 5 | Rear-Admiral | File:Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Douglas R. L. Nicholson | 3 December 1918 – 1 February 1919 | temporary command |
| 6 | Vice-Admiral | File:Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Sir Montague Browning | 1 February 1919 – 1924 | |
Rear-Admirals, Second-in-Command
Post holders as follows:[6]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear-Admiral, in the 4th Battle Squadron | |||||
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | File:Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Alexander Duff | 22 October 1914 – 12 June 1916 | |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | File:Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Ernest F. A. Gaunt | 12 June 1916 – 23 June 1917 | |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | File:Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Roger J.B. Keyes | 23 June 1917 – 25 September 1917 | |
| 4 | Rear-Admiral | File:Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Douglas R. L. Nicholson | 22 September 1917 – 3 December 1918 | acting squadron commander |
| 5 | Rear-Admiral | File:Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Michael Culme-Seymour | 1 January 1919 – 1 September 1920 | |
| 6 | Rear-Admiral | File:Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Richard Webb | 1 September 1920 – 27 July 1922 | |
| 7 | Rear-Admiral | File:Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | John D. Kelly | 27 July 1922 – June 1923 | |
| 8 | Rear-Admiral | File:Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg | Hugh D. Watson | 26 June 1923 – October 1924 | |
Notes
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External links
References
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