The 12th Cruiser Squadron also known as Cruiser Force G was a formation of

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

s of the British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

from 1914 to 1915 and then again from 1939 to 1943.

History

First formation

The squadron was first formed 1 August 1914 and was initially assigned to the

Channel Fleet The Channel Fleet and originally known as the Channel Squadron was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1854 to 1909 and 1914 to 1915. History Throughout the course of Royal Navy's history the ...

as ''Cruiser Force G'' patrolling the western Channel until February 1915. The squadron was then reassigned to the

Grand Fleet The Grand Fleet was the main battlefleet of the Royal Navy during the First World War. It was established in August 1914 and disbanded in April 1919. Its main base was Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands. History Formed in August 1914 from the ...

where it remained before being disbanded in February 1915.

Rear-Admiral Commanding

Included:

Second and Third formations

The squadron reformed in August 1939 initially part of the

Northern Patrol The Northern Patrol, also known as Cruiser Force B and the Northern Patrol Force, was an operation of the British Royal Navy during the First World War and Second World War. The Patrol was part of the British "distant" blockade of Germany. Its ma ...

of the

Home Fleet The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy that operated from the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967. In 1967, it was merged with the Mediterranean Fleet creating the new Western Fleet. Before the First ...

based at

Scapa Flow Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern end in June 2009 Scapa Flow (; ) is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray,S. C. George, ''Jutland to Junkyard'', 1973. South Ronaldsay and ...

but was re-designated

11th Cruiser Squadron The 11th Cruiser Squadron and also known as Cruiser Force E was a formation of cruisers of the British Royal Navy from 1914 to 1917 and again from 1939 to 1940. First World War The squadron was first formed in July 1914 and was attached to the ...

in October 1939. It re-formed as part of the

Mediterranean Fleet The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between t ...

in July 1942. It was reassigned from 29 January 1943 to 2 July 1943 when it became a component of

Force H Force H was a British naval formation during the Second World War. It was formed in 1940, to replace French naval power in the western Mediterranean removed by the French armistice with Nazi Germany. The force occupied an odd place within the ...

and again from 1 October 1943 to December 1943.

Rear/Vice-Admiral Commanding

Included:

References

Footnotes

Sources

* Elleman, Bruce A.; Paine, S. C. M. (2007). "9: World War One: The Blockade". Naval Blockades and Seapower: Strategies and Counter-Strategies, 1805–2005. Oxford, England: Routledge. . * Friedman, Norman (2012). British Cruisers of the Victorian Era. Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. . * Jellicoe, Viscount (2014). The Grand Fleet (1914–1916): Its Creation, Development and Work. BoD – Books on Demand. . * Mackie, Gordon. (2018) "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Gordon Mackie. * Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organization and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914–1918: The Grand Fleet". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith. * Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organization in World War 2, 1939–1945: Overseas Commands and Fleets". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith. {{Cruiser squadrons of the Royal Navy, state=collapsed Cruiser squadrons of the Royal Navy Ship squadrons of the Royal Navy in World War I Squadrons of the Royal Navy in World War II