The 2nd Cruiser Squadron was a formation of cruisers of the British Royal Navy from 1904 to 1919 and from 1921 to 1941 and again from 1946 to 1952.

History

First formation

The 2nd Cruiser Squadron was first formed in December, 1904 then placed under the command of

Prince Louis of Battenberg Admiral of the Fleet Louis Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven, (24 May 185411 September 1921), formerly Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg, was a British naval officer and German prince related by marriage to the British ...

in February 1905. He was then succeeded by Rear-Admiral Charles Adair on 23 February, 1907. The squadron was first assigned to the Atlantic Fleet until February 1909. In March 1909 it was transferred to the 2nd Division 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 ...

till April 1912. From May 1912 until July 1914 it was in the

First Fleet The First Fleet was a fleet of 11 ships that brought the first European and African settlers to Australia. It was made up of two Royal Navy vessels, three store ships and six convict transports. On 13 May 1787 the fleet under the command ...

. Between August 1914 and November 1918 it was part of 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 ...

. The squadron was commanded by twelve Admirals before it was disbanded on 1 February 1919.

Second formation

The 2nd Cruiser squadron was reformed on 14 May 1921 and was allocated to the Atlantic Fleet until 1932 when that fleet was re-designated

. The Squadron was disbanded in 1941.

Third Formation

In October 1946 the

10th Cruiser Squadron The 10th Cruiser Squadron, also known as Cruiser Force B was a formation of cruisers of the British Royal Navy from 1913 to 1917 and then again from 1940 to 1946. First formation The squadron was established in July 1913 and allocated to the T ...

of the

was re-designated 2nd Cruiser Squadron and was assigned to 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 1947 it was re-allocated to the Home Fleet until 1952 when it was dispersed.

Rear-Admirals/Vice-Admirals/Flag officers commanding

First formation

Post holders included: * Rear-Admiral

: February 1905-February 1907 * Rear-Admiral Charles H. Adair: February 1907-September 1908 * Rear-Admiral Sir Percy M. Scott: September 1908-February 1909 * Rear-Admiral Robert S. Lowry: February 1909-November 1910 * Rear-Admiral Sir George J.S. Warrender, Bt.: November 1910-December 1912 * Rear-Admiral Sir F.C. Doveton Sturdee: December 1912-December 1913 * Rear-Admiral Charles E. Madden: December 1913-July 1914 * Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Somerset A. Gough-Calthorpe: July 1914-May 1916 * Rear-Admiral Herbert L. Heath: May-November 1916 * Rear-Admiral Sydney R. Fremantle: January-December 1917 * Vice-Admiral Sir Reginald G.O. Tupper: December 1917-February 1918 * Rear-Admiral Edward F. Bruen: February 1918-February 1919 :''Squadron disbanded''

Second formation

* Rear-Admiral William A. Howard Kelly: May 1925-May 1927 * Rear-Admiral

Frank Larken Vice-Admiral Sir Frank Larken KCB CMG (15 November 1875 – 21 January 1953) was a Royal Navy officer who became Naval Secretary. Early life and education Larken was born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, the middle son of Eliza Larken and solicitor ...

: May 1927-May 1929 * Rear-Admiral the Hon. Matthew R. Best: May 1929-April 1931 * Vice-Admiral

Edward Astley-Rushton Vice-Admiral Edward Astley Astley-Rushton, CB, CMG (4 September 1879 – 18 July 1935) was a senior Royal Navy officer who commanded the Reserve Fleet. Naval career Astley-Rushton was commissioned in the Royal Navy, where he was confirmed ...

: April 1931-December 1932 * Rear-Admiral Percy L. H. Noble: December 1932-December 1934 * Vice-Admiral Sir Sidney J. Meyrick: December 1934-December 1936 * Rear-Admiral Thomas N. P. Calvert: December 1936-June 1938 * Vice-Admiral Sir

Frederick Edward-Collins Admiral Sir George Frederick Basset Edward-Collins (26 December 1883 – 17 February 1958) was a British senior officer in the Royal Navy during the first half of the twentieth century. Early life Edward-Collins was born in Bodmin, Corn ...

: June 1938-April 1940 * Rear-Admiral Alban T. B. Curteis: May 1940-June 1941 :''Squadron disbanded''

Third formation

* Rear-Admiral Reginald M. Servaes: September 1946 * Rear-Admiral Herbert A. Packer: October 1946-January 1948 * Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Guy H.E. Russell: January 1948-May 1949 * Rear-Admiral William Slayter: May 1949-August 1950 * Vice-Admiral Sir C. Aubrey L. Mansergh: August 1950-1952

References

Footnotes

Sources

* Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. (2017) "Second Cruiser Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell. * Jellicoe, Viscount (2014). The Grand Fleet (1914-1916): Its Creation, Development and Work. BoD – Books on Demand. . * Mackie, Colin. (2017) "Senior Royal Navy Appointments from 1865". gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. * "MB1/T1-10 (2018) Personal and naval papers of Prince Louis of Battenberg, first Marquis of Milford Haven, (numbers 1-62), 1886-1911" (PDF). dn.southampton.ac.uk. University of Southampton, England. {{Cruiser squadrons of the Royal Navy, state=collapsed Cruiser squadrons of the Royal Navy Military units and formations of the Royal Navy in World War II