The North Sea Fleet was a naval formation and major operational

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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 ...

based at Great Yarmouth from 1745 to 1802 then at Ramsgate from 1803 until 1815. The fleet was commanded by the Commander-in-Chief, North Sea.

History

From the thirteenth until the fifteenth century the North Sea had been an important command from the 13th to 15th centuries an Admiral of the North based at Yarmouth was appointed to commanded a Northern Fleet. During the

Tudor Period The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan period during the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. The Tudor period coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in England that began wit ...

Vice Admirals were appointed to command a

North Sea Squadron The North Sea Squadron was a temporary naval formation of the Tudor Navy Royal during the sixteenth century operating out of Newcastle, England. Command of the squadron was usually vested in the Vice-Admiral in the North Sea. Historical ba ...

operating from Newcastle though that squadron was usually formed only on a temporary basis. From 1652 to 1654 Yarmouth used by the Royal Navy for stationing its North Sea Fleet during the

First Anglo-Dutch War The First Anglo-Dutch War, or simply the First Dutch War, ( nl, Eerste Engelse (zee-)oorlog, "First English (Sea) War"; 1652–1654) was a conflict fought entirely at sea between the navies of the Commonwealth of England and the United Province ...

. A more permanent formation was established from 1745. In May 1804 in the middle of

Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom at the start of the War of the Third Coalition, although never carried out, was a major influence on British naval strategy and the fortification of the coast of southeast England. French attempt ...

(1803-1805) at the start of the

War of the Third Coalition The War of the Third Coalition) * In French historiography, it is known as the Austrian campaign of 1805 (french: Campagne d'Autriche de 1805) or the German campaign of 1805 (french: Campagne d'Allemagne de 1805) was a European conflict spanni ...

, although never carried out, was a major influence on British naval strategy and the fortification of the coast of southeast England. In 1804 the North Sea Fleet then under the command of Admiral of the White: George Elphinstone, Viscount Keith reached its largest composition consisting of some 170-179 ships (according to sources given) divided primarily between squadrons each commanded by competent admirals including one off Boulogne, France under

Rear-Admiral of the Blue The Rear-Admiral of the Blue was a senior rank of the 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 ...

Thomas Louis, one in the Downs under

Vice-Admiral of the White The Vice-Admiral of the White was a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, immediately outranked by the rank Vice-Admiral of the Red (see order of precedence below). Royal Navy officers holding the ranks of commodore, rear admira ...

John Holloway, one off Flushing, Batavian Republic under

Rear-Admiral of the White The Rear-Admiral of the White was a senior rank of the 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 maj ...

Sidney Smith, under Edward Thornborough, one under Rear-Admiral of the Red at Texel, Batavian Republic, another in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

at Leith under

James Vashon and finally one stationed at

Yarmouth Roads Yarmouth Roads is a coastal feature in Norfolk, England that was used by merchant and naval ships as an anchorage or roadstead off Great Yarmouth. Description The following is a description of Yarmouth Roads that appeared in The Nautical Magazi ...

under Rear-Admiral of the Red Thomas Macnamara Russell together with a cruising and convoy force all reporting Lord Keith.

In Command

Composition of the fleet in May 1804

References

{{Royal Navy fleets, state=collapsed Fleets of the Royal Navy