The Reserve Fleet was a

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 ...

formation of decommissioned vessels which could be brought to a state of readiness at time of war. In the early years of the 18th century ships were "laid up

in ordinary ''In ordinary'' is an English phrase with multiple meanings. In relation to the Royal Household, it indicates that a position is a permanent one. In naval matters, vessels "in ordinary" (from the 17th century) are those out of service for repair o ...

" at various British naval bases forming a repository for serviceable but decommissioned ships. Sir

John Fisher John Fisher (c. 19 October 1469 – 22 June 1535) was an English Catholic bishop, cardinal, and theologian. Fisher was also an academic and Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. He was canonized by Pope Pius XI. Fisher was executed by o ...

's reforms made these reserve ships more ready for combat, in the lead up to the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Whilst warships had been laid up in ordinary routinely, the establishment of a Reserve Fleet as a separate, formally established naval formation dated to the change in title and appointment of Vice Admiral

Henry Oliver Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Francis Oliver, (22 January 1865 – 15 October 1965) was a Royal Navy officer. After serving in the Second Boer War as a navigating officer in a cruiser on the Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station ...

in November 1919. With the breakup 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 ...

in April 1919, Royal Navy forces in home waters was divided between a new Atlantic Fleet consisting of the most powerful naval units, and a Home Fleet consisting of ships with nucleus crews and other vessels. On 8 April Admiral Sir Charles E. Madden became Commander-in-Chief, Home and Atlantic Fleets, and Vice-Admiral Sir Henry F. Oliver was appointed in command of the Home Fleet. The Home Fleet then consisted of the 3rd Battle Squadron of six ships, and the Fourth and Fifth Destroyer Flotillas totaling 35 destroyers and destroyer leaders. This arrangement lasted until 1 October 1919, when the Fleet was reduced to a reserve basis, and "Home Fleet" was dropped from the Commander-in-Chief's title. On 1 November Vice-Admiral Oliver's title was changed to Vice-Admiral Commanding, Reserve Fleet. It continued to exist in the inter-war years but in 1930 the

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...

reduced it in size on the basis that war was unlikely in the next ten years, under the Government's

Ten Year Rule The Ten Year Rule was a British government guideline, first adopted in August 1919, that the armed forces should draft their estimates "on the assumption that the British Empire would not be engaged in any great war during the next ten years". The ...

. At the start of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

the Reserve Fleet, under the command of Vice Admiral Sir Max Horton, was again brought to a state of readiness. Some 15,000 men were called up in May 1939 to man the Reserve Fleet which became ready for service on 15 June 1939. During the 1950s ships were regularly 'cocooned' for the Reserve Fleet and it ceased to exist in 1960.

Commanding admirals

Admirals commanding included: * 1919–1920 Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Oliver * 1920–1922 Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Phillimore * 1922–1923 Vice-Admiral Sir Douglas Nicholson * 1923–1924 Vice-Admiral Sir William Goodenough * 1924–1926 Vice-Admiral Sir Victor Stanley * March–October 1926 Vice-Admiral Sir Rudolph Bentinck * 1926–1928 Vice-Admiral Sir Hugh Watson * 1928–1929 Vice-Admiral Sir William Boyle * 1929–1930 Vice-Admiral

Percival Hall-Thompson Admiral Percival Henry Hall-Thompson (5 May 1874 – 6 July 1950) was a Royal Navy officer who played a key role in the development of the New Zealand Naval Forces and also served in the First World War as commander of . He went on to be First N ...

* 1930–1932 Vice-Admiral Sir Frank Larken * 1932–1934 Vice-Admiral Sir William Kerr * 1934–1935 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 ...

* 1935–1937 Vice-Admiral Sir Gerald Dickens * 1937–1939 Vice Admiral Sir Max Horton ''command then disbanded until 1944''

Flag Officers commanding

Included: * 1944–1945 Rear-Admiral Charles Harris * 1945–1947 Rear-Admiral

Leslie Ashmore Vice Admiral Leslie Haliburton Ashmore, (21 February 1893 – 10 January 1974) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Flag Officer commanding the Reserve Fleet from 1945 to 1947. Naval career Ashmore joined the Royal Navy in 1906 and was promo ...

* 1947–1948 Rear-Admiral Reginald Servaes * 1948–1951 Vice-Admiral Sir Robin Bridge * 1951–1953 Vice-Admiral Sir Henry McCall * 1953–1954 Vice-Admiral Sir Ian Campbell * 1954–1955 Vice-Admiral Sir John Eaton * 1955–1956 Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Cazalet * 1956–1958 Vice-Admiral

Sir Richard Onslow Sir Richard Onslow (1601 – 19 May 1664) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons at various times between 1628 and 1664. He fought on the Roundhead, Parliamentary side during the English Civil War ...

* 1958–1959 Vice-Admiral Sir Guy Sayer * 1959–1960 Rear-Admiral John Grant

Reserve divisions

Subordinate officers included:

Portsmouth Division

Rear Admiral Commanding Portsmouth Reserve

* Rear-Admiral Edward F. Bruen, 1 February 1919 – 23 April 1919 * Rear-Admiral Cole C. Fowler, 23 April 1919 – 23 April 1920 * Rear-Admiral

Clement Greatorex Admiral Clement Greatorex (7 January 1869 – 21 March 1937) was a Royal Navy officer. Naval career Promoted to captain on 31 December 1905, Greatorex was given command of the protected cruiser HMS ''Eclipse'' in January 1906 and the armoure ...

, 23 April 1920 – 1 October 1921 * Rear-Admiral Edmond H. Parker, 1 October 1921

Devonport Division

Rear Admiral Commanding Devonport Reserve

* Rear-Admiral Douglas R. L. Nicholson, 1 February 1919 – 18 March 1919 * Rear-Admiral James A. Fergusson, 18 March 1919 – 9 April 1919 * Rear-Admiral Maurice Woollcombe, 9 April 1919 – 9 April 1920 * Rear-Admiral

Philip H. Colomb Vice-Admiral Philip Howard Colomb, RN (29 May 1831 – 13 October 1899). Born in Knockbrex, near Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, he was a Royal Navy officer, historian, critic and inventor. He was the son of General Geor ...

, 9 April 1920 * Rear-Admiral Charles D. Johnson, 9 April 1921

Captain Commanding

* Captain Alfred A. Ellison, 16 May 1922 – 1 November 1922 * Captain Rowland H. Bather, 15 April 1922 – 1 July 1922 (temporary) * Captain John E. Cameron, 1 November 1922 – April, 1924 * Captain Herbert A. Buchanan-Wollaston, 25 July 1927 – 17 April 1928 * Captain Edward B. Cloete, 3 November 1929 – 4 May 1931

Nore Division

Rear Admiral Commanding Nore Reserve

* Rear-Admiral A. Thomas Hunt, 1 February 1919 – 8 March 1919 * Rear-Admiral Henry L. Mawbey, 17 March 1919 – 17 March 1920 * Rear-Admiral Vivian H. G. Bernard, 17 March 1920 – 17 March 1921 * Rear-Admiral William J. S. Alderson, 17 March 1921 – 15 April 1922

Captain Commanding Nore Reserve

* Captain Lawrence W. Braithwaite, 24 April 1925 – 17 August 1926 * Captain Arthur L. Snagge, c. 1927 * Captain Claude C. Dobson, 17 October 1931 – 17 October 1933 * Captain Richard M. King, 17 October 1933 – 16 January 1935 (and as Captain of Cardiff) * Captain Hamilton C. Allen, 16 January 1935 – 24 July 1935 * Captain John H. Young, 1 October 1935 – 1 September 1936

Rosyth Division

Vice-Admiral/Rear Admiral Commanding Rosyth Reserve

* Vice-Admiral Sir Trevylyan D. W. Napier, 1 February 1919 – 1 May 1919 * Rear-Admiral Charles F. Corbett, 1 May 1919 – 1 May 1920 * Rear-Admiral Crawford Maclachlan, 1 May 1920 * Captain Henry P. Boxer, 28 January 1937 – 1 June 1938

Portland Division

Rear Admiral Commanding Portland Reserve

* Rear-Admiral Sir Douglas R. L. Nicholson, 1 November 1919 – 1 April 1920

Vice-Admiral Reserve Fleet destroyers

Vice-Admiral Commanding

* Vice-Admiral Sir R. H. T. Raikes (1939-1945) (retired)

References

Sources

* * {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Fleets of the Royal Navy Military units and formations of the Royal Navy in World War I Military units and formations of the Royal Navy in World War II Military units and formations disestablished in 1960