The British 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, also styled as Third Destroyer Flotilla, was a
naval formation of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
from 1909 to 1939 and again from 1945 to 1951.
History
In 1907 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 th ...
had a large Channel Flotilla of destroyers in February 1909 when it was divided to form the 1st and 3rd Destroyer Flotillas. From March 1909 to May 1912 the formation was part of the Nore Division,
3rd Division 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 ...
.
In May 1912, the Home Fleet was split into the
First Fleet
The First Fleet were eleven British ships which transported a group of settlers to mainland Australia, marking the beginning of the History of Australia (1788–1850), European colonisation of Australia. It consisted of two Royal Navy vessel ...
, with ships in full commission, and the Second and Third Fleets, composed of ships partly crewed and laid up in reserve respectively. The 3rd Destroyer Flotilla remained part of the First Fleet until July 1914.
On the outbreak of the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, the First Fleet became the
Grand Fleet, and the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla joined the newly formed
Harwich Force
The Harwich Force originally called Harwich Striking Force was a squadron of the Royal Navy, formed during the First World War and based in Harwich. It played a significant role in the war.
History
After the outbreak of the First World War, it ...
. In the summer of 1915 it was renumbered the
9th Destroyer Flotilla. It was reformed again from March 1918 as part of the Grand Fleet till November 1918.
After the War the Flotilla joined the
Atlantic Fleet, forming part of that organisation from December 1918 until August 1923. It was then allocated 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 ...
until 1926 when it was temporarily assigned to the
China Station until 1927. It returned to the Mediterranean until 1938. By the beginning of World War Two in September 1939 it was still in the Mediterranean Fleet. It was re-allocated to the Home Fleet in October 1939 to November 1944 under the command of the Rear-Admiral, Destroyer Flotillas Home Fleet. The flotilla was sent back to join the Mediterranean Fleet in November 1944.
Throughout this period the term Flotilla had applied to a tactical unit. In 1951, instead, three specific Flag Officers, Flotillas, were created responsible for escorts up to cruisers for the Eastern, Home and Mediterranean fleets. The previous destroyer flotillas were redesignated squadrons, and thus the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla became the
3rd Destroyer Squadron in July 1951.
Operational deployments
Flotilla commander
The commander of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla held the title of Captain (Destroyers), or 'Captain (D)'. Those officers included (incomplete list):
Composition 1945 to 1951
Included:
, Mediterranean Fleet 1945
3rd Destroyer Flotilla
* (Leader)
*
*
*
*
*
, Mediterranean Fleet 1946
3rd Destroyer Flotilla
* HMS ''Troubridge'' (Leader)
* HMS ''Venus''
* HMS ''Verulam''
* HMS ''Virago''
* HMS ''Volage''
* HMS ''Brissenden''
, Mediterranean Fleet 1947
3rd Destroyer Flotilla
* HMS ''Troubridge'' (Leader)
* HMS ''Venus''
* HMS ''Verulam''
* HMS ''Virago''
* HMS ''Volage''
* HMS ''Brissenden''
* - (October 1947)
* -(October 1947)
* - (October 1947)
, Mediterranean Fleet 1948
3rd Destroyer Flotilla
* HMS ''Troubridge'' (Leader)
* HMS ''Venus''
* HMS ''Verulam''
* HMS ''Virago''
* HMS ''Volage''
, Mediterranean Fleet 1949
3rd Destroyer Flotilla
* HMS ''Troubridge'' (Leader)
* HMS ''Venus''
* HMS ''Verulam''
* HMS ''Virago''
* HMS ''Volage'' - (July 1949)
* (Leader) (July 1949)
* - (July 1949)
* - (July 1949)
* - (July 1949)
, Mediterranean Fleet 1950
3rd Destroyer Flotilla
* HMS ''Saintes'' (Leader)
* HMS ''Armada''
* HMS ''Gravelines''
* HMS ''Vigo''
, Mediterranean Fleet 1951
3rd Destroyer Flotilla
* HMS ''Saintes'' (Leader)
* HMS ''Armada''
* HMS ''Gravelines''
* HMS ''Vigo''
References
Sources
*
* Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. (2018) "Third Destroyer Flotilla (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell, 29 May 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
* Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914". www.naval-history.net. G. Smith.
* Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, Inter-War Years 1914-1918". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.
* Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation in World War 2, 1939-1945". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.
{{Destroyer flotillas of the Royal Navy, state=collapsed
Destroyer flotillas of the Royal Navy
Military units and formations established in 1909
Military units and formations disestablished in 1939