Atlantic Fleet

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Atlantic Fleet
Battlecruisers of the Atlantic Fleet
Active	1909-1914;1919-1932
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy

The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.

There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914. The second lasted from 1919 until 1932.

The Atlantic Fleet was formed in 1909 from the Channel Fleet as part of a reorganisation of the Royal Navy by the then First Sea Lord Admiral of the Fleet Jackie Fisher. National Archives records, however, say that on 14 December 1904 the Channel Fleet was re-styled the 'Atlantic Fleet' and the Home Fleet became the 'Channel Fleet'. From 1905 to 1910 it was under a Commander-in-Chief, and from 1910 to 1912 it was under a Vice-Admiral Commanding, before it became the 3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom).

The Atlantic Fleet lasted until 1914 when rising tensions with Germany forced the Royal Navy to relook at fleet formations. As a result, the majority of the fleet's ships were merged into the Home Fleet which was renamed the Grand Fleet.

The Atlantic Fleet was again formed after the end of World War I, when British naval forces were reorganised to reflect the changed economic and political situation in Europe. The fleet was created upon the disbandment of the Grand Fleet, absorbing many, but not all of its elements. It was placed under a Commander-in-Chief, who for part of that year held the title of Commander-in-Chief Atlantic and Home Fleets, before the Home Fleet became the Reserve Fleet and a totally separate command. HMS Queen Elizabeth became the Fleet's flagship and served in that capacity until 1924.

The fleet never fought in a naval battle in its short history. The fleet's only point of note in history was in 1931, during the Invergordon Mutiny. Sailors of the fleet openly refused to obey orders over a dispute on pay sparked by the government at the time. The mutiny lasted 2 days.

The fleet's short history ended in 1932, when the Admiralty having been shaken by the events of the Invergordon Mutiny, renamed the fleet, as the Home Fleet, which had been the name prior to the Grand Fleet. The Admiralty felt that this act would help expunge the memory of the incident.

Commander-in-Chiefs Second Formation

• Admiral Sir Charles Madden (1919–1922)
• Admiral Sir John de Robeck (1922–1924)
• Admiral Sir Henry Oliver (1924–1927)
• Admiral Sir Hubert Brand (1927–1929)
• Admiral Sir Ernle Chatfield (1929–1930)
• Vice Admiral Sir Michael Hodges (1930–1931)
• Admiral Sir John Kelly (1931–1932)

References

• Admirals.org Accessed March 2010
• Fleet Organisation Accessed March 2010

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