Fourth Submarine Flotilla (Royal Navy)

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The Fourth Submarine Flotilla was a formation of submarines of the Royal Navy.

History

Test Mobilisation of July 1914

The flotilla was comprised of a depot ship and seven "C" class submarines.[1]

Test Mobilisation
Depot Ship
Hazard
Submarines
  C 17 C 18 C 31 C 32
C 33 C 34 C 35

September, 1914

Arrogant has come to help, and coastal submarine S 1 has joined, bringing the strength to two depot ships and eight submarines. The flotilla is one of several assigned to Home and Atlantic Waters.[2]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Depot Ships
Hazard Arrogant
Submarines
  C 17 C 18 C 31 C 32
  C 33 C 34 C 35 S 1

This roster would apply until January, 1915.[3]

January, 1915

S 1 has left to join the Eighth Submarine Flotilla, but B 3, B 4, B 5, C 15 and C 16 have joined from the Third Submarine Flotilla., bringing the strength to eleven submarines and two depot ships.[4][5]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Depot Ships
Hazard Arrogant
Submarines
C 15 C 16 C 17 C 18 C 32 C 33
C 34 C 35 B 3 B 4 B 5

This roster would apply until February or March.[6]

March, 1915

C 16 has been sent to the Sixth Submarine Flotilla, reducing the strength to ten submarines and two depot ships.[7]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Depot Ships
Hazard Arrogant
Submarines
C 15 C 17 C 18 C 32 C 33
C 34 C 35 B 3 B 4 B 5

This roster would apply until August.[8]

August, 1915

C 33 and C 34 have exchanged places with D 1 and D 6 from the Eighth Submarine Flotilla, maintaining the strength at ten submarines and two depot ships.[9][10]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Depot Ships
Hazard Arrogant
Submarines
C 15 C 17 C 18 C 32 C 35
B 3 B 4 B 5 D 1 D 6

This roster would apply until October.[11]

October, 1915

C 34 has rejoined from the Eighth Submarine Flotilla. B 3 and B 4 have left to join the Ninth Submarine Flotilla, exchanging places with A 11 and A 12 from that flotilla. and D 6 has left to join the Eighth Submarine Flotilla, maintaining the strength at ten submarines and two depot ships.[12][13]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Depot Ships
Hazard Arrogant
Submarines
A 11 A 12 C 15 C 17 C 18
C 32 C 34 C 35 B 5 D 1

November, 1915

B 5 has left to join the Second Submarine Flotilla, reducing the strength to nine submarines and two depot ships.[14]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Flag Ship
Arrogant
Depot Ship
Hazard
Submarines
A 11 A 12 C 15 C 17 C 18
C 32 C 34 C 35 D 1

This roster would persist until January, 1916.[15]

January, 1916

F 1, V 1 and V 2 have joined from the Eighth Submarine Flotilla, and D 1 has left for that formation, increasing the strength to eleven submarines and two depot ships.[16][17]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Flag Ship
Arrogant
Depot Ship
Hazard
Submarines
A 11 A 12 C 15 C 17 C 18
C 32 C 34 C 35 F 1 V 1 V 2

This roster would persist until March.[18]

March, 1916

V 1 has returned to the Eighth Submarine Flotilla, but apparently newly commissioned subs V 3 and V 4 have joined, increasing the strength to twelve submarines and two depot ships.[19]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Flag Ship
Arrogant
Depot Ship
Hazard
Submarines
A 11 A 12 C 15 C 17 C 18 C 32
C 34 C 35 F 1 V 2 V 3 V 4

April, 1916

A 11 and A 12 have been dropped for undiscovered ends and C 26 and C 27 have joined from the Seventh Submarine Flotilla, maintaining the strength at twelve submarines and two depot ships.[20][21]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Flag Ship
Arrogant
Depot Ship
Hazard
Submarines
C 15 C 17 C 18 C 26 C 27 C 32
C 34 C 35 F 1 V 2 V 3 V 4

This roster would persist until July.[22]

July, 1916

The four "F" and "V" class submarines have been sent to the Eighth Submarine Flotilla and C 19, C 20 and C 22 have joined from the Seventh Submarine Flotilla, reducing the strength to eleven submarines and two depot ships.[23][24]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Flag Ship
Arrogant
Depot Ship
Hazard
Submarines
C 15 C 17 C 18 C 19 C 20 C 22
C 26 C 27 C 32 C 34 C 35

August, 1916

C 26, C 27, C 32 and C 35 have departed to provide miscellaneous service in "Home Waters or on Detached Service" while C 28 and C 30 have arrived from the Tenth Submarine Flotilla, reducing the strength to nine submarines and two depot ships.[25][26]

In Home and Atlantic Waters
Flag Ship
Arrogant
Depot Ship
Hazard
Submarines
C 15 C 17 C 18 C 19 C 20 C 22
C 28 C 30 C 34

September, 1916

An odd shuffle of submarine flotillas causes the Fifth Submarine Flotilla, operating as part of the Nore Local Defence Flotilla and the Fourth Flotilla to swap designations in wholesale fashion, though the duties of the vessels remains unchanged. Suddenly, the Fourth Submarine Flotilla is operating with the Nore Local Defence Flotilla, with the roster as:[27]

Part of the Nore Local Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Thames
Submarines
C 1 C 2 C 3 C 4 C 5 C 6

This roster would apply until February or March, 1917.[28]

March, 1917

C 2, C 3 and C 4 have been attached to the Ninth Submarine Flotilla, leaving the Fourth's strength as three submarines and a depot ship.[29]

Part of the Nore Local Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Thames
Submarines
C 1 C 5 C 6

This roster would persist until June.[30]

June, 1917

A shuffle of submarines has C 6 depart for "special duty" with the Pembroke Local Defence Flotilla, being replaced by C 23 from the Ninth Submarine Flotilla, leaving the Fourth's strength as three submarines and a depot ship.[31][32]

Part of the Nore Local Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Thames
Submarines
C 1 C 5 C 23

July, 1917

Another shuffle of submarines has C 1 leave, changing places with C 25 in the Ninth Submarine Flotilla, leaving the Fourth's strength as three submarines and a depot ship.[33][34]

Part of the Nore Local Defence Flotilla
Depot Ship
Thames
Submarines
C 5 C 23 C 25

August, 1917

The Flotilla is seemingly disbanded, all of its ships allocated to the Ninth Submarine Flotilla.[35]

Disbanded
Would be re-instituted by or before March, 1919

March, 1919

Back as one of six flotillas supporting the Grand Fleet in the post-war navy, the Fourth has two depot ships and twelve "H" and "R" class submarines.[36]

Supporting the Grand Fleet
one of six new flotillas
Depot Ships
Vulcan Alecto
Submarines
H 23 H 24 H 25 H 26 H 28 H 29
H 30 H 41 R 1 R 9 R 10 R 11

In Command

Dates of appointment given:

Footnotes

  1. Admiralty Weekly Order No. 109 of 10 July, 1914.
  2. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September 1914). p. 14.
  3. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 14 and Supplements through January.
  4. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 14.
  5. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 14.
  6. No Supplement for February was found.
  7. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1915). p. 17.
  8. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 17 and Supplements through August.
  9. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1915). pp. 13, 17.
  10. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1915). p. 13.
  11. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1915). p. 17.
  12. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1915). pp. 13, 15, 17.
  13. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1915). p. 17.
  14. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1915). pp. 15, 17.
  15. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1915). p. 17 and Supplements through January, 1916.
  16. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (January, 1916). pp. 13, 15.
  17. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1915). p. 13.
  18. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1916). p. 15.
  19. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1916). pp. 13, 15.
  20. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1916). p. 15.
  21. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1916). p. 17.
  22. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1916). p. 15 and similar entry in June.
  23. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). pp. 13, 15.
  24. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1916). p. 17.
  25. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1916). pp. 14, 15.
  26. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1916). p. 16.
  27. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1916). pp. 13, 17.
  28. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 17 et seq. No copy of the Supplement for Feb 1917 was found.
  29. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1917). pp. 13, 17.
  30. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1917). p. 17 through May.
  31. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1917). p. 17.
  32. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1917). p. 13.
  33. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). pp. 13, 18.
  34. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1917). p. 13.
  35. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1917). pp. 13, 18.
  36. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). p. 12.
  37. Little Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/95. f. 300.
  38. Little Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/95. f. 300.
  39. Harbottle Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/50. f. 196.
  40. Harbottle Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/50. f. 196.
  41. Bower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/99. f. 222.
  42. The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 215.
  43. Bower Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/99. f. 222.
  44. Brodie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48. f. 600.
  45. Brodie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48. f. 600.
  46. Raikes Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/94. ff. 220, 221.
  47. Raikes Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/94. ff. 220, 221.
  48. Glencross Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. ?.
  49. Glencross Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. ?.
  50. Cantlie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/263. f. 278.
  51. Cantlie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/263. f. 278.
  52. The Navy List. (January, 1933). p. 254.
  53. Poland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/306. f. 322.
  54. Poland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/306. f. 322.
  55. Successor took over that day. Barry Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/53. f. 150.
  56. Barry Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/53. f. 150.
  57. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), 28 Oct. 1936, p. 7.
  58. Barry Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/53. f. 150.
  59. Keble-White Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/117/60. f. 60.
  60. Keble-White Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/117/60. f. 60.

Bibliography

See Also


British Submarine Flotillas
First Submarine Flotilla | Second Submarine Flotilla | Third Submarine Flotilla | Fourth Submarine Flotilla
Fifth Submarine Flotilla | Sixth Submarine Flotilla | Seventh Submarine Flotilla | Eighth Submarine Flotilla
Ninth Submarine Flotilla | Tenth Submarine Flotilla | Eleventh Submarine Flotilla | Twelfth Submarine Flotilla
Thirteenth Submarine Flotilla | Fourteenth Submarine Flotilla | Fifteenth Submarine Flotilla | Sixteenth Submarine Flotilla
Ambrose's Flotilla | Mediterranean Flotilla | Platypus's Flotilla | Vulcan's Flotilla | Hong Kong Flotilla