Home Fleet
On the 1st of October 1902, Vice-Admiral Gerard Noel received a new appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet. He was given a rear-admiral to serve under him as commander of the Home Squadron. The nucleus of this new force consisted of four Port Guard ships withdrawn from scattered dockyards. These vessels formed a unified and permanent sea-going command based on Portland. Rear-Admiral George Atkinson-Willes served as Second-in-Command with his flag in the battleship HMS Empress of India. In May 1903, Noel was succeeded by Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson. On the 14th of December 1904, the Channel Fleet was re-styled the Atlantic Fleet while the Home Fleet became the Channel Fleet. A new Home Fleet was reformed in 1907 with Vice-Admiral Francis Bridgeman in command. Admiral Sir William May took over in 1909 before Bridgeman returned for another term in 1911. On the 29th of March 1912, a new structure was announced that came into force on the 1st of May 1912. The former Home Fleet divided into the First, Second and Third Fleets as Home Fleets. On the 4th of August 1914, John Jellicoe took command which was renamed the Grand Fleet.
Sir Gerard Noel held the post from the 1st of October 1902 to the 21st of May 1903. Sir Arthur Wilson commanded from the 21st of May 1903 until the 31st of December 1904. Sir Francis Bridgeman served two separate terms between the 5th of March 1907 and the 5th of December 1911. Sir George Callaghan led from the 5th of December 1911 to the 31st of July 1912. Rear-Admiral Alexander Bethell served as Chief of Staff from January 1908 to March 1909. During the inter-war period, Admiral Sir John Kelly commanded from October 1931 to September 1933. Admiral Sir William Boyle followed from September 1933 to August 1935. Admiral Sir Roger Backhouse took office in August 1935 and served until April 1938. In the Second World War, Admiral Sir Charles Forbes commanded from April 1938 to December 1940. Admiral Sir John Tovey led from December 1940 to May 1943. Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser commanded from May 1943 to June 1944. Admiral Sir Henry Moore took command on the 14th of June 1944 and served until the 24th of November 1945.
On the 3rd of September 1939, under Admiral Forbes flying his flag at Scapa Flow, the fleet consisted of the 2nd Battle Squadron and the Battle Cruiser Squadron. The chief responsibility was keeping Germany's Kriegsmarine from breaking out of the North Sea. Two surprising losses occurred early in the war with the sinking of the battleship Royal Oak by a German submarine while supposedly safe in Scapa Flow. The battlecruiser Hood was lost to the German battleship Bismarck. One of the Home Fleet's biggest successes involved the sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorst while protecting convoy JW55B. This operation was under the command of Sir Bruce Fraser sailing in HMS Duke of York. The growing intensity of the Battle of the Atlantic led to the creation of Western Approaches Command. Only with the destruction of the German battleship Tirpitz in 1944 did the Home Fleet assume lower priority. Most heavy units were withdrawn to be sent to the Far East after that event.
Admiral Sir Rhoderick McGrigor supervised combined Western Union exercises involving ships from British, French, and Dutch navies in June and July 1949. Admiral McGrigor flew his flag from the aircraft carrier Illustrious. During the exercise, the combined force paid a visit to Mount's Bay in Cornwall from the 30th of June to the 4th of July 1949. Admiral Sir Philip Vian commanded from 1950 to 1952 flying his flag in the aircraft carrier Victorious. In late 1951, HMS Theseus joined the fleet as flagship of the 3rd Aircraft Carrier Squadron. From 1947 to 1957 superfluous battleships and aircraft carriers were assigned to the Training Squadron at Portland. The submarine tender RFA Orange was the fleet's flagship in 1956. The Commander-in-Chief gained an additional NATO responsibility as Commander-in-Chief Eastern Atlantic when the alliance structure was established in 1953. CINCEASTLANT was set up at Northwood Headquarters in northwest London. During Exercise Mainbrace in 1952, NATO naval forces came together for the first time to practice defense of northern Europe.
In the spring of 1960, C-in-C Home Fleet moved permanently ashore to Northwood while Flag Officer Flotillas retained effective control at sea. Cecil Hampshire writes that ships with the fleet in 1960 included the flagship Tyne which was a destroyer depot ship over 20 years old. Carriers Victorious and Illustrious were part of the force along with seventeen destroyers and frigates. In February 1963 all remaining frigate and destroyer squadrons were merged into new Escort Squadrons. In April 1963, the naval unit at Northwood Headquarters was commissioned under the command of the Captain of the Fleet. From 1966 to 1967, Rear Admiral Sir Michael Pollock served as Flag Officer Second in Command. In December 1966, all remaining squadrons in the Home Fleet were disbanded. In 1967 the Home Fleet was amalgamated with the Mediterranean Fleet and redesignated the Western Fleet. The fleet operated from United Kingdom territorial waters from 1902 until this final merger in 1967.
Common questions
When was the Home Fleet established by Vice-Admiral Gerard Noel?
The Home Fleet was officially formed on the 1st of October 1902 when Vice-Admiral Gerard Noel received his appointment as Commander-in-Chief. This new force consisted of four Port Guard ships withdrawn from scattered dockyards to form a unified command based at Portland.
Who commanded the Home Fleet during the Second World War and where did they operate?
Admiral Sir Charles Forbes commanded the fleet starting in April 1938 with operations centered at Scapa Flow. Subsequent commanders included Admiral Sir John Tovey, Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, and Admiral Sir Henry Moore who served until November 1945 while protecting convoys like JW55B.
What happened to the Home Fleet in December 1966 and 1967?
All remaining squadrons in the Home Fleet were disbanded in December 1966 before being amalgamated with the Mediterranean Fleet in 1967. The unit was redesignated as the Western Fleet following this merger which ended its operation from United Kingdom territorial waters since 1902.
When did the Channel Fleet become the Atlantic Fleet and what replaced it?
The Channel Fleet was re-styled the Atlantic Fleet on the 14th of December 1904 while the original Home Fleet became the new Channel Fleet. A new Home Fleet was subsequently reformed in 1907 under Vice-Admiral Francis Bridgeman to replace the renamed force.
Which ships formed the nucleus of the Home Fleet when it was created in 1902?
The nucleus of the Home Fleet consisted of four Port Guard ships withdrawn from scattered dockyards to form a unified sea-going command based at Portland. Rear-Admiral George Atkinson-Willes served as Second-in-Command with his flag in the battleship HMS Empress of India during this initial period.