Admiral of Patrols facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Office of the Admiral of Patrols |
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Ensign of the Royal Navy
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| Department of the Admiralty | |
| Reports to | First Sea Lord |
| Nominator | First Lord of the Admiralty |
| Appointer | Prime Minister
Subject to formal approval by the Queen-in-Council
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| Term length | Not fixed (typically 1–2 years) |
| Inaugural holder | Rear-Admiral John de Robeck |
| Formation | 1912-1916 |
The Admiral of Patrols was an important job in the British Admiralty, which managed the Royal Navy. This role was active during World War I. It was usually held by a junior flag officer, which is a high-ranking naval officer. The position existed from 1912 to 1916.
Contents
History of the Patrols
Before World War I, the British Navy was thinking about how to protect its biggest warships. These large ships, called capital ships, were very important. The navy also wanted to set up coastal patrols and clear mines from the sea. Mines are underwater bombs that can sink ships.
As early as 1907, Admiral Sir Charles Beresford said that some kind of patrol system was needed. In 1909, Admiral Fisher got a few ships to try out new ideas. By 1910, the Admiralty realized that a coastal patrol service would help the regular navy. At that time, the Royal Navy didn't have many ships for this kind of patrol work.
Creating the Admiral of Patrols Role
On May 1, 1912, the job of Admiral of Patrols was officially created. This admiral was in charge of four groups of destroyers, called flotillas, until 1913. Destroyers are fast warships.
In 1914, the Board of Admiralty, which was the main governing body of the Royal Navy, asked its Admiralty War Staff to look at the patrols again. The First Sea Lord, who was the professional head of the navy, thought the patrols should focus on defending the coast of Great Britain. He also wanted to add a new group of ships called the Auxiliary Patrol to help.
After these changes, Admiral de Robeck was replaced. A new commander, Commodore George A. Ballard, took over. He became the Admiral of Patrols on May 1, 1914. He stayed in this role until the position was ended in 1917.
Who Were the Admirals of Patrols?
This table shows the officers who held the important role of Commodore or Admiral of Patrols.
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commodore/Admiral, of Patrols | ||||
| 1 | Rear-Admiral |  |
John de Robeck | 8 April 1912 – 1 May 1914 (initially-Cdre, 1.Cls) |
| 2 | Commodore 1st Class |  |
George A, Ballard | 1 May 1914 - 1916 (later-R.Adm) |
Assistants to the Admiral of Patrols
The Admiral of Patrols also had assistants to help with their duties.
- Captain Walter H. Cowan, 1 May 1912 – 7 February 1914
- Captain Edward G. Lowther-Crofton, 7 February 1914 – 1 February 1916
Patrol Groups Under This Command
From May 1912 to 1914, the Admiral of Patrols oversaw several important naval groups. These included destroyer and submarine flotillas.
| # | Unit | Based at | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5th Destroyer Flotilla | Devonport | March 1909 – 1913 | 1 cruiser leader - 1 scout cruiser - approx 23 destroyers |
| 2 | 6th Destroyer Flotilla | Portsmouth | May 1912 – 1914 | 3 scout cruisers - approx 22 destroyers |
| 3 | 7th Destroyer Flotilla | Humber then Devonport | May 1912 – 1914 | 1 scout cruiser, 21 destroyers - 12 torpedo boats |
| 4 | 8th Destroyer Flotilla | Tyne then Chatham | May 1912 – 1914 | 1 scout cruiser - 12 destroyers - 13 torpedo boat destroyers |
| 5 | 9th Destroyer Flotilla | Sheerness then Rosyth/Forth then Nore | May 1912 – 1914 | 1 cruiser leaders - 1-2 scout cruisers - approx 20 - 27 destroyers |
| 6 | 4th Submarine Flotilla | AOP | 1914-1918 | 7 boats |
| 7 | 5th Submarine Flotilla | AOP | 1914-1918 | 6 boats |
| 8 | 6th Submarine Flotilla | AOP | 1914-1918 | 6 boats |
| 9 | 7th Submarine Flotilla | AOP | 1914-1918 | 12 boats |
| 10 | 8th SubmarineFlotilla | AOP | 1914-1918 | 13 boats |
| 11 | 9th Submarine Flotilla | AOP | 1914-1918 | 3 boats |
| 12 | Auxiliary Patrol | multiple bases | 1914-1917 | Auxiliary Patrol Areas I - XXIII (Home Waters) and Auxiliary Patrol Area 1, 5, 8, 10 Mediterranean Sea |
Ships in the Patrols
These tables show the different types and numbers of ships that were part of the patrol flotillas in 1914 and 1915.
| Flotilla Vessels 1914 | |
| Type | Number of units |
| Sentinel-class cruiser | 2 |
| Pathfinder-class cruiser | 1 |
| F Class DD | 12 |
| Old Destroyers | 62 |
| Torpedo boats | 24 |
| Other | 8 |
| Total | 109 |
| Flotilla Vessels 1915 | |
| Type | Number of units |
| Sentinel-class cruiser | 2 |
| Pathfinder-class cruiser | 1 |
| F Class DD | 8 |
| Old Destroyers | 45 |
| Torpedo boats | 18 |
| Other | 14 |
| Total | 80 |
Auxiliary Patrol
The Auxiliary Patrol was a special part of the Admiral of Patrols' command. It was made up of many smaller boats. Their main jobs were to clear mines and hunt for enemy submarines. They first worked around the British Isles. Later, they also operated in the Mediterranean Sea. The Auxiliary Patrol was very important. It was the first line of defense against German mines and submarines during the war.
See also
- Dover Patrol
- Northern Patrol
- Royal Naval Patrol Service
