Auxiliary Patrol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Auxiliary Patrol |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1914–1919 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Fleet |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Rear-Admiral John de Robeck |
The Auxiliary Patrol was a special group created by the British during World War I. Its main job was to find and fight German submarines. These submarines were causing a lot of trouble for ships.
This patrol was a very early example of how to fight submarines. It was led by the Admiral of Patrols at the British Admiralty, which is like the main office for the Royal Navy.
Contents
History of the Auxiliary Patrol
In 1912, a new job was created: the Admiral of Patrols. This person was in charge of destroyer ships around the British Isles. When World War I started in 1914, the Navy decided these patrols needed to focus on defending the coast.
Commodore George A. Ballard took over as the Admiral of Patrols in May 1914. The Auxiliary Patrol then became a key part of his command. It stayed this way until 1917.
Most of Britain's fishing trawlers were taken over by the British Admiralty. The few trawlers left had to fish in groups for safety.
The Auxiliary Patrol was mostly crewed by brave fishermen. Their leaders were often from the British Merchant Navy, joining the Royal Naval Reserve. They worked in all kinds of weather, just like regular fishermen.
Their trawlers were changed to carry weapons. They usually had small guns, like 3, 6, or 12-pounder guns. They also had special howitzers called "7.5" Bomb Throwers" to attack submarines. Special crew members, like signallers and gunners, were also put on board.
Later in the war, the Navy built bigger trawlers. They also developed new types of minesweeper ships.
By World War II, the Royal Navy had special teams for clearing mines. This led to the creation of the Royal Naval Patrol Service. Many people called it "Harry Tate's Navy."
Where the Patrols Operated
The Auxiliary Patrol covered many areas to protect the coasts. They divided the waters around the United Kingdom into many patrol zones. These zones were given numbers or names.
Patrol Areas in British Waters
Some of the numbered patrol areas included:
- Area I: Stornoway (in Scotland)
- Area II: Shetlands (islands north of Scotland)
- Area X: Yarmouth and Harwich (on the east coast of England)
- Area XI: Dover (a very important port in England)
- Area XIV: Plymouth and Falmouth (in the southwest of England)
- Area XXI: Queenstown (in Ireland)
There were also named patrol areas, such as:
- Nore Auxiliary Patrol Area (east of London)
- Harwich Auxiliary Patrol Area (off the coast of Harwich)
- Bristol Auxiliary Patrol Area (in the Bristol Channel)
Patrol Areas in the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea was also very important. The British, French, and Italian navies worked together there. They divided the sea into different patrol zones.
- British areas included the western and central Mediterranean. They also patrolled the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean.
- French areas covered places like Oran, Tunisia, and parts of Greece.
- Italian areas included the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Adriatic Sea.
See also
- Dover Patrol
- Northern Patrol
- Royal Naval Patrol Service
- Trawlers of the Royal Navy
