Admiral of Patrols


The Admiral of Patrols was a former command appointment within the Admiralty during world war one usually held by a junior flag officer the post was established from 1912 to 1916.

History

In the preceding years before world war the Admiralty were assessing the need to protect the navy's main capital ships in the future event of any war, which would be augmented by the possible implementation a coastal patrol and mine-sweeping initiative. The need for some sort of patrol protection function being established was indicated by Admiral Sir Charles Beresford as early as 1907.
In 1909 Admiral Fisher obtained a small number of vessels for experimentation, Beginning about 1910 the Admiralty acknowledged that this sort of service may likely be in the form of local coastal patrol support for the regular navy at this time there was a lack of patrol capabilities within the Royal Navy.
On May 1, 1912 the post of Admiral of Patrols was created and under its command consisted four destroyer flotillas until 1913. In 1914, the Board of Admiralty sent an order the Admiralty War Staff asking the Chief of the War Staff to re-evaluate the patrols current functional role operating off the Eastern Coast of Great Britain the First Sea Lord envisaged that its current function of patrolling would now be that of coastal defence but would include an additional force the units of the Auxiliary Patrol. After the implementation took place Admiral de Robeck was replaced by a new commander Commodore George A. Ballard. He assumed the duties of Admiral of Patrols on the 1 May 1914 and held the post until it was abolished in 1917.

Commodore/Admiral of Patrols

Assistant to Admiral of Patrols

As of May 1912-1914:
#UnitBased atDatesNotes
15th Destroyer FlotillaDevonportMarch 1909-19131 cruiser leader - 1 scout cruiser - approx 23 destroyers
26th Destroyer FlotillaPortsmouthMay 1912-19143 scout cruisers - approx 22 destroyers
37th Destroyer FlotillaHumber then DevonportMay 1912-19141 scout cruiser, 21 destroyers - 12 torpedo boats
48th Destroyer FlotillaTyne then ChathamMay 1912-19141 scout cruiser - 12 destroyers - 13 torpedo boat destroyers
59th Destroyer FlotillaSheerness then Rosyth/Forth then NoreMay 1912-19141 cruiser leaders - 1-2 scout cruisers - approx 20 - 27 destroyers
64th Submarine FlotillaAOP1914-19187 boats
75th Submarine FlotillaAOP1914-19186 boats
86th Submarine FlotillaAOP1914-19186 boats
97th Submarine FlotillaAOP1914-191812 boats
108th SubmarineFlotillaAOP1914-191813 boats
119th Submarine FlotillaAOP1914-19183 boats
12Auxiliary Patrolmultiple bases1914-1917Auxiliary Patrol Areas I - XXIII and Auxiliary Patrol Area 1, 5, 8, 10 Mediterranean Sea

Units

Auxiliary patrol

The Auxiliary Patrol was a component force under the and composed of a large number of small craft tasked with minesweeping and anti-submarine patrols, initially around the British Isles, but later also in the Mediterranean. The Auxiliary Patrol was the front-line force in the defence of initially the British Isles, but later also the Mediterranean, against German mines and submarines.

Attribution

Primary source for this article is by Harley Simon, Lovell Tony,, Admiral of Patrols, dreadnoughtproject.org, http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org.