The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service). From the early 18th century to the middle of the 20th century, it was the largest and most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant power of the 19th and early 20th centuries. In World War II, the Royal Navy operated almost 900 ships. During the Cold War, it was transformed into a primarily anti-submarine force, hunting for Soviet submarines, mostly active in the GIUK gap. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, its role for the 21st century has returned to focus on global expeditionary operations.
The Royal Navy is the second-largest navy of the NATO alliance, in terms of the combined displacement of its fleet, after the U.S. Navy.[1] There are currently 90 commissioned ships in the Royal Navy, including aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, mine counter-measures and patrol vessels. There are also the support of 17 vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The Royal Navy's ability to project power globally is considered second only to the United States Navy.[2][3] The Royal Navy also has the second largest carrier fleet in the world, with two carriers of the Invincible class in service (HMS Ark Royal and HMS Illustrious), another of the same class in reserve (HMS Invincible) and two of the supercarrier Queen Elizabeth class planned to replace the current fleet of aircraft-carriers.
The Royal Navy is a constituent component of the Naval Service, which also comprises the Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Marines Reserve. The Royal Navy numbers 37,500 people of whom approximately 6,000 are in the Royal Marines.[4]
Admiral (United Kingdom)
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Admiral (United Kingdom)
Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, outranked only by the rank Admiral of the Fleet.
King Edward I of England appointed the first English Admiral in 1297 when he named William de Leyburn “Admiral of the sea of the King of England”. The rank of Admiral should not be confused with the office of Admiral of England or Lord High Admiral, which was an office held by the person with overall responsibility for the Navy.
The Royal Navy has had Vice and Rear Admirals since at least the 16th century. When in command of the fleet, the Admiral would either be in the lead or the middle portion of the fleet. When the Admiral commanded from the middle portion of the fleet his deputy, the Vice Admiral, would be in the leading portion or van. Below him was another admiral at the rear of the fleet, called Rear Admiral.
In Elizabethan times the fleet grew large enough to be organized into squadrons. The admiral’s squadron wore a red ensign, the vice admiral’s white, and the rear admiral’s blue. As the squadrons grew, each was eventually commanded by an Admiral (with Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals commanding sections) and the official titles became Admiral of the White, et cetera.
The squadrons ranked in order Red, White, and Blue, with admirals ranked according to their squadron:
1. Admiral of the Fleet
2. Admiral of the Red
3. Admiral of the White
4. Admiral of the Blue
5. Vice Admiral of the Red
6. Vice Admiral of the White
7. Vice Admiral of the Blue
8. Rear Admiral of the Red
9. Rear Admiral of the White
10. Rear Admiral of the Blue
Promotion up the ladder was in accordance with seniority in the rank of Post-Captain, and rank was held for life, so the only way to get promoted was for the person above you on the list to die or resign. Lord Nelson, when he died, was only Vice Admiral of the White. Another way was to promote unsuccessful captains to the rank of admiral without distinction of squadron (a practice known as yellowing — the Captain so raised became known as a yellow admiral).
In the 18th century, the original nine ranks began to be filled by more than one person per rank, although the rank of Admiral of the Red was always filled by only one person and was known as Admiral of the Fleet, but the organisation of the fleet into coloured squadrons was abandoned in 1864. The Red Ensign was allocated to the Merchant Marine, the White Ensign became the flag of the Royal Navy, and the Blue Ensign was allocated to the naval reserve and naval auxiliary vessels.
The 19th century British Navy also maintained a positional rank known as Port Admiral. A Port Admiral was typically a veteran Captain who served as the shore commander of a British Naval Port and was in charge of supplying, refitting, and maintaining the ships docked at harbour. The most powerful Port Admiral position was the Port Admiral of Portsmouth, considered the leading harbour of the Royal Navy.
The current ranks are Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral and Admiral of the Fleet, also known as flag ranks because admirals, known as Flag Officers, are entitled to fly a personal flag. An Admiral of the Fleet flies a Union Jack at the masthead, while an Admiral flies a St George’s cross (red cross on white). Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals fly a St George’s cross differenced with one and two red discs in the hoist, respectively.
In 1996, the rank of Admiral of the Fleet was put in abeyance in peacetime, except for members of the Royal family. However, Admirals of the Fleet continue to hold their rank on the active list for life.
King Edward I of England appointed the first English Admiral in 1297 when he named William de Leyburn “Admiral of the sea of the King of England”. The rank of Admiral should not be confused with the office of Admiral of England or Lord High Admiral, which was an office held by the person with overall responsibility for the Navy.
The Royal Navy has had Vice and Rear Admirals since at least the 16th century. When in command of the fleet, the Admiral would either be in the lead or the middle portion of the fleet. When the Admiral commanded from the middle portion of the fleet his deputy, the Vice Admiral, would be in the leading portion or van. Below him was another admiral at the rear of the fleet, called Rear Admiral.
In Elizabethan times the fleet grew large enough to be organized into squadrons. The admiral’s squadron wore a red ensign, the vice admiral’s white, and the rear admiral’s blue. As the squadrons grew, each was eventually commanded by an Admiral (with Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals commanding sections) and the official titles became Admiral of the White, et cetera.
The squadrons ranked in order Red, White, and Blue, with admirals ranked according to their squadron:
1. Admiral of the Fleet
2. Admiral of the Red
3. Admiral of the White
4. Admiral of the Blue
5. Vice Admiral of the Red
6. Vice Admiral of the White
7. Vice Admiral of the Blue
8. Rear Admiral of the Red
9. Rear Admiral of the White
10. Rear Admiral of the Blue
Promotion up the ladder was in accordance with seniority in the rank of Post-Captain, and rank was held for life, so the only way to get promoted was for the person above you on the list to die or resign. Lord Nelson, when he died, was only Vice Admiral of the White. Another way was to promote unsuccessful captains to the rank of admiral without distinction of squadron (a practice known as yellowing — the Captain so raised became known as a yellow admiral).
In the 18th century, the original nine ranks began to be filled by more than one person per rank, although the rank of Admiral of the Red was always filled by only one person and was known as Admiral of the Fleet, but the organisation of the fleet into coloured squadrons was abandoned in 1864. The Red Ensign was allocated to the Merchant Marine, the White Ensign became the flag of the Royal Navy, and the Blue Ensign was allocated to the naval reserve and naval auxiliary vessels.
The 19th century British Navy also maintained a positional rank known as Port Admiral. A Port Admiral was typically a veteran Captain who served as the shore commander of a British Naval Port and was in charge of supplying, refitting, and maintaining the ships docked at harbour. The most powerful Port Admiral position was the Port Admiral of Portsmouth, considered the leading harbour of the Royal Navy.
The current ranks are Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral and Admiral of the Fleet, also known as flag ranks because admirals, known as Flag Officers, are entitled to fly a personal flag. An Admiral of the Fleet flies a Union Jack at the masthead, while an Admiral flies a St George’s cross (red cross on white). Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals fly a St George’s cross differenced with one and two red discs in the hoist, respectively.
In 1996, the rank of Admiral of the Fleet was put in abeyance in peacetime, except for members of the Royal family. However, Admirals of the Fleet continue to hold their rank on the active list for life.
Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport
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1st Viscount Bridport,
Alexander Hood
Admiral Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport, KB (December 2, 1726 – May 2, 1814) was an officer of the British Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars, and the brother of Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood.
He entered the navy in January 1741, and was appointed Lieutenant of HMS Bridgewater in 1746, and in that rank served for ten years in various ships. He was promoted to Commander in 1756 and served as flag captain for Rear Admiral Sir Charles Saunders, first in Prince in the Mediterranean (the flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Saunders, under whom Hood had served as a lieutenant), then in Minerva frigate. In the Seven Years' War he fought at the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759, and in 1761 Minerva recaptured after a long struggle, the 60-gun Warwick of equal force, which had been captured by the French ship Atlante in 1756. For the remainder of the war, from 1761 to 1763 Hood was captain of Africa in the Mediterranean.
From this time forward he was in continuous employment afloat and ashore. In 1778 he was appointed to Robust and fought at the First Battle of Ushant on July 22. In the court-martial of Admiral Augustus Keppel that followed the battle, although adverse popular feeling was aroused by the course which he took in Keppel's defence, his conduct does not seem to have injured his professional career.
In 1780 he was promoted to Rear Admiral of the White, and succeeded Kempenfeldt as one of Howe's flag-officers. In the American Revolutionary War, in HMS Queen, he took part in Howe's relief of Gibraltar in 1782.
He served in the House of Commons for a time. Promoted vice-admiral in 1787, he became K.B. in the following year, and on the occasion of the Spanish armament in 1790 flew his flag again for a short time. On the outbreak of war with France in 1793 he went to sea again. In the War of the First Coalition, on June 1, 1794, in HMS Royal George, he was third in command to Admiral Lord Howe at the battle of the Glorious First of June. For his exploits in this battle he was elevated to the Irish peerage as Baron Bridport.
Henceforth Bridport was practically in independent command. On 23 June 1795, with his flag in Queen Charlotte (100), he fought the inconclusive Battle of Groix against the French under Rear Admiral Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse off the Île de Groix and captured three ships. He was much criticized in the navy for his failure to win a more decisive victory. However the British public considered the battle a great victory and Hood's peerage was made English and he was promoted to Vice Admiral of England.
From 1795 until his retirement in 1800, he was commander of the Channel Fleet. In 1796 and 1797 he directed the war from London, rarely hoisting his flag afloat save at such critical times as that of the Irish expedition in 1797. He was about to put to sea when the Spithead fleet mutinied. He succeeded at first in pacifying the crew of his flag-ship, who had no personal grudge against their admiral, but a few days later the mutiny broke out afresh, and this time was uncontrollable. For a whole week the mutineers were supreme, and it was only by the greatest exertions of the old Lord Howe that order was then restored and the men returned to duty. After the mutiny had been suppressed, Hood took the fleet to sea as commander-in-chief in name as well as in fact, and from 1798 he personally directed the blockade of Brest which grew stricter and stricter as time went on. In 1800 he was relieved by John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent.
In reward for his fine record his peerage was made a viscounty. He spent the remaining years of his life in retirement. He died on 1814-05-02. The viscountcy in the English peerage died with him; the Irish barony passed to the younger branch of his brother's family, for whom the viscountcy was re-created in 1868.
He entered the navy in January 1741, and was appointed Lieutenant of HMS Bridgewater in 1746, and in that rank served for ten years in various ships. He was promoted to Commander in 1756 and served as flag captain for Rear Admiral Sir Charles Saunders, first in Prince in the Mediterranean (the flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Saunders, under whom Hood had served as a lieutenant), then in Minerva frigate. In the Seven Years' War he fought at the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759, and in 1761 Minerva recaptured after a long struggle, the 60-gun Warwick of equal force, which had been captured by the French ship Atlante in 1756. For the remainder of the war, from 1761 to 1763 Hood was captain of Africa in the Mediterranean.
From this time forward he was in continuous employment afloat and ashore. In 1778 he was appointed to Robust and fought at the First Battle of Ushant on July 22. In the court-martial of Admiral Augustus Keppel that followed the battle, although adverse popular feeling was aroused by the course which he took in Keppel's defence, his conduct does not seem to have injured his professional career.
In 1780 he was promoted to Rear Admiral of the White, and succeeded Kempenfeldt as one of Howe's flag-officers. In the American Revolutionary War, in HMS Queen, he took part in Howe's relief of Gibraltar in 1782.
He served in the House of Commons for a time. Promoted vice-admiral in 1787, he became K.B. in the following year, and on the occasion of the Spanish armament in 1790 flew his flag again for a short time. On the outbreak of war with France in 1793 he went to sea again. In the War of the First Coalition, on June 1, 1794, in HMS Royal George, he was third in command to Admiral Lord Howe at the battle of the Glorious First of June. For his exploits in this battle he was elevated to the Irish peerage as Baron Bridport.
Henceforth Bridport was practically in independent command. On 23 June 1795, with his flag in Queen Charlotte (100), he fought the inconclusive Battle of Groix against the French under Rear Admiral Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse off the Île de Groix and captured three ships. He was much criticized in the navy for his failure to win a more decisive victory. However the British public considered the battle a great victory and Hood's peerage was made English and he was promoted to Vice Admiral of England.
From 1795 until his retirement in 1800, he was commander of the Channel Fleet. In 1796 and 1797 he directed the war from London, rarely hoisting his flag afloat save at such critical times as that of the Irish expedition in 1797. He was about to put to sea when the Spithead fleet mutinied. He succeeded at first in pacifying the crew of his flag-ship, who had no personal grudge against their admiral, but a few days later the mutiny broke out afresh, and this time was uncontrollable. For a whole week the mutineers were supreme, and it was only by the greatest exertions of the old Lord Howe that order was then restored and the men returned to duty. After the mutiny had been suppressed, Hood took the fleet to sea as commander-in-chief in name as well as in fact, and from 1798 he personally directed the blockade of Brest which grew stricter and stricter as time went on. In 1800 he was relieved by John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent.
In reward for his fine record his peerage was made a viscounty. He spent the remaining years of his life in retirement. He died on 1814-05-02. The viscountcy in the English peerage died with him; the Irish barony passed to the younger branch of his brother's family, for whom the viscountcy was re-created in 1868.
Channel Fleet
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Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet is the historical name used for the group of Royal Navy warships that defended the waters of the English Channel.
Various fleets of Royal Navy ships have operated in the channel since the 16th century to fight (for example) the Spanish Armada in 1588 or the Dutch invasion fleet that brought William of Orange to England in 1688.
A Channel Fleet as a permanent establishment was first set up during the 18th century in order to defend England against the threat from the French naval bases at Brest, Le Havre and elsewhere in the Bay of Biscay. It was based variously at Torbay, Falmouth, and Plymouth. During the long Napoleonic Wars, many of the ships stayed at sea for months on-end being replenished with specially-built supply vessels able to bring fresh water in tanks as well as fresh food.
During the 19th century as the French developed Cherbourg as a base for steam-powered ships, the Royal Navy developed Portland Harbour as a base for the fleet. The gravel and sand dredging that the construction of a deep sea harbour required extended to gravel banks as far round the coast as Start Bay whose removal was responsible for much damaging coastal erosion.
With the amelioration of Anglo-French relations, and the rise of German militarism towards 1900, the need for the Channel Fleet diminished and the main European naval arena shifted to the North Sea. The Channel Fleet was absorbed into the Home Fleet after the end of the Great War.
Various fleets of Royal Navy ships have operated in the channel since the 16th century to fight (for example) the Spanish Armada in 1588 or the Dutch invasion fleet that brought William of Orange to England in 1688.
A Channel Fleet as a permanent establishment was first set up during the 18th century in order to defend England against the threat from the French naval bases at Brest, Le Havre and elsewhere in the Bay of Biscay. It was based variously at Torbay, Falmouth, and Plymouth. During the long Napoleonic Wars, many of the ships stayed at sea for months on-end being replenished with specially-built supply vessels able to bring fresh water in tanks as well as fresh food.
During the 19th century as the French developed Cherbourg as a base for steam-powered ships, the Royal Navy developed Portland Harbour as a base for the fleet. The gravel and sand dredging that the construction of a deep sea harbour required extended to gravel banks as far round the coast as Start Bay whose removal was responsible for much damaging coastal erosion.
With the amelioration of Anglo-French relations, and the rise of German militarism towards 1900, the need for the Channel Fleet diminished and the main European naval arena shifted to the North Sea. The Channel Fleet was absorbed into the Home Fleet after the end of the Great War.
Glorious First of June
The Glorious First of June (also known as the Third Battle of Ushant, and in France as the Bataille du 13 prairial an 2 or Combat de Prairial)[2] was the first and largest fleet action of the naval conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the First French Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars. The British Channel Fleet under Lord Howe attempted to interdict the passage of a vitally important French grain convoy from the United States, which was protected by the French Atlantic Fleet, commanded by Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse. The two forces clashed in the Atlantic Ocean, some 400 nautical miles (741 km) west of the French island of Ushant.
The action was the culmination of a campaign that had criss-crossed the Bay of Biscay over the previous month. Both sides had captured numerous merchant ships and minor warships and had engaged in two partial, but inconclusive, fleet actions. The aftermath of 1 June 1794 left both fleets shattered and in no condition for further combat. Both sides claimed victory; despite losing seven ships of the line, Villaret bought enough time for his grain convoy to reach safety. However, he was also forced to withdraw his battle-fleet to port, leaving the British free to conduct a campaign of blockade for the remainder of the war.
The Glorious First of June demonstrated some of the major problems inherent in the French and British navies at the start of the Revolutionary Wars—both admirals, faced with disobedience from their captains and ill-discipline and poor training among their crews, failed to control their fleets effectively. They both suffered further from a shortage of conscripts and reliable officers. The result of the battle was seized upon by the press of both nations as a shining example of the prowess and bravery of their respective navies.
The action was the culmination of a campaign that had criss-crossed the Bay of Biscay over the previous month. Both sides had captured numerous merchant ships and minor warships and had engaged in two partial, but inconclusive, fleet actions. The aftermath of 1 June 1794 left both fleets shattered and in no condition for further combat. Both sides claimed victory; despite losing seven ships of the line, Villaret bought enough time for his grain convoy to reach safety. However, he was also forced to withdraw his battle-fleet to port, leaving the British free to conduct a campaign of blockade for the remainder of the war.
The Glorious First of June demonstrated some of the major problems inherent in the French and British navies at the start of the Revolutionary Wars—both admirals, faced with disobedience from their captains and ill-discipline and poor training among their crews, failed to control their fleets effectively. They both suffered further from a shortage of conscripts and reliable officers. The result of the battle was seized upon by the press of both nations as a shining example of the prowess and bravery of their respective navies.
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