2nd Battle Squadron#First World War
{{Short description|Battleship formation of the Royal Navy}}
{{for|the German counterpart during World War I|II Battle Squadron}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= 2nd Battle Squadron
|image=250px
|caption=2nd Battle Squadron in 1914
|dates= 1912–1944
|country= {{flag|United Kingdom}}
|allegiance=
|branch= {{navy|United Kingdom}}
|type=
|role=
|size= Squadron
|command_structure=
|garrison=
|garrison_label=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|colors_label=
|march=
|mascot=
|equipment=
|equipment_label=
|battles=Battle of Jutland
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
|disbanded=
|commander1=
|commander1_label=
|commander2=
|commander2_label=
|commander3=
|commander3_label=
|notable_commanders=
|identification_symbol=
|identification_symbol_label=
|identification_symbol_2=
|identification_symbol_2_label=
|identification_symbol_3=
|identification_symbol_3_label=
|identification_symbol_4=
|identification_symbol_4_label=
}}
The 2nd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron of the British Royal Navy consisting of battleships. The 2nd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet. After World War I the Grand Fleet was reverted to its original name, the Atlantic Fleet. The squadron changed composition often as ships were damaged, retired or transferred.
History
=First World War=
As an element in the Grand Fleet, the Squadron participated in the Battle of Jutland.MacIntyre
==August 1914==
On 5 August 1914, the squadron was constituted as follows:Dittmar & Colledge
==Battle of Jutland, June 1916==
As an element in the Grand Fleet, the Squadron participated in the Battle of Jutland. During the Battle of Jutland, the composition of the 2nd Battle Squadron was as follows:MacIntyre
- First Division
- HMS King George V Flagship of Vice Admiral Sir Martyn Jerram; Captain F. L. Field;
- HMS Ajax Captain G. H. Baird;
- HMS Centurion Captain M. Culme-Seymour;
- HMS Erin Captain the Honourable V. A. Stanley;
- Second Division
- HMS Orion Flagship of Rear Admiral A. C. Leveson; Captain O. Backhouse;
- HMS Monarch Captain G. H. Borrett;
- HMS Conqueror Captain H. H. D. Tothill;
- HMS Thunderer Captain J. A. Fergusson.
==January 1918==
By 1918, HMS Agincourt had been transferred from the 1st Battle Squadron.
=Second World War=
==September 1939==
By this time the squadron was in the Home Fleet and consisted of:Orbat
- HMS Royal Oak Flagship of Rear Admiral Henry Blagrove; Captain W.G. Benn;
- HMS Royal Sovereign Captain L. V. Morgan;
- HMS Ramillies Captain H. T. Baillie-Grohman;
- {{HMS|Nelson|28|6}} Captain G. J. A. Miles;
- HMS Rodney Captain E. N. Syfret.
Admirals commanding
- Vice-Admiral Sir John Jellicoe (May–December 1912)
- Vice-Admiral Sir George Warrender (1912–15)
- Vice-Admiral Sir Martyn Jerram (1915–16)
- Vice-Admiral Sir John de Robeck (1916–19)
- Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Oliver (March–April 1919)
- Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur Leveson (1919–20)
- Vice-Admiral Sir William Nicholson (1920–21)
- Rear-Admiral Reginald Drax (1929–30)
- Rear-Admiral Charles Little (1930–31)
- Rear-Admiral Wilfred French (1931–32)
- Rear-Admiral Ragnar Colvin (1932–33)
- Rear-Admiral Max Horton (1933–35)
- Rear-Admiral Charles Ramsey (1935–37)
- Vice-Admiral Lachlan MacKinnon (1937–39)
- Rear-Admiral Lancelot Holland (January–September 1939)
- Rear-Admiral Henry Blagrove (September–October 1939)
- Vice-Admiral Sir Alban Curteis (1941–42)
- Vice-Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser (1942–43)
- Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Moore (1943–44)
Rear-Admirals Second-in-Command
- Rear-Admiral Herbert G. King-Hall, 29 March 1912 – 29 October 1912
- Rear-Admiral The Hon. Rosslyn E. Wemyss, 29 October 1912 – 28 October 1913
- Rear-Admiral Sir Robert K. Arbuthnot, Bart., 28 October 1913 – January 1915
- Rear-Admiral Arthur C. Leveson, 17 January 1915 – 4 December 1916
- Rear-Admiral Sir William E. Goodenough, 5 December 1916 – 31 March 1919
- Rear-Admiral Sir Douglas R. L. Nicholson, 1 April 1919 – 7 April 1919
- Rear-Admiral Lewis Clinton-Baker, 8 April 1919
- Rear-Admiral Edward B. Kiddle, 1 April 1920 – 8 April 1921
- Rear-Admiral Francis H. Mitchell, 5 May 1925 – 5 May 1926
- Rear-Admiral Charles J. C. Little, 26 April 1930 – 25 April 1931
- Rear-Admiral Lancelot E. Holland, 10 January 1939 – 25 August 1939
- Rear-Admiral Henry E. C. Blagrove, 25 August 1939 – 2 October 1939
References
{{Reflist}}
Sources
- {{cite book |last1=Dittmar |first1=Frederick J|last2=Colledge |first2=J J |title=British Warships 1914–1919|year=1972 |publisher=Ian Allan Publishing |location=London |isbn=978-0-7110-0380-4 |ref=Dittmar }}
- {{cite book |last1=MacIntyre |first1=Donald |title=Jutland |year=1957 |publisher=Evans Brothers |location=London |isbn=978-0-330-20142-1|ref=MacIntyre}}
- {{cite web |first=Leo |last=Niehorster |author2=Donald Kindell|author3=Mark E Horan |title=British and Dominion Royal Navies, Home Fleet order of battle 3 September 1939 |url=http://niehorster.org/017_britain/39_navy/home-fleet.html|publisher=World War II at Orbat.com |date=5 January 2001|access-date=14 July 2009|ref=Orbat}}
External links
- [http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Second_Battle_Squadron_(Royal_Navy) Second Battle Squadron at DreadnoughtProject.org]
{{Battle squadrons of the Royal Navy|state=collapsed}}
Category:Battle squadrons of the Royal Navy
Category:Ship squadrons of the Royal Navy in World War I
Category:Squadrons of the Royal Navy in World War II
Category:Military units and formations established in 1912
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1944