8th Battle Squadron

{{Short description|Pre-dreadnought battleship formation of the Royal Navy}}

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name= 8th Battle Squadron

|image=Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg

|image_size=150px

|caption=White Ensign

|dates= 1912–1914

|country= {{flag|United Kingdom}}

|allegiance=

|branch= {{navy|United Kingdom}}

|type= Squadron

|role=

|size=

|command_structure= Third Fleet

|garrison=

|garrison_label=

|nickname=

|patron=

|motto=

|colors=

|colors_label=

|march=

|mascot=

|equipment=Pre-dreadnought battleship

|equipment_label=

|battles=

|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=

}}

File:HMS Albion (1898).jpg

The 8th Battle Squadron was a squadron of the British Royal Navy assembled prior to the beginning of World War I;{{cite web|last1=Harley|first1=Simon|last2=Lovell|first2=Tony|title=Eighth Battle Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project|url=http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Eighth_Battle_Squadron_(Royal_Navy)|website=www.dreadnoughtproject.org|publisher=Harley & Lovell, 10 November 2016|access-date=27 December 2017|language=en}} it was later assigned to the Third Fleet. The squadron consisted of pre-dreadnought type battleships.{{cite web|last1=Gordon|first1=Smith|title=Royal Navy ship dispositions 1914-1918: THE GRAND FLEET, 1914-1916 by Admiral Viscount Jellicoe|url=http://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishShips-Locations5Contemp.htm|website=www.naval-history.net|publisher=Gordon Smith, 6 January 2015|access-date=27 December 2017}} It existed from 1912 to 1914.

The squadron was established in December 1912. In December 1913 it was assigned to the Third Fleet {{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Gordon|title=Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1900-1914|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGW-RNOrganisation1900-14.htm|website=www.naval-history.net|publisher=Gordon Smith|access-date=8 October 2019}} and in August 1914 it was based at HMNB Devonport.Harley & Lovell, 2016 The Third Fleet included the 7th and 8th Battle Squadrons, and consisted of the Royal Navy's oldest battleships and cruisers.Smith, 2015