2nd Battle Squadron

For the German counterpart during World War I, see II Battle Squadron.

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.

2nd Battle Squadron
2nd Battle Squadron in 1914
Active	1912–1944
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Size	Squadron
Engagements	Battle of Jutland

History

First World War

As an element in the Grand Fleet, the Squadron participated in the Battle of Jutland.^[1]

August 1914

On 5 August 1914, the squadron was constituted as follows:^[2]

• HMS King George V
• HMS Ajax
• HMS Audacious
• HMS Centurion
• HMS Conqueror
• HMS Monarch
• HMS Orion
• HMS Thunderer

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:^[1]

• 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:^[3]

• 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 Captain G. J. A. Miles;
• HMS Rodney Captain E. N. Syfret.

Admirals commanding

Commanders were as follows:^[4]

• 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

Post holders included:^[5]

• 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