| Unit Name: | Battle Cruiser Fleet |
| Dates: | 1915–1919 |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Allegiance: | British Empire |
| Branch: | Royal Navy |
| Type: | Fleet |
| Battles: | Battle of Jutland |
The Battle Cruiser Fleet, (BCF),[1] later known as Battle Cruiser Force, a naval formation of fast battlecruisers of the Royal Navy, operated from 1915 to 1919.
The Fleet was formed on 11 February 1915 when the Admiralty ordered the deployment of its faster Battlecruiser squadrons to the Rosyth Command[2] and grouped them together as the new Battle Cruiser Fleet.[3] The name 'Fleet' remained until 1916 although it was officially subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief, Grand Fleet.[4] The fleet initially contained the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battlecruiser Squadrons but this was reduced to the 1st and 2nd BC Squadrons in June 1916. It also included two light cruiser squadrons and two destroyer flotillas, in addition the new 5th Battle Squadron that included the new fast Queen Elizabeth-class battleships operated with the fleet. On 29 November 1916 it was renamed Battle Cruiser Force. The force was disbanded in April 1919.[5]
Post holders included:[6] [7] [8]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vice-Admiral Commanding, Battle Cruiser Fleet/Force | |||||
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | 8 February 1915 | (acting V.Adm) [9] | ||
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Sir William C. Pakenham | 29 November 1916 | ||
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | Sir Henry F. Oliver | 28 February 1919 – 21 March 1919 | (temporary Cdg) [10] | |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral | Sir Roger J. B. Keyes | 21 March 1919 – 7 April 1919 | (acting V.Adm) [11] | |
Post holders included:[12]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of Staff, Battle Cruiser Fleet/Force | |||||
| 1 | Captain | Rudolf W. Bentinck | February 1915-June 1916 | ||
| 2 | Captain | the Hon. Hubert G. Brand | June–December 1916 | ||
| 3 | Captain | Edward H. Heaton-Ellis | December 1916-August 1917 | ||
| 4 | Captain | Hugh F. P. Sinclair | August 1917-December 1918 | ||
| 5 | Captain | William H.D. Boyle | December 1918-March 1919 | ||
| Unit | Elements | Notes [15] | |
| Main components at various times attached to BCF from 8 February 1915 to 4 April 1919 | |||
| 1 | 1st Battlecruiser Squadron | 4/5 Battle Cruisers [16] | |
| 2 | 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron | 3/4 Battle Cruisers [17] | |
| 3 | 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron | 3/4 Battle Cruisers [18] | detached 05/1916 [19] |
| 4 | 5th Battle Squadron | 5 fast battleships | special unit of fast battleships operating with BCF [20] |
| 5 | 1st Cruiser Squadron | 4 cruisers | attached 02/1915 - 06/1916 [21] |
| 6 | 2nd Cruiser Squadron | 4 cruisers | attached 02-1915 - 06/1916 [22] |
| 7 | 3rd Cruiser Squadron | 3/4 cruisers | attached 02-1915 - 09/1916 [23] |
| 8 | 6th Cruiser Squadron | 4/5 cruisers | attached 02/1915 - 10/1917 [24] |
| 9 | 7th Cruiser Squadron | 4/5 cruisers | attached 02/1915 - 05/1916 [25] |
| 10 | 1st Light Cruiser Squadron | 11 Town-class[26] | from 02/1915 to 09/1918 |
| 11 | 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron | 10 Town-class replaced by C Class[27] | from 02/1915 to 05/1918 [28] |
| 12 | 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron | from 02/1915 to 05/1918 [29] | |
| 13 | 4th Light Cruiser Squadron | from 06/1915 to 1919 [30] | |
| 14 | 6th Light Cruiser Squadron | 5 C-class cruisers | from 07/1917 to 1919 [31] |
| 15 | 7th Light Cruiser Squadron | 6 Arethusa-class cruisers/ C-class cruisers | from 03/1918 to 11/1918 [32] |
| 16 | 1st Destroyer Flotilla | 1 Cruiser (L) 20 destroyers | from the Harwich Force - 02/1915 to 11/1916 detached to Nore Command[33] |
| 17 | 2nd Destroyer Flotilla | 1 Cruiser (L) 18/22 destroyers | ditto from 02/1915 to 04/1916 detached to Devonport[34] |
| 18 | 3rd Destroyer Flotilla | 14 destroyers | from the Harwich Force, 02/1918 to 1918 [35] |
| 19 | 4th Destroyer Flotilla | 1 cruiser (FS) 2/3 cruiser (L) 20 destroyers | from 02/1915 to 09/1916 detached to Humber [36] |
| 20 | 9th Destroyer Flotilla | 22 L Class[37] | from 02/1915 [38] |
| 21 | 11th Destroyer Flotilla | 1/2 cruiser (L) 25 destroyers | formed 09/1915 [39] |
| 22 | 12th Destroyer Flotilla | 1/2 cruiser (L) 25 destroyers | formed 11/1915 [40] |
| 23 | 13th Destroyer Flotilla | 4 M Class, 10 R Class, 26 V & W Class[41] | |
| 24 | 14th Destroyer Flotilla | 2 cruiser (L) 32 destroyers | formed 08/1916 [42] |
| 25 | 15th Destroyer Flotilla | 2 cruiser (L) 22 destroyers | formed 09/1916 [43] |
| 26 | 20th Destroyer Flotilla | 2 cruiser (L) 12 destroyers | formed 1918 initially a mine laying flotilla [44] |
| 27 | Scapa Local Flotilla | 8 destroyers | formed 1918 |
| 28 | 1st Minesweeper Flotilla | 12 minesweepers | formed 1915 [45] |
| 29 | 2nd Minesweeper Flotilla | 6 minesweepers | formed 1916 [46] |
| 30 | 3rd Minesweeper Flotilla | 14 minesweepers | formed 1918 [47] |
| The Fleet/Force consisted of approximately 250-300 ships[48] |