British Adriatic Squadron Explained

Unit Name:	Adriatic Squadron
Dates:	1915-1919
Country:	United Kingdom
Allegiance:	British Empire
Branch:	Royal Navy
Type:	Squadron
Command Structure:	Mediterranean Fleet (1915-1919)
Garrison:	Taranto
Notable Commanders:	Rear-Admiral Sir Cecil F. Thursby

The British Adriatic Squadron, or simply the Adriatic Squadron and later known as the British Adriatic Force, was a military formation of the Mediterranean Fleet during World War I based at Taranto from 1915–19.

History

In May 1915 Italy entered the war aligning itself with allied powers against the Central Powers, becoming involved in the Adriatic Campaign of World War I. But due to a lack of coordination with the French Naval Command by the Italians, the British decided to enforce an allied agreement by establishing a British Adriatic Squadron to be based at Taranto.^[1] Between July and September 1917 the Mediterranean Fleet was reorganised following coordination between other allied powers. Britain's scope of geographic responsibility to include new sub commands would encompass the Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea, Coast of Egypt, Gibraltar and the waters around Malta.^[2] Following command changes in August 1917 the squadron was downgraded and renamed the British Adriatic Force.^[3]

Commanders

Post holders included:^[4]

Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Title	Notes/Ref
Rear Admiral			June, 1915 – May, 1916	Rear-Admiral Commanding, British Adriatic Squadron	^[5]
Rear Admiral			May, 1916 – August, 1917	Rear-Admiral Commanding, British Adriatic Squadron
Rear Admiral			May, 1916 – August, 1917	Rear-Admiral Commanding, British Adriatic Squadron
Commodore			August 1917 – 1919	Commodore Commanding, British Adriatic Force	^[6] ^[7]

External links

• DreadnoughtProject.org page on the formation

Sources

• Halpern, Paul G. (2004). The Battle of the Otranto Straits: Controlling the Gateway to the Adriatic in World War I. Bloomington, Indiana USA: Indiana University Press. .
• Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (2015). "Adriatic Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell.
• Marder, Arthur J. (2014). "2:Offensive in the Adriatic". From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow[electronic resource] (revised ed.). Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. .
• Sondhaus, Lawrence (2014). The Great War at Sea: A Naval History of the First World War. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. .
• Watson, Dr Graham (2015). "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, World War One 1914-1918:THE MEDITERRANEAN". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.

Notes and References

1. Book: Sondhaus . Lawrence . The Great War at Sea: A Naval History of the First World War . 2014 . Cambridge University Press . Cambridge, England . 9781107036901 . 268 . en.
2. Web site: Watson . Graham . Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment, World War One 1914-1918:THE MEDITERRANEAN . www.naval-history.net . Gordon Smith . 29 September 2018 . 27 October 2015.
3. Book: Sondhaus . Lawrence . The Great War at Sea: A Naval History of the First World War . 2014 . Cambridge University Press . Cambridge, England . 9781107036901 . 268 . en.
4. Web site: Harley . Simon . Lovell . Tony . Adriatic Squadron (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project . www.dreadnoughtproject.org . Harley and Lovell . 29 September 2018 . en . 3 November 2015.
5. Book: Halpern . Paul G. . The Battle of the Otranto Straits: Controlling the Gateway to the Adriatic in World War I . 2004 . Indiana University Press . Bloomington, Indiana USA . 025311019X . 163 . en.
6. Book: Sondhaus . Lawrence . The Great War at Sea: A Naval History of the First World War . 2014 . Cambridge University Press . Cambridge, England . 9781107036901 . 268. en.
7. Book: Marder . Arthur J. . From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow[electronic resource]. . 2014 . Seaforth Publishing . Barnsley, England . 978-1473841888 . revised . 2:Offensive in the Adriatic.