| Unit Name: | Battlecruiser Squadron |
| Dates: | 1919–1941 |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Allegiance: | British Empire |
| Branch: | Royal Navy |
| Type: | Naval squadron |
| Battles: | Battle of the Denmark Strait |
| Notable Commanders: | Lancelot E. Holland, CB |
The Battlecruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron of battlecruisers that saw service from 1919 to the early part of the Second World War. Its best-known constituent ship was HMS Hood, "The Mighty Hood", which was lost in the Battle of the Denmark Strait on 24 May 1941. Following the loss of HMS Repulse on 10 December 1941, Battlecruiser Squadron was disbanded. Its last surviving member, HMS Renown, survived World War II and was removed from service and scrapped in 1948.
During the First World War, the Royal Navy had initially maintained three squadrons of battlecruisers, until losses at the Battle of Jutland had reduced the number of available battlecruisers sufficiently to warrant a reduction to two squadrons. Following the War, battlecruiser numbers were again increased to three, with a fourth building.
In late 1919, the Battlecruiser Squadron was formed, consisting of HMS Tiger, flagship of Rear Admiral Sir Roger B. Keyes, KCB, KCVO, CMG, along with and HMS Repulse. HMS Tiger was removed from operational service with the commissioning of in May 1920, and relegated to a training role. HMS Hood then became the flagship of the Battlecruiser Squadron on 18 May 1920.
In 1923, HMS Hood and HMS Repulse, along with several smaller ships of the First Light Cruiser Squadron, formed part of the Special Service Squadron, under command of Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick Field.[1] The Squadron departed Devonport on 27 November 1923 and returned on 29 September 1924 after travelling around the world.
Hood was decommissioned for a major overhaul from May 1929 to May 1931. During this period, flagship duties were transferred to Renown, and Tiger was returned to active service, to maintain the three ship strength of the squadron. Following her recommissioning, Hood again became flagship of the squadron, and remained the flagship until her loss on 24 May 1941. Tiger was decommissioned on 30 March 1931 and scrapped shortly after.
HMS Hood was lost in action with the German battleship Bismarck at the Battle of Denmark Strait on 24 May 1941. HMS Repulse was sunk by Japanese aircraft off Kuantan, Malaya on 10 December 1941. With the loss of the Hood and later the Repulse, the squadron ceased to exist. HMS Renown survived the war and was scrapped in 1948.
Included:[2]
| +Rear-Admiral/Vice-Admiral Commanding, Battlecruiser Squadron | |||||
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Flagship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | Sir Roger Keyes | 8 April 1919 – 31 March 1921 | Tiger | |
| Hood | |||||
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | Sir Walter Cowan | 31 March 1921 – 15 May 1923 | Hood | |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | Sir Frederick Field | 5 May 1923 – 13 October 1924 | ||
| 4 | Vice-Admiral | Cyril Fuller | 30 April 1925 – 21 May 1927 | ||
| 5 | Vice-Admiral | Sir Frederic Dreyer | 21 May 1927 – 21 May 1929 | ||
| 6 | Vice-Admiral | Dudley Pound | 21 May 1929 – 24 April 1931 | Renown | |
| 7 | Vice-Admiral | Wilfred Tomkinson | 24 April 1931 – 15 August 1934 | Hood | |
| 8 | Vice-Admiral | Sir William James | 15 August 1932 – 14 August 1934 | ||
| 9 | Vice-Admiral | Sir Sidney Bailey | 14 August 1934 – 22 July 1936 | ||
| 10 | Vice-Admiral | Sir Geoffrey Blake | 22 July 1936 – 3 July 1937 | ||
| 11 | Vice-Admiral | Sir Andrew Cunningham | 3 July 1937 – 23 July 1938 | ||
| 12 | Rear-Admiral | Geoffrey Layton | 23 July 1938 – 1 June 1939 | ||
| 13 | Rear-Admiral | William Whitworth | 1 June 1939 – 11 March 1940 | ||
| 14 | Rear-Admiral | Sir James Somerville | 30 June - 10 August 1940 | ||
| 15 | Rear-Admiral | William Whitworth | 10 August 1940 – 8 May 1941 | ||
| 16 | Vice-Admiral | Lancelot Holland | 12–24 May 1941 |