List of task forces of the Royal Navy

This is a List of task forces of the Royal Navy a task force can be described as a temporary grouping of naval units under one commander, formed for the purpose of carrying out a specific operation or mission [1] they vary in size but usually comprise two or more task groups.

History

The concept of a naval task force is as old as navies the assembly of ships for naval operations was referred to as fleets, divisions, or on the smaller scale, squadrons, and flotillas. before World War II ships were collected into divisions derived from the Royal Navy's "division" of the line of battle in which one squadron usually remained under the direct command of the Admiral of the Fleet, one squadron was commanded by a Vice Admiral, and one by a Rear Admiral, each of the three squadrons flying different coloured flags, hence the terms flagship and flag officer. The flag of the Fleet Admiral's squadron was red, the Vice Admiral's was white and the Rear Admiral's blue. (The names "Vice" (possibly from advanced) and "Rear" might have derived from sailing positions within the line at the moment of engagement.) the term came into extensive use around the beginning in 1939, a task force can be assembled using ships from different divisions and squadrons, without requiring a formal and permanent fleet reorganization, and can be easily dissolved following completion of the operational task they can be formed by a sole navy or as part of a joint operation involving naval forces from more than one country.

Second World War

Earlier in the Second World War, the British Royal Navy had already devised its own system of Forces, they mainly assigned a letter occasionally a number.

Task Forces allocated by letter

Originally stationed at Malta took part in the Battle of Calabria [3] in 1940 it transferred Trincomalee and was a component of the (fast force) of the Eastern Fleet during the Indian Ocean raid April to May 1942.

Originally stationed at Malta, took part in the Battle of Calabria in 9 July 1940, took part in the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940, was involved in the First Battle of Sirte, 17 December 1941 it then moved to Trincomalee in March 1942 was a component (slow force) of the Eastern Fleet during the Indian Ocean raid April to May 1942.

Formed during the Battle of Calabria.

Stationed at Malta, took part in the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940.

Formed as part of a number of hunting task for groups 5 October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939 was stationed at Malta, took part in the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940.

Formed as part of a number of hunting task groups in 5 October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939.

Formed as part of a number of hunting task groups in 5 October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939 and part of the South America Division after which it was stationed at, Gibraltar, took part in Operation Catapult, 3 July 1940, took part in Operation Rheinübung 19 May - 15 June 1941, took part in Operation Harpoon, took part in Operation Husky, 9 July-17 August 1942, also involved in Operation Torch as a component of a larger task force, 8–16 November 1942 the force was disbanded in September 1943.

Stationed at Ceylon, formed as part of a number of hunting task groups in 5 October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939.

Covered North Atlantic, originally formed as part of a number of hunting task groups in 5 October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939.

Part of a number of hunting task groups in 5 October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939 based in Freetown it was then stationed at, Malta, took part in the Battle of the Tarigo Convoy, 16 April 1941, was involved in the First Battle of Sirte, 17 December 1941 then moved to Freetown in December 1941.

Stationed at, Freetown, was part part of a number of hunting task groups in 5 October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939, took part in the Battle of Dakar, 23–25 September 1940.

Formed at Freetown

A sub-component of a larger covering force escorting Convoy PQ 13 20 March - 1 April 1942 was involved in the Battle of Skerki Bank, 2 December 1942.

Formed at Murmansk and was involved at Battle of the Barents Sea and the Attack on Convoy JW 51B , 31 December 1942.

Originally formed at, Pernambuco-Dakar, transferred to the Mediterranean and took part in Operation Harpoon, 12–15 June 1942, also was involved in the Attack on Mers-el-Kébir , 3 July 1940.

Operational area was originally in the West Indies, was part part of a number of hunting task groups in 5 October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939, transferred to West Africa and was latter allocated to the French component force during the Battle of Dakar, 23–25 September 1940.

Stationed at Singapore, known for the destruction of its two capital ships in the Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse.

Task Forces allocated by number

Formed to deal with the Tirpitz Sortie against convoys PQ 12 and QP8, 6–13 March 1942.

Formed to deal with the Tirpitz Sortie against convoys PQ12 and QP8, 6–13 March 1942 .

Formed and took part in the Battle off Penang - the Battle of the Malacca Strait (Loss of IJN Haguro), 15 May 1945.[18]

Formed 13 May 1945 and took part in the Battle off Penang - the Battle of the Malacca Strait.[19]

Formed 13 May 1945 and took part in the Battle off Penang - the Battle of the Malacca Strait.[20]

Formed 13 May 1945 and took part in the Battle off Penang - the Battle of the Malacca Strait.[21]

Task Forces allocated by the U.S. Navy

Which was the composition of the British Pacific Fleet 23 March 1945.[22]

Formed to take part in the Carrier Raids on the Japanese Home Islands 24–28 July 1945.[23]

Joint allied command task forces

Main article: Joint Task Force

This was formed as part of the allied Normandy landings and was code named "Operation Neptune" this was the Royal Navy's largest ever naval force assembled for a specific operation it was part two enormous naval forces that took part in the operation and was a component part of the Allied expeditionary force June 6, 1944.

This was formed as part of the allied Normandy landings and was code named "Operation Neptune" this was the Royal Navy's largest ever naval force assembled for a specific operation it was part two enormous naval forces that took part in the operation and was a component part of the Allied expeditionary force June 6, 1944.

This was 52 ships that took part in the Battle of Anzio, 22 January 1944; part of the larger Allied amphibious landing known as Operation Shingle.

Post second world war

Main article: Joint Task Force

During the Falklands War in 1982 Royal Navy assembled a Task Force to achieve sea and air supremacy in the Total Exclusion Zone, before the amphibious forces arrived. CINCFLEET commanded Task Force 317, the allocated number for the operation.

References

  1. ↑ "Origin of task force". dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Dictionary, Random House, Inc. 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  2. ↑ Brown, David; Titterton, G. A. (2013). The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean: Vol.II: November 1940-December 1941. Routledge. pp. 12–29. ISBN 9781136341274.
  3. ↑ Rohwer, [by] J.; Masters, G. Hümmelchen. Translated from the German by Derek (1974). Chronology of the war at sea, 1939-1945 (English ed. ed.). New York: Arco. ISBN 0668033088.
  4. ↑ Brown, David; Titterton, G. A. (2013). The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean: Vol.II: November 1940-December 1941. Routledge. pp. 12–29. ISBN 9781136341274.
  5. ↑ Brown, David; Titterton, G. A. (2013). The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean: Vol.II: November 1940-December 1941. Routledge. pp. 12–29. ISBN 9781136341274.
  6. ↑ Brown, David; Titterton, G. A. (2013). The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean: Vol.II: November 1940-December 1941. Routledge. pp. 12–29. ISBN 9781136341274.
  7. ↑ Brown, David; Titterton, G. A. (2013). The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean: Vol.II: November 1940-December 1941. Routledge. pp. 12–29. ISBN 9781136341274.
  8. ↑ Redford, Duncan (2014). World War II. London: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd. p. 15. ISBN 9781780765464.
  9. ↑ Brown, J. D. (2009). Carrier Operations in World War II. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. p. 52. ISBN 9781848320420.
  10. ↑ Redford, Duncan (2014). World War II. London: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd. p. 15. ISBN 9781780765464.
  11. ↑ Redford, Duncan (2014). World War II. London: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd. p. 157. ISBN 9781780765464.
  12. ↑ Smith, Peter C. (2008). The Great Ships: British Battleships in World War II. Stackpole Books. p. 151. ISBN 9780811749350.
  13. ↑ Morison, Samuel Eliot (2002). History of United States naval operations in World War II. Urbana: Univ. of Illinois Press. p. 167. ISBN 9780252070396.
  14. ↑ Husen, editor, David T. Zabecki ; assistant editors, Carl O. Schuster, Paul J. Rose, William H. Van (1999). World War II in Europe : an encyclopedia. New York: Garland Pub. pp. 1381–1382. ISBN 9780824070298.
  15. ↑ Tucker, Spencer C. (2012). World War II at sea an encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, LLC. p. 341. ISBN 9781598844580.
  16. ↑ Smith, Donald A. Bertke ; Don Kindell ; Gordon (2009). World War II sea war. (1. ed. ed.). Dayton, Ohio: Bertke Publ. p. 288. ISBN 9781937470012.
  17. ↑ Redford, Duncan (2014). A History of the Royal Navy: World War II. London: I.B.Tauris. p. 181. ISBN 9781780765464.
  18. ↑ Mountbatten, John Winton ; with a foreword by Earl (1978). Sink the Haguro! : the last destroyer action of the Second World War. London: Seeley, Service. p. 28. ISBN 0854221522.
  19. ↑ Mountbatten, John Winton ; with a foreword by Earl (1978). Sink the Haguro! : the last destroyer action of the Second World War. London: Seeley, Service. p. 28. ISBN 0854221522.
  20. ↑ Mountbatten, John Winton ; with a foreword by Earl (1978). Sink the Haguro! : the last destroyer action of the Second World War. London: Seeley, Service. p. 28. ISBN 0854221522.
  21. ↑ Mountbatten, John Winton ; with a foreword by Earl (1978). Sink the Haguro! : the last destroyer action of the Second World War. London: Seeley, Service. p. 28. ISBN 0854221522.
  22. ↑ Hobbs, David (2011). The British Pacific Fleet : the Royal Navy's most powerful strike force. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1591140447.
  23. ↑ Brown, David (1974). Carrier operations in World War II (Revised ed. ed.). London: Allan. ISBN 0711005125.
  24. ↑ Bruce, Anthony; Cogar, William (2014). Encyclopedia of Naval History. Hoboken: Routledge. p. 337. ISBN 9781135935344.
  25. ↑ Bruce, Anthony; Cogar, William (2014). Encyclopedia of Naval History. Hoboken: Routledge. p. 337. ISBN 9781135935344.
  26. ↑ Evans, Bryn (2014). The Decisive Campaigns of the Desert Air Force 1942-1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. p. 53. ISBN 9781783462605.
  27. ↑ Evans, Bryn (2014). The Decisive Campaigns of the Desert Air Force 1942-1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. p. 53. ISBN 9781783462605.
  28. ↑ Evans, Bryn (2014). The Decisive Campaigns of the Desert Air Force 1942-1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. p. 53. ISBN 9781783462605.
  29. ↑ Anzio: The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II. Government Printing Office. 1994. p. 9. ISBN 9780160882593.

Sources

External links

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