User talk:Inspeximus/Dover Patrol

The Dover Patrol or Dover Force was the name given to a Royal Navy command based at Dover that was responsible for controlling the Straights of Dover during the First World War. At its peak it comprised some 400 warships and merchant ships, of 24 different types, including vessels of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla. Memorials to those who lost their lives in the service of the Dover Patrol stand on the white cliffs of Dover above St Margaret's Bay, at Cap Griz Nez in France, and at Fort Hamilton, overlooking New York harbour.

Operations

At outbreak of WW1, a unit known as the “Dover Flotilla” under Rear-Admiral George A. Ballard, part of East Coast Command, was based at Harwich. Its chief function was to prevent German ships breaking out of the North Sea and going down the English Channel. All German homeward bound and neutral ships were to be intercepted and examined. To enforce this action the Channel was mined except for a small corridor near French coast from Calais to Dunkirk. Vol I Chapter I p48

After German advance on Paris late in 1914, it was important to protect transports and troopships from submarine threat. so the Dover Patrol was made separate command under Rear-Admiral Honourable Horace Hood. Its composition and role was enhanced to include drifters to lay drift-nets to entanlge submarines and trawlers for mine sweeping & traffic regulation. The examination services were now based at Ramsgate, while armed drifters were used for defending the Downs against submarines.Vol I Chapter I p49

During the critical period from 18th October to 7th November 1914, the major function of the force was to counteract the threat by the advancing German forces to seize the Belgain and French Channel ports. Vol II Appendix I p611

Early in 1915 Admiral Sir Rginald Bacon was appointed by the First Sea Lord, Winston Churchill to replace Hood. Vol I Chapter I p52 From April 1915 to August 1915, the Patrol made provision for laying drift nets and planned and prepared for checking adance of Germans along the French coast by means of long range bombardment. The force was significantly augmented when 12 inch monitor ships began to arrive. Vol I Chapter I p53 From August 1915 to March 1916 the force bombarded coatals ports and completed laying more mine barrages to replace drift nets. Vol I Chapter I p53

In the pediod April 1916 to October 1916 a barrage was laid off the Belgian coast to prevent German mine laying, and one 12 inch and four 9.2 inch guns were landed on the French coast. Vol I Chapter I p54

During the winter months from October 1916 to March 1917 the Belgain coast blockade was lifted due to the severer weather, but more big guns were landed. This time saw the beginning of German ddestroyer raids, so a net barrage was laid from the Goodwins to Ostend. Vol I Chapter I p54

In the final phase of Bacon's time as Commander, March 1917 to Januuary 1918, preparations were made for Great Landing on Belgian Coast (operation Hush) that was abandoned in October 1917 due to lack of progress at Passchendaele Ridge. A second barrage was laid off the Belgain Coast and anti-submarine mines were laid from Folkestone to Gris Nez. The important Belgian ports of Zeebrugge and Ostend were bombarded. Vol I Chapter I p55

Vessels

In addition to the 6th Destroyer Flotilla based in Dover, Vol I Chapter I p56 the Dover Patrol was made up of 400 vessels of 24 distinct classes including:1 12-inch battle-ship, 4 15-inch monitors, 6 12-inch monitors (with extra 18 inch guns that fired 23 miles), 6 9.2 inch monitors (where the single gun was replaced with a 7.5 or 6 inch gun), 2 light cruisers, 1 gunboat, 2 flotilla leaders. 6th Flotilla 6 Tribals destroyers with 4 inch guns and 6 with 12 pounders, 12 "30-knotters", "P." boats, Kite-balloon ships, Motor Launches, mine-sweepers (trawlers & paddle vessels), mine-sweepers of the Tunnel or Dance class, drifters, Coastal Motor-boats, C-class submarines, seaplane carriers, yatchs, steamers & tugs for boarding, and 1 airship. Vol I Chapter II p59-77

Achievements

Sir Regionald Bacon, the force commander from April 1915 until January 1918 made these claims for the detailed achivements of the Dover Patrol in the field of transport protection during the first three complete years of the war: 120,000 steam merchant vessels passed through the Downs during 1915, 1916 and 1917 of which 50 were mined, 14 lost to gunfire, collision, accident or torpedo – 11 of these in 1917. Total losses break down as 14 of 40,000 in 1915, 29 of 36,000 in 1916 and 21 of 32,000 in 1917 of which 5 were torpedoed. Patrol vessels lost totalled: 8 in 1915 (all mined), 23 in 1916 and 13 in 1917. Vol I Chapter XI p347

80 mine fields were reported, discovered and avoided, 5,614,500 troops and 9.5 million mail bags were transported across the Channel without loss. There were 14,800 stores, troop and ambulance transport arrivals and departures. 810,000 sick & wounded soldiers were disembarked, and an additionla 198,000 troops embarked or disembarked. The only transport casualty was the mining of the Anglia while under Red Cross protection. Throughout the year 1917 only 15 of 700 Folkestone-Bolougne sailings for soldiers going on leave were missed. Vol I Chapter XI p360.

Commanders

The pre-cursor to the Dover Patrol, known as the Dover Flotilla was commanded by Rear-Admiral George A. Ballard in 1914.

Ballard was replaced and the Dover Patrol became a separate command under Rear-Admiral the Honourable Horace Hood at the end of 1914.Vol I Chapter I p49

In April 1915 Admiral Sir Rginald Bacon was appointed by First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill to replace Hood. Vol I Chapter I p52

At the end of December1917 Bacon was replaced by Rear-Admiral Roger Keyes, then President of the Operations Committee, by order of the First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Eric Campbell Geddes. Vol i Preface pxii.