History of the British navy

Origins

Alfred Large the is regarded traditionally as the founding father of the English navy. In 897, it has a certain number of ships with sixty oars, which it uses to counter the Raid S, against the southern part of the England. However, the raids of the beginning of the 11th century, just as the unloading of Knut Large the do not seem to have met any opposition navale.
At the time of the invasion of William the Conqueror, Harold Godwinson had some ships which patrolled around the island of Wight, but these ships sailed into the harbor three weeks before the unloading. Thereafter, the possessions located in France regularly requiring a fleet of transport, even of combat, it was required Confédération of the five ports, which it provides a total of 57 ships with a crew of 21 sailors each one.

At the beginning of the 13th century, William de Wrotham order a force of galères used against Philippe Auguste. In 1212, there would have existed with Portsmouth, with ten ships whose flagship Dieulabeni and transport of horses Portjoy , these boats carry out a raid against the Flanders Occidentale, under the command of Earl off Salisbury, burning several French ships. Later in the century, of the ships are mentioned like having supported several military campaigns, as the capture of the island of Anglesey by Luke of Tony and the attempt at Blocus against the Scotland of Edouard I, for which this last orders in other, twenty galères of one hundred twenty oars, in 1294. In 1297, it names William de Leyburn, “Admiral off the sea off the King off England” (admiral of the sea of the king of England).
At the time of the War One hundred Year old, many raids are carried out through the Manche, without opposition, most of the time because of absence of fast communications of the time. The June 24th 1340, with the Battle of the Lock, a fleet of approximately 250 ships, mainly of the requisitioned merchants, ordered by Edouard III in person, destroys the fleet of Philippe VI of Valois to the anchor in the Estuaire of the Zwin, thus acquiring the control of the Mer. Thereafter, it confirms, the August 27th 1350, with the head of fifty ships to the Bataille of the Spaniards on sea. At that time is created the function of clerk of the royal ships , which is mentioned in 1344, to the head of thirty four ships. However, under Richard II, the English fleet does not disperse, the merchants rebelling against the requisitions starting from 1370, leaving to the king only four ships, Henri IV by having any more but two in 1409.
Henri V, rebuilt his navy, in particular while launching some large ships, such as for example, Gracedieu of 1400 ton S and gains several naval battles against the France, until in 1417. It is again necessary to await 1480, to see reappearing an important navy with ships armed with guns, like the Regent of 1487 and its 225 Couleuvrine S.

The permanent Fleet

The first permanent fleet is born with the Navy Royal , formed by the king Henry VIII, then anxious of the growing naval power of the Scotland of Jacques IV, then combined France, which had inter alia the large vessel Great Michael. The English fleet counts with dead of Henry VIII, in 1547, 58 vessels whose that of high edge, the Mary Pink and of many Galéasse S. These boats were partly financed by the resources recovered at the time of the Dissolution of the monasteries. To manage the required infrastructures, in 1546, it had founded the council of the navy which took later, the name of Navy Board , charged with managing the daily administration of the marine.

In 1558, when it goes up on the throne, Elisabeth Ire finds a fleet decreased by 27 vessels. Rather than to rebuild a royal fleet, it rests on private initiative, in fact the Piraterie, to carry out the fight against the Spanish maritime empire in the Atlantique. Are distinguished there particularly, John Hawkins and Francis Drake. At that time, the distribution of the marine in three squadrons appears which are classified by the color of their Enseigne, that is to say in red, white and blue decreasing order.

In 1588, Spain sends its Invincible Armada to cover the passage of its army of the Netherlands through the Manche, to finish some with the England. The private pirates and the royal marine mobilize themselves then and succeed in pushing back the armada and thus the invasion. It is the first great victory of the English fleet.

Under Jacques Ier, the fleet evolves/moves little, but the successor of Jacques Ier, Charles Ier revival naval construction, and in 1633, fifty vessels royal is available. This figure falls then to forty two in 1642, following cash shortage of the kingdom.

With the bursting of the English civil war, the fleet of thirty five ships, lines up as regards Parliament and increases then very quickly until arriving to a hundred and two buildings in 1652. The tactics and the armament evolve/move and the combat in Ligne of file, which is then divided into three parts or Escadron S , respectively ordered by a Admiral, a Vice-amiral and a Rear-admiral, is introduced. At the time of the War of Holland, under the command of admirals such as Robert Blake, it appears a splendid combat tool. When Charles II assembles on the throne in 1660, manpower is of 154 vessels. The king changes the name of the fleet into Royal Navy and indicates Samuel Pepys with the head of Navy Board, where it organizes the creation of the admiralty. Follow two wars against Holland in 1664 and 1674, Pepys is finally isolated in 1688, at the time of the deposition of Jacques II.

Obtaining supremacy

A series of almost uninterrupted conflicts, opposing the France to the the United Kingdom, began then, it was to be completed only in 1815, British Isles, were favoured in this fight because it could concentrate on obtaining the naval superiority without too much being concerned with defend oneself against a terrestrial invader, which was never the case of their ennemi.
During this period, the naval victories against France were thus numerous: Despite everything France was not completely remains about it thanks to the victory against the fleet anglo-Dutchwoman in Pevensay or Béveziers (in French) in, the victory in the Guerre of American independence, at the end of the 18th century and a war of race carried out by Corsaire S. In same time, the remainders of the Spanish naval empire remained an objective of choice for the Great Britain, amongst other things:
  • the capture of the base of Gibraltar by the admiral Rooke, where one saw the first use of the Infanterie of elite that are the Royal Navy.
  • the cruising of the admiral Anson, against the Spanish trade in 1739
  • victories of Holy Vincent and Trafalgar in 1797 and 1805, by Horatio Nelson.

The result of these confrontations spread out over more than one hundred years is a superiority of the undeniable United Kingdom on sea, that all its rivals are in the incapacity to dispute to him. The United Kingdom can then establish with leaving the Napoleonean wars , its Pax Britannica on its gigantic colonial empire.

The Supremacy of the era Victorienne (1815-1895)

Although this forced peace is not free from movement, Royal Navy has during this period such an advantage, as well numerical as qualitative, than it cannot know and does not know any more a defeat on sea. Its last defeats go back to the Guerre of 1812, against the E. - U., and still they related to only individual meetings of frigates. The first new defeat will intervene only on November 1st 1914 with Coronel. It does not remain inactive for as much because of many actions follow one another: But it remains able to outclass all that is opposite for him. To arrive there, it remains with the point of all that new technologies of the Industrial revolution, bring to the naval war:
  • the propulsion with vapor in which it launches out as of 1821 by equipping Makes it. The frigates and Vaisseau X propelled by paddle wheels are built in great number between 1830 and 1840, date on which the propeller succeeding the paddle wheel, of new constructions or conversions are undertaken. Royal Navy was also the first navy of the world to completely give up the sail on a large building with the battleship Devastation in 1882.
  • shielding of the hulls, where although preceded by the French navy, it launches out as of 1860, by quickly producing more Cuirassé S, that all the joined together navy.
  • the artillery where these guns in particular those of the Amstrong factory, among most powerful are built.
  • iron construction of the ships, in which it launches out after some hesitations, as of 1860.

It should be noted that this control of the sea becomes during this period, vital for the the United Kingdom, because the saving in this one so much specialized at the time of the Industrial revolution that the subsistence even of the British population depends on the food Importation S.

In 1864, a reform intervenes which removes the traditional organization in squadron of color, the white sign then becomes the only one of Royal Navy, it red is allotted to the marine of trade and the blue one with the reserve and the auxiliaries.

The Decline (1895-1945)

The emergence of the marines of the Germany, the E. - U. and of the Japan, accompanied by the Franco-Russian Alliance threat again the position of Royal Navy, like mistress of the seas. Moreover, of new inventions, like the Torpedo and the Underwater , calls into question the supremacy of the Cuirassé which is the base of the British naval power. This one then will react by completely reconsidering its strategy and its naval tactic, under the impulse of men like John Arbuthnot Fisher and Winston Churchill.

It redefines the Cuirassé, with the launching of the Dreadnought, opening the era of the building monocalibre. It revolutionizes the world of the Croiseur S, with the appearance of its cruisers of battle and its cruisers light. With these new ships new tactics appear, privileging the combat at unknown distances until there. It results from this also a strategy which it will apply during the First World War, distant blockade .

The performances with the combat of the British fleet are far from to have been excellent, it has even known defeats and failed not to be able to continue the supply of its metropolis. Admiralty and in particular the admiral Jelicoe were long in adopting the parade of the convoys against the underwater war without restriction imposed by German Reich, because they were obnubilated by the prospect for a major confrontation of surface against the Kaiserliche Marine and hesitated to divert their reserves to form escorts. When the confrontation occurred between the two fleets with the Jutland in 1916, the result was disappointing, the Germans succeeding in escaping annihilation. On the other hand the blockade resulting from the action of the German Sous-marin S at the time of the first battle of the Atlantic failed well to strangle the British economy by depriving it of its supply raw materials and to force the population of British Isles to the Famine, only the American intervention made it possible after their entry in war to rectify the situation. Another disappointment was the failure of the operations at the time of the Bataille of Dardanelles, mainly ascribable with the errors and tergiversations of the British command. Besides this defeat failed to put a final point at the career of Winston Churchill. In a general way, admiralty missed initiative and of obsolete inventiveness to use its great superiority numerical in Cuirassé S, by using those for operations against the coasts or the ports of Germany, with the example of what was tried against the port of Zeebruge and Ostend, at the end of the war. Strategically, on the other hand, distant blockade with functioned good; the fleet of German surface remained is reduced to the inaction which led it with the mutiny and thereafter with rendering and scuttling, it forever been able to threaten the British trade directly, after the crushing of the fleet of the admiral Von Spee.

Even if it gains the victory in 1918, Royal Navy although still very powerful, could not carry the decision alone, including on sea. The supplement of the US Navy and the navy French and Japan ease was far from being negligible, in particular in the anti-submarine Lutte to solve the problem arising from the German U-Boot S along the transportation routes, British manpower appearing definitely insufficient for this role. Moreover the superiority of the British buildings was far from being obvious, including during major engagements of surface.

During the inter-war period, Royal Navy preserved its place of first naval power in spite of a very fast disarmament (the expenditure for the navy passes from 334 million Pound sterling during 1918-1919 to 92 million during the Financial year 1920/1921), perhaps mainly thanks to the Traité of Washington, which solidified the situation in the state because its economy was, with leaving the war, in lose speed. The only operations which took place during this period, were the intervention with the profit of the white armies during the Russian Civil war. The medium of the Années 1930 and the emergence of the totalitarian nations, awoke the arms race naval, the the United Kingdom had to follow and it started again to build new buildings and to modernize the old ones, even if the rate/rhythm were less constant than before.

The results of the fleet during the second conflagration world were in general good, surely better than during the first. The fleet could rather quickly adapt to the technical evolution, in particular at the rise to power of aviation. The underwater danger was particularly well regulated at the time of the second battle of the Atlantic, especially considering the increase in the threat because of capture of bases on the Atlantic coast by the German forces and in the performance of the new submarines, but the gaining tactics being known, the system of the convoys, the only problem were to put on line sufficient escort ships, and there still the British could innovate with the development of the corvette S then frigates and Porte-avions of escort, specialized in this role with the important assistance of the industry of the United States which provided 39 small aircraft carriers, more than 100 frigates and majority of the Air and sea and it quasi totality of the Building of unloading as that of the Canada which delivered 200 escort ships. In the Mediterranean, Royal Navy, rather easily the ascending one on the Italian marine took, in spite of the disappearance of the French National marine and could create the conditions of victory on the North-African face while cutting any supply with the troops of the Axis. The only great difficulties were encountered against the Japan board, mainly because of length of the lines of communication and the secondary aspect of the theater of operation. The losses were heavy all the same with 605 ships of all categories during this war

But in 1945, the fleet had to go obviously, it was relegated to the row of shining second in front of the numerical and technical superiority of the ships of US Navy. Its fleet of linerships is in clear reduction; it became primarily a force of anti-submarine Lutte and the disastrous situation of the economy of the United Kingdom combined with the ageing of the equipment Industrie Lr makes that it does not lay out any more of the economic support which constituted the base of its power of formerly

Post-war period at our days

At the time of the conflict, Royal Navy yielded finally its first rank to the profit of the US Navy, supported by an economy differently more powerful and dynamic. The latter had from now on such an at least numerical advantage which it found in the same position as the British fleet at the previous century. Its fleet of giant Aircraft carriers, in particular, gave him the possibility of controlling the seas of the sphere, while counting on its only forces. During the War of Korea, the British navy could play only the part of auxiliary of the American fleet of the Pacific.

The Crisis of Suez Canal in 1956, military but demolished victory political major showing the weakening of the the United Kingdom over the international scene decided the government to give up the ambition of a powerful fleet and led to Draconian cuts in its rows.

Royal Navy was still going to lose a row with the appearance of a news and powerful fleet of ultramodern buildings, the Soviet Marine, intended to counter the any American power on sea. The navy created by the admiral Serge Gorchkov, succeeds in competing in a few years, with the marine of the the United States, by aligning a very great number of Sous-marin S, Croiseur S and Destroyer S, on the other hand it could never threaten the air and sea advantage of the Westerners.

The political decision made at the end them years 1960 to give up the conventional Aircraft carriers to focus on the Underwater S launchers of ballistic missile, further decreased the capacities of the fleet of surface of the Royal Navy and forced it not to more plan to fight apart from a combined operation of NATO.

However, the only occasion for the British navy, to fight during this time, intervened with the Guerre of the Falklands against the Argentine, in 1982, which was an only national operation. This then did not cause badly difficulties and forced Royal Navy with some improvisations, but it then proved there the clear superiority of its professional sailors, and his traditional capacity to operate extremely far from its bases, in spite of the loss of 4 ships.

After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the oversize fleet of this country, rather traditionally terrestrial and in prey with financial problems, implosa, its boats falling for much in ruin. The Royal Navy then took again its statute of second naval force in the world, which it still currently occupies, in spite of the competition of the other European and Asian navy.

Its ships brought a support as a basis fire and were used of departure for the operation of the Royal Navy at the time of the war of Kuwait in 1991 and of Iraq of 2003, and contributed in an important way to the fleet deployed at the time of these interventions.

It does not prevent, in 2007, the fleet of Its Majesty never was in such a situation of weakness. Having an about sixty combat buildings surface and more than 30 submarines in the years 1980, it does not align any more into 2006 that 28 ships of first rank (aircraft carrier, helicopter carrier, destroyers and frigates) and of 13 submarines (9 Nuclear submarine of attack and 4 SNLE), it is currently placed in tonnage at the 4th world rank behind the marine of the popular republic of China.

Historical commands and fleets

Fleets

  • Home Fleet or Large Fleet
  • Mediterranean Fleet
    • Force B
    • Force C
  • Eastern Fleet or East Indies Fleet
  • British Pacific Fleet
  • British Far East Fleet
  • British Reserve Fleet
  • British Western Fleet
  • Force H

Commands

  • Nore Command
  • Plymouth Command
  • Portsmouth Command
  • Rosyth Command
  • Scotland and Northern Ireland Command
  • Clouded Station
  • East Indies Station
  • North America and West Indies Station
  • South Atlantic and South American Station

References

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