The first two British battlecruisers of the Invincible class—Inflexible and Indomitable—were commissioned into the Nore Division of the Home Fleet in October 1908.

[3] Rear-Admiral the Honourable Stanley Colville took command of the squadron on 24 February[4] and transferred his flag to Indomitable on 29 July.

[1] Rear-Admiral David Beatty was selected to command the squadron and succeeded Bayly on 1 March 1913.

[9] Captain Osmond De B. Brock of Princess Royal was appointed Commodore, First Class and given command of the First Battlecruiser Squadron, until he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral in March.

Early in the action, Queen Mary was lost and all but a small number of her crew were killed.

The squadron's losses were made up for by the arrival of the new battlecruisers Repulse and Renown in September 1916 and January 1917 respectively.