Royal Navy during the First World War

In the meantime, Admiral John 'Jackie' Fisher carried out a series of radical reforms designed to transform the Royal Navy into a state-of-the-art naval force.

These included the introduction of submarines, steam-powered turbines, a switch from coal to oil, improved torpedoes and a revised training system.

[1][2] After the outbreak of war, the Royal Navy immediately began to establish a blockade along the German North Sea coast.

On 22 September, three cruisers were sunk by a German submarine and a month later the battleship Audacious sank due to a naval mine explosion.

The British Admiralty responded by sending a fleet under the command of Admiral Doveton Sturdee to pursue the German ships.

This led to the Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8 December, in which the Royal Navy destroyed the German ships and regained control of the southern Atlantic.

To maintain the last open supply route to Russia, the Royal Navy was ordered to conduct a show of force at the Dardanelles in November.

Following the German strategy of provoking the Grand Fleet to leave using small-scale attacks, another clash took place off Dogger Bank on 24 January.

Further attacks were considered, but due to differences of opinion and the increased danger from German U-boats, all offensive operations were suspended until December.

One hundred and twelve kilometres (60 nmi; 70 mi) further north was the main force of three battlecruisers and 24 battleships under the command of Admiral John Jellicoe.

The two forces fought an hour-long duel on a parallel course, which the Germans won by sinking the battlecruisers Indefatigable and Queen Mary.

As the British fleets were crossing the T of the German vanguard Scheer turned to the south-west under the cover of a smoke screen and torpedo attacks from destroyers.

At about 22:00, however, Scheer turned his ships to the southeast and began to pick his way through the British light forces in the rear of Jellicoe's line.

At the same time, the Admiralty decided not to conduct any further naval operations south of 55° 30' North due to the danger of mines and submarines.

[14][15] In late 1916, the German High Command decided to once again attack the British trade routes on the world's oceans with merchant destroyers.

[16] As the High Seas Fleet did not embark on any further major operations, the Royal Navy's task was limited to fighting the German U-boats and laying and clearing mines.

[17] At the end of January, following a lengthy discussion at a naval conference in London, it was decided that all British battleships in the Mediterranean, except for Lord Nelson and Agamemnon, should be called home to provide crews for the destroyers and light cruisers that were to be completed in the year.

[18][19] To be able to take action against the German U-boats in the English Channel, the Royal Navy made several unsuccessful attempts to destroy the heavy coastal batteries on the coast of Flanders in May and June.

[20][21][22] In April, the Royal Navy raided Zeebrugge in another unsuccessful attempt to stop the German U-boats in Flanders.

On 9 and 10 November, the Royal Navy lost the last two ships of the war, the pre-dreadnought Britannia and the minesweeper Ascot.

However, the war had brought the naval ambitions of the United States and the Empire of Japan to the fore, so that a return to this former two-power standard was no longer possible.

The conflict with the German U-boats had created a deep alliance between the British and the US, previously seen as potential rivals for naval supremacy.

The Civil Lord was concerned with construction projects and buildings, including land purchases and leases, while the Additional Civil Lord (a post created in 1912) held the position of general manager, overseeing contracts for the purchase and procurement of materials, shipyard machinery and supplies of all kinds.

Due to the high tuition fees and the individual interview, almost all officers during the war came from the upper middle class and rural gentry.

Those who were selected first completed a course of study at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, where they reviewed and expanded their knowledge in the scientific fields relevant to them.

This system was therefore known as 'direct entry' and was increasingly applied to the Royal Marines, whose officers were originally to undergo training at Osborne and Dartmouth.

Eventually the Navy obtained some of its officers through the promotion of men from the enlisted ranks; however, in 1914 this only applied to the Executive and Engineer Divisions.

Exceptions were made for men who had attended an industrial school, provided they were of very good character and could produce a special authorisation from the Captain of Inspection of the Boys' Training Ships.

The inaugural recorded flight from a British warship occurred in January 1912, when Lieutenant Charles Samson flew a Short S.27 biplane from a provisional platform on the battleship HMS Africa.

In its inaugural period, the RNAS was tasked with overseeing all aspects of naval aviation, encompassing shipborne aircraft, airships, and the establishment of shore-based air stations.