Twelfth Sloop Flotilla (Royal Navy)

The Twelfth Sloop Flotilla was a formation of sloops of the Royal Navy.

Prior to being designated as the Twelfth some time in June 1918, it had no proper name, and might have been more collquially known as the Mediterranean Sloop Flotilla, or the Malta Sloop Flotilla, which in turn may have been considered a sister formation to the Gibraltar Sloop Flotilla and the British Ægean Sloop Flotilla.

History

The Twelfth was one of six new flotillas to first appear in the Navy List in July, 1918, joining the long-established First Sloop Flotilla and Tenth Sloop Flotilla. The sloops comprising it were a body of sloops that had grown in number that had been stationed in the Mediterranean since 1915.

July, 1915

The Mediterranean Fleet has its first two sloops attached to it, Aster and Honeysuckle.

Part of the Mediterranean Fleet
Sloops
Aster	Honeysuckle

August, 1915

Anemone and Jonquil have joined, bringing the strength to four sloops.

This roster would apply until some time in October.

November, 1915

Azalea and Clematis joined the formation in October, bringing the strength to six sloops.

December, 1915

Acacia, Heliotrope, Narcissus and Peony have joined, bringing the strength to ten sloops.

January, 1916

Lily, Magnolia, Mallow, Mimosa and Veronica have joined and Acacia has left, bringing the strength to fourteen sloops.

February, 1916

Lily, Magnolia, Mallow, Mimosa, Narcissus and Veronica have left. Primula, Marguerite, Campanula and Nasturtium have joined, though they are under the command of Senior Naval Officer, Malta. The net effect has reduced strength to twelve sloops.

March, 1916

Primula has left, and Snapdragon and Wallflower have joined, bringing strength to thirteen sloops.

April, 1916

Berberis, Lobelia, Geranium, Cyclamen and Pentstemon have joined the Malta contingent, bringing strength to eighteen sloops.

May, 1916

Nasturtium has been lost to a mine on 27 April, reducing strength to seventeen sloops.

This roster would remain unchanged until some time in June.

July, 1916

Petunia has joined some time in June, bring the flotilla to eighteen sloops.

This roster would remain unchanged until some time in August.

September, 1916

Hydrangea joined some time in August, bring the flotilla to nineteen sloops.

This roster would remain unchanged until some time in April, 1917 or even beyond.

May, 1917

The flotilla's roster remains unchanged at nineteen sloops, but the first eight sloops are now labelled as being part of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Part of the Mediterranean Fleet
Under Vice-Admiral, Eastern Mediterranean Sea
Anemone	Aster	Azalea	Clematis
Heliotrope	Honeysuckle	Jonquil	Peony
Under S.N.O., Malta
Marguerite	Campanula	Snapdragon	Wallflower
Berberis	Lobelia	Geranium	Cyclamen
Pentstemon	Petunia	Hydrangea

This roster would remain unchanged until 4 July, 1917.

August, 1917

Aster has been lost to a mine on 4 July, reducing the strength of the formation to seventeen sloops.

Part of the Mediterranean Fleet
Under Vice-Admiral, Eastern Mediterranean Sea
Anemone	Azalea	Clematis
Heliotrope	Honeysuckle	Jonquil	Peony
Under S.N.O., Malta
Marguerite	Campanula	Snapdragon	Wallflower
Berberis	Lobelia	Geranium	Cyclamen
Pentstemon	Petunia	Hydrangea

September, 1917

A change in nomenclature shows the same forces now as seven sloops attached to the British Aegean Squadron, and eleven sloops attached to the "Malta Flotilla". This terminology would persist.

November, 1917

Clematis has been transferred to the Maltese contingent, joined there by Acacia, Hollyhock and Narcissus. At the same time, six sloops have joined Malta-based set of ""convoy sloops."

December, 1917

Mimosa and Asphodel have joined the Malta sloops, and Cowslip the Convoy Sloops, brining the total strength to thirty sloops.

January, 1918

Further re-organization of the Navy List makes it difficult to precisely document the sloops that are part of the Malta Flotilla, the British Aegean Squadron or the eventual Twelfth Sloop Flotilla. Mimosa and Asphodel have joined the Malta Flotilla.

Bryony, Dianthus and Hibiscus have joined the Malta Convoy Sloops, while Coreopsis and Cowslip have left.

February, 1918

Bryony, Candytuft, Dianthus and Hibiscus have left the Convoy Sloops operating from Malta, halving their numbers.

March, 1918

No change in the British Aegean Sloops and now nineteen sloops in the Mediterranean, with none being specially labelled as Convoy Sloops.

April, 1918

No change in the British Aegean Sloops and now twenty-two sloops in the Mediterranean as Dianthus, Hibiscus and Ivy have joined.

May, 1918

Honeysuckle has left the British Aegean Sloops, reducing their number to five. There are now twenty sloops in the Mediterranean as Ivy and Lobelia have left.

June, 1918

Spiraea has moved to joined the British Aegean Sloops, restoring their strength to six. There are now sixteen sloops (two of which are paid off) in the Mediterranean.

July, 1918

The Mediterranean Sloop Flotilla is henceforth known as the Twelfth Sloop Flotilla. It is based at Brindisi, with eleven sloops. Acacia and Mimosa are paid off.

August, 1918

The flotilla has moved to Malta, and still has eleven sloops. Bryony has left, and Rocksand is expected "shortly". This roster would apply until some time between 1 August and 1 November.

November, 1918

The flotilla now has nine sloops. Geranium is paid off. Mimosa and Rocksand have left. This roster would remain current until some time in December.

January, 1919

Acacia, Clematis, Geranium, Pentstemon, Snapdragon and Wallflower have left, and Honeysuckle and Peony have joined, resulting in a strength of five sloops.

February, 1919

Anemone, Azalea and Lily have joined, resulting in a strength of eight sloops.

March, 1919

Azalea and Peony have left, and Cornflower has been added in a paid off condition, leaving the flotilla with seven sloops

April, 1919

Veronica and Cyclamen have been added, the latter in a paid off condition, resulting in nine sloops.

May, 1919

Anemone, Campanula, Cyclamen and Veronica have left, and Clematis has joined in a paid off condition, leaving six sloops.

June, 1919

Cornflower and Lily have left, leaving four sloops. Clematis is still paid off.

Stationed at Malta
Sloops
Asphodel	Ceanothus	Clematis*	Honeysuckle

July, 1919

Ivy has joined, giving the flotilla a strength of five sloops. Clematis is still paid off.

Stationed at Malta
Sloops
Asphodel	Ceanothus	Clematis*	Honeysuckle	Ivy

In Command

Dates of appointment given: