Shetland Patrol Force: _Forward_ (Scout) and four destroyers of the River class. The above vessels formed the Fleet under the immediate command of the Commander-in-Chief at the outbreak of hostilities. In addition, there were in southern waters, and also under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, the following vessels: THE HARWICH FORCE This force, although an integral portion of the Grand Fleet, was based on Harwich. It was intended that it should join the Grand Fleet at sea, if possible, in the event of a fleet action being imminent, and for this reason it was included in the organisation of the Fleet for battle; but the force did not, in actual fact, ever so join the Fleet, nor did I expect that it would be able to do so. At the outbreak of war it was commanded by Commodore R. Y. Tyrwhitt in H.M.C. _Amethyst_ and comprised: _1st Flotilla_ Commanded by Captain W. Blunt in _Fearless_ with 20 destroyers. _3rd Flotilla_ Commanded by Captain C. H. Fox in _Amphion_ with 15 destroyers. Included also in the organisation of the Home Fleets, which Sir George Callaghan had commanded-in-chief, were the Second and Third Fleets: SECOND FLEET (under command of Vice-Admiral Sir Cecil Burney, K.C.B., K.C.M.G.). Fleet-Flagship _Lord Nelson_, Rear-Admirals Stuart-Nicholson and Bernard Currey (commanding Battle Squadrons). _5th Battle Squadron_: _Prince of Wales_ (Flag), _Agamemnon_, _Bulwark_, _Formidable_, _Implacable_, _Irresistible_, _London_, _Queen_, _Venerable_. _6th Battle Squadron_: _Russell_ (Flag), _Cornwallis_, _Albemarle_, _Duncan_, _Exmouth_, _Vengeance_. _5th Cruiser Squadron_: Rear-Admiral A. P. Stoddart (in command). _Carnarvon_ (Flag), _Falmouth_, _Liverpool_. _6th Cruiser Squadron_: Rear-Admiral W. L. Grant (in command). _Drake_, _Good Hope_, _King Alfred_, _Leviathan_. (These last two Cruiser Squadrons were, however, broken up immediately, and the ships transferred to other duties.) _Minelayer Squadron_, commanded by Captain M. H. Cobbe. H.M. Ships _Naiad_ (S.O.’s ship), _Andromache_, _Apollo_, _Intrepid_, _Iphigenia_, _Latona_, _Thetis_. THIRD FLEET This Fleet comprised the 7th and 8th Battle Squadrons, consisting of our oldest battleships, and the 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Cruiser Squadrons, comprising our oldest cruisers. But the only vessels of this Fleet which were ever associated with the Grand Fleet were the ships of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, which, under the command of Rear-Admiral Dudley de Chair, joined the Grand Fleet shortly after the outbreak of war, the Squadron being employed mainly on blockading duties. It was composed as follows: