User:Navops47/draft/List of Royal Navy Task Forces

This is a List of task forces of the Royal Navy a task force can be described as a temporary grouping of naval units under one commander, formed for the purpose of carrying out a specific operation or mission they vary in size but usually comprise of otwo or more.

History
The concept of a naval task force is as old as navies the assembly of ships for naval operations was referred to as fleets, divisions, or on the smaller scale, squadrons, and flotillas. before World War II ships were collected into divisions derived from the Royal Navy's "division" of the line of battle in which one squadron usually remained under the direct command of the Admiral of the Fleet, one squadron was commanded by a Vice Admiral, and one by a Rear Admiral, each of the three squadrons flying different coloured flags, hence the terms flagship and flag officer. The flag of the Fleet Admiral's squadron was red, the Vice Admiral's was white and the Rear Admiral's blue. (The names "Vice" (possibly from advanced) and "Rear" might have derived from sailing positions within the line at the moment of engagement.) the term came into extensive around the beginning in 1939 a task force can be assembled using ships from different divisions and squadrons, without requiring a formal and permanent fleet reorganization, and can be easily dissolved following completion of the operational task.

Second World War
Earlier in the Second World War, the British Royal Navy had already devised its own system of Forces, they mainly assigned a letter occasionally a number.

Task Forces allocated by letter
Originally stationed at Malta took part in the Battle of Calabria in 1940 it transferred Trincomalee and was a component of the (fast force) of the Eastern Fleet during the Indian Ocean raid April to May 1942. Originally stationed at Malta, took part in the Battle of Calabria in 9 July 1940, took part in the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940, was involved in the First Battle of Sirte, 17 December 1941 it then moved to Trincomalee in March 1942 was a component (slow force) of the Eastern Fleet during the Indian Ocean raid April to May 1942. Formed during the Battle of Calabria. Stationed at Malta, took part in the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940. Formed as part of a number of hunting task for groups 5th October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939 was stationed at Malta, took part in the Battle of Cape Spartivento, 27 November 1940. Formed as part of a number of hunting task groups in 5th October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939. Formed as part of a number of hunting task groups in 5th October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939 and part of the South America Division after which it was stationed at, Gibraltar, took part in Operation Catapult, 3 July 1940, took part in Operation Rheinübung 19 May - 15 June 1941, took part in Operation Harpoon,  took part in Operation Husky, 9 July-17 August 1942, also involved in Operation Torch as a component of a larger task force, 8–16 November 1942 the force was disbanded in September 1943. Stationed at Ceylon, formed as part of a number of hunting task groups in 5th October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939. Covered North Atlantic, originally formed as part of a number of hunting task groups in 5th October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939. Part of a number of hunting task groups in 5th October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939 based in Freetown it was then stationed at, Malta, took part in the Battle of the Tarigo Convoy, 16 April 1941, was involved in the First Battle of Sirte, 17 December 1941 then moved to Freetown in December 1941. Stationed at, Freetown, was part part of a number of hunting task groups in 5th October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939, took part in the Battle of Dakar, 23–25 September 1940. Formed at Freetown A sub-component of a larger covering force escorting Convoy PQ 13 20 March - 1 April 1942 was involved in the Battle of Skerki Bank, 2 December 1942. Formed at Murmansk and was involved at Battle of the Barents Sea and the Attack on Convoy JW 51B, 31 December 1942. Originally formed at, Pernambuco-Dakar, transferred to the Mediterranean and took part in Operation Harpoon, 12–15 June 1942, also was involved in the Attack on Mers-el-Kébir, 3 July 1940. Operational area was originally in the West Indies, was part part of a number of hunting task groups in 5th October 1939 as a prelude to Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939, transfered to West Africa and was latter allocated to the French component force during the Battle of Dakar, 23–25 September 1940. Stationed at, Singapore, known for the destruction of it's two capital ships in the of Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse.
 * Force A
 * Force B
 * Force C
 * Force D
 * Force E
 * Force F
 * Force G
 * Force H
 * Force I
 * Force J
 * Force K
 * Force L,
 * Force M
 * Force Q
 * Force R
 * Force X
 * Force Y
 * Force Z

Task Forces allocated by number
Formed to deal with the Tirpitz Sortie against convoys PQ 12 and QP8, 6-13 March 1942. Formed to deal with the Tirpitz Sortie against convoys PQ12 and QP8, 6-13 March 1942. Formed and took part in the Battle off Penang - the Battle of the Malacca Strait (Loss of IJN Haguro), 15 May 1945. Formed 13 May 1945 and took part in the Battle off Penang - the Battle of the Malacca Strait. Formed 13 May 1945 and took part in the Battle off Penang - the Battle of the Malacca Strait. Formed 13 May 1945 and took part in the Battle off Penang - the Battle of the Malacca Strait.
 * Force 1
 * Force 2
 * Force 61
 * Force 62
 * Force 67
 * Force 70

Task Forces allocated by the U.S. Navy
Which was the composition of the British Pacific Fleet 23 March 1945. Formed to take part in the Carrier Raids on the Japanese Home Islands 24 - 28 July 1945.
 * Task Force 57, (USN allocated name)
 * Task Force 37, (USN allocated name)

Joint allied command task forces
This was formed as part of the allied Normandy landings and was code named "Operation Neptune" this was the Royal Navy's largest ever naval force assembled for a specific operation it was part two enormous naval forces that took part in the operation and was a component part of the Allied expeditionary force June 6 1944.
 * Eastern Task Force-operation neptune

This was formed as part of the allied Normandy landings and was code named "Operation Neptune" this was the Royal Navy's largest ever naval force assembled for a specific operation it was part two enormous naval forces that took part in the operation and was a component part of the Allied expeditionary force June 6 1944.
 * Western Task Force-operation neptune


 * Western Task Force-operation torch


 * Central Task Force-operation torch


 * Eastern Task Force-operation torch

Formed and comprised of 52 ships that took part in the Battle of Anzio, 22 January 1944, the force was part of the larger Allied amphibious landing known as Operation Shingle.
 * Task Force Peter

Post second world war
During the Falklands War in 1982 Royal Navy assembled a Task Force to achieve sea and air supremacy in the Total Exclusion Zone, before the amphibious forces arrived.