So im doing research to settle and argument between me and a colleague on the size of the British navy in WW1. I dont even know where to start but i know the Grand Fleet was something like 160 ships. Im trying to get a grip on the total fleet size as well as construction during the war time period such as what kinds of ships were added, how many total ships did the royal navy have at the outset and closing years of the war that sort of thing. Any help you guys can provide would be wonderful. Thanks in Advance
At the outset of the war, the Royal Navy's inventory is as follows:
20 Dreadnoughts
40 Pre-dreadnoughts
9 Battlecruisers
46 Cruisers
62 Light Cruisers
1 Flat Deck Carrier (precursors to aircraft carriers)
215 Destroyers
106 Torpedo Boats
71 Submarines
11 Old Sloops
7 Minelayers
28 Gunboats
For a total of 617 ships.
On November 11th, 1918, the Royal Navy's inventory was as follows:
33 Dreadnoughts
17 Pre-dreadnoughts
9 Battle Cruisers
27 Cruisers
82 Light Cruisers
13 Flat Deck Carriers
33 Monitors
26 Flotilla Leaders
407 Destroyers
94 Torpedo Boats
137 Submarines
106 Sweeper Sloops
62 Patrol Boats
8 Minelayers
156 Minesweepers
51 Gunboats
For a grand total of 1261 ships.