WITH THE BRITISH GRAND FLEET.
Division 9 of the Atlantic Fleet, composed of the New York (flagship), Wyoming, Florida, and Delaware, was detailed for service with the British Grand Fleet, rendezvoused on November 24, 1917, in Lynnhaven Roads, Chesapeake Bay, and sailed for its destination the following day.
The division took the northern passage and was 13 days en route, 4 days of which were spent in holding its own against a 90-mile gale off the Newfoundland coast. On December 7, 1917, the American battleships anchored with the British Grand Fleet in Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, after a rousing reception, and on December 26 were designated the Sixth Battle Squadron of the British Grand Fleet.
From the time of its arrival to November 29, 1918, this squadron, with the addition of the Texas in February, 1918, and the substitution of the Arkansas for the Delaware in July, 1918, operated with the British Grand Fleet, basing most of the time in Scapa Flow and the remainder of the time in the Firth of Forth (Rosyth). The squadron took its regular turn at convoy duty, patrol duty, target practice, and fleet exercises with all the other squadrons of the British Grand Fleet.
The squadron was at sea on an average of from 8 to 10 days each month and followed the procedure of the Grand Fleet in all respects, even going so far as to shift to the British method of signaling.
Maj. Nelson P. Vulte was division Marine officer of this division the entire time it was a unit of the British Grand Fleet.
With reference to the operations of this division the Secretary of the Navy in his annual report made the following statements:
Assigned one of the two places of honor and importance in the battle line, this American division did its full share of the Grand Fleet’s work, including patrol search for the enemy, protection of convoys, mining, and other forces, and, most important of all, in the repeated attempts to engage the German High Seas Fleet, for which the ships of the Grand Fleet were kept in the highest state of efficiency and readiness. Our battleships were attacked six times by submarines. On one occasion, off the Norwegian coast, four torpedoes were fired at the Florida and two at the Delaware, and at another time three were fired at the New York. Not one of our vessels was hit, and the only damage done was to the New York, which while leading the division into Pentland Firth, was rammed by a submerged submarine. Two blades of her propeller were broken off, but officers and crew were convinced that the blows from the propeller sank the U-boat.