7th Cruiser Squadron:
3 ships (complete).
1st Light Cruiser Squadron:
4 ships (complete).
2nd Light Cruiser Squadron:
4 ships (Liverpool refitting).
2nd Flotilla:
11 destroyers (5 refitting, 4 detached in the Irish Sea).
4th Flotilla:
11 destroyers (5 refitting, 4 detached in the Irish Sea).
The shortage of destroyers at this period was exceedingly marked.
During February the Battle Fleet remained in harbour. No enemy movements took place or were expected as several changes were being made in the High Sea Fleet commands; the principal of these was the relief of Admiral von Inghenol by Admiral von Pohl as Commander-in-Chief. It was anticipated that the new Flag officers would exercise their squadrons in order to become familiar with them before attempting any operations.
The opportunity was taken of refitting the Iron Duke, and the ship remained at Invergordon, in the Cromarty Firth, until February 23rd. It was becoming desirable to give the officers and men of the Battle Fleet some change from Scapa Flow, where there were no opportunities for landing for exercise or recreation, and arrangements were made by which battle, as well as cruiser squadrons should visit Invergordon periodically for this purpose. The 2nd Battle Squadron accordingly arrived at this base on February 24th.
During the first half of February, 1915, eight destroyers were absent from the Grand Fleet flotillas, working in the Irish Channel against submarines, leaving only a total of 20 to 22 available for the Fleet; an insufficient number for screening purposes. This deficiency made it desirable to keep the Battle Fleet in harbour, except in an emergency.
The enemy’s submarine activity became much more marked during February. Early in the month the German Admiralty proclaimed that after February 18th all the waters round the British Isles would be declared unsafe for merchant-ships of all nationalities, and intimated that Allied merchant-ships would be destroyed in these waters and that neutral merchant-ships ran similar risks. Enemy submarines began to operate in increasing numbers in the English Channel, to the westward of the English Channel, in the Irish Sea and off the west coast of Ireland, as well as on the east coast of England, and the losses of merchant-ships from submarine attack became serious. The destroyers of the Grand Fleet that remained at the northern bases were kept fully employed in searching for and hunting reported submarines.