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18-1002: The Far East Fleet (also called the Far East Station ) was a fleet of the Royal Navy which existed between 1952 and 1971. During the Second World War , the Eastern Fleet included many ships and personnel from other navies, including those of the Netherlands , Australia , New Zealand , France and the United States . On 22 November 1944 the Eastern Fleet was re-designated East Indies fleet and continued to be based in Trincomalee. Following its re-designation its remaining ships formed

36-613: A rear admiral , was based afloat, and tasked with keeping the fleet "up to the mark operationally". Some also held the appointment of Flag Officer Commanding 5th Cruiser Squadron , probably including Rear Admiral E.G.A. Clifford CB, who was flying his flag in HMS ; Newcastle on 12 November 1953. Meanwhile, the fleet commander, a vice admiral , ran the fleet programme and major items of administration 'including all provision for docking and maintenance' from his base in Singapore. In

54-551: The Battle of Lepanto in 1571, and a Franco-Spanish fleet faced the British Royal Navy at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. In modern times, NATO has formed standing combined fleets and operations from several national navies such as Operation Active Endeavour . Modern fleets combine surface warships , submarines , support ships, and ship-based aircraft to conduct naval operations at sea. Generally understood to be

72-882: The British Pacific Fleet . In December 1945 the British Pacific Fleet was disbanded and its forces were absorbed into the East Indies Fleet . In 1952 The East Indies Fleet was renamed the Far East Fleet. After the Second World War the East Indies Station continued as a separate command to the Far East until 1958. In 1971 the Far East Fleet was abolished and its remaining forces returned home, coming under

90-465: The blue water , or oceanic, green water or littoral versus the brown water or coastal/riverine forces. The fleets of larger navies are usually divided into smaller numbered or named fleets based on geographic operating areas or administrative groupings of the same type of ships. Modern fleets are usually administrative units. Individual task forces are formed to conduct specific operations. In fictional literary works and/or media, most notably in

108-466: The line of battle . In more modern times, the squadrons are typically composed of homogeneous groups of the same class of warship , such as battleships or cruisers . Since many smaller navies contain a single fleet, the term the fleet is often synonymous with the navy . Multinational fleets are not uncommon in naval history. For example, several nations made up the Holy League fleet at

126-591: The carrier Theseus as his flagship. He had two aircraft carriers available at any one time which he worked in eighteen-day cycles. At times he also led Task Force 91 (comprising all Blockade, Covering Force and Escort ships in Korean waters, affiliated with the United Nations Command ) in 1951. From February 1963 the remaining destroyer and frigate squadrons in the Far East Fleet were gradually amalgamated into Escort Squadrons. All were disbanded by

144-595: The command of the new, unified, Commander-in-Chief Fleet . After the war, the East Indies Fleet was once again based at the Singapore Naval Base . The 1st Aircraft Carrier Squadron ( HMS Glory and HMS  Theseus ) arrived from the British Pacific Fleet in October 1945, and operated from Trincomalee, then Singapore, from October 1945 to October 1947. In 1952, the East Indies Fleet

162-615: The convention in the United States Navy is to use numbers. A fleet is typically commanded by an admiral , who is often also a commander in chief . Still, many fleets have been or are commanded by vice admirals or rear admirals . Most fleets are divided into several squadrons , each under a subordinate admiral. Those squadrons, in turn, are often divided into divisions. In the Age of Sail , fleets were divided into van, center, and rear squadrons, named after each squadron's place in

180-617: The end of December 1966. Those in the Far East Fleet became the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Far East Destroyer Squadrons. HMS  Loch Fada  (K390) returned to service in June 1962 assigned to the 3rd Frigate Squadron of the Far East Fleet. She arrived at Colombo in October and was deployed in the Indian Ocean, calling at Diego Garcia and Malé , Maldives . She served with the Far East Fleet until mid-1967 before returning home to be paid off. In November 1967 fleet senior officers supervised

198-528: The final departure from Britain's beleaguered State of Aden . Rear Admiral Edward Ashmore, Flag Officer, Second-in-Command, Far East Fleet, serving as Commander Task Force 318, commanded the British warships assembled to cover the withdrawal from Aden and receive the final Royal Marine Commandos heli-evacuated from the RAF Khormaksar airfield. The fleet was disbanded in 1971, and on 31 October 1971,

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216-696: The last day of the validity of the Anglo-Malayan Defence Agreement , the last Commander, Far East Fleet, Rear Admiral Anthony Troup , hauled down his flag. Post holders included: Included: Included: As the Malayan Emergency developed, the Flag Officer, Malayan Area's title changed as his areas of responsibility increased. Commodore, Amphibious Forces, Far East (COMAFFEF) was based at HMNB Singapore from May 1965 to March 1971. The Amphibious Warfare Squadron

234-667: The last days of the East Indies Fleet North Korea invaded South Korea in June 1950, beginning the Korean War . William Andrewes was promoted to vice admiral on 1 December 1950, and on the 17th was made commander of the 5th Cruiser Squadron and Flag Officer Second in Command Far East Fleet , flying his flag in the light cruiser Belfast . After the outbreak of the Korean War he commanded British and Commonwealth Naval Forces, with

252-532: The realm of science fiction , the term 'fleet' has also been used for a group of space-faring vessels used for interstellar travel. 3rd Frigate Squadron The 3rd Frigate Squadron also known as the Third Frigate Squadron was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from February 1949 to 1963 and again from 1972 to May 1980. The 3rd Frigate Squadron was formed in February 1949 and

270-483: Was assigned to the East Indies Fleet later Far East Fleet until February 1964 when it was re-designated the 26th Escort Squadron . It was reformed in 1972 when it was allocated to the 1st Flotilla it was administered by Flag Officer, 1st Flotilla until the appointment of a Captain (F) in December 1973 it remained with the 1st flotilla until April 1976. It then transferred to the 2nd Flotilla until May 1980 when it

288-526: Was based at HMS Tamar . He was responsible for administrating all naval establishments in Hong Kong including HMNB Hong Kong and, at times, exercised operational control over Royal Navy ships in that area. Units that served in the fleet included: Naval fleet In the modern sense, fleets are usually, but not necessarily, permanent formations and are generally assigned to a particular ocean or sea . Most fleets are named after that ocean or sea, but

306-600: Was established in March 1961, which was responsible to the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf until August 1962. It then was reassigned to Flag Officer, Middle East , until April 1965. The squadron was then transferred to the Far East where it was renamed Amphibious Forces under the new Commodore, Amphibious Forces, Far East Fleet in May 1965. The post was discontinued in March 1971. Incumbents included: This officer

324-465: Was redesignated the Far East Fleet. The Fleet then took part in the Malayan Emergency and the Confrontation with Indonesia in the 1960s. By 1964, the fleet on station included Victorious , Centaur , Bulwark , Kent , Hampshire , 17 destroyers and frigates, about ten minesweepers and five submarines. The Flag Officer Second-in-Command Far East Fleet, for most of the postwar period

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