4th Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)

The British Royal Navy 4th Battle Squadron was a squadron consisting of battleships. The 4th Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During World War I the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet. The squadron changed composition often as ships were damaged, retired or transferred.

August 1914
On 5 August 1914, the squadron was constituted as follows:
 * HMS Agincourt
 * HMS Bellerophon
 * HMS Dreadnought
 * HMS Temeraire

January 1915
By January, 1915, the composition had changed slightly:


 * HMS Agincourt
 * HMS Bellerophon
 * HMS Benbow
 * HMS Dreadnought
 * HMS Emperor of India
 * HMS Erin
 * HMS Temeraire

Battle of Jutland, June 1916
As an element in the Grand Fleet, the Squadron participated in the Battle of Jutland. During the Battle of Jutland, the composition of the 4th Battle Squadron was as follows:
 * Third Division
 * HMS Iron Duke Fleet Flagship of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe; Captain Frederic Dreyer;
 * HMS Royal Oak Captain C. Maclachlan;
 * HMS Superb Flagship of Rear Admiral A. L. Duff; Captain E. Hyde-Parker;
 * HMS Canada Captain W. C. M. Nicholson;


 * Fourth Division
 * HMS Benbow Flagship of Vice Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee; Captain H. W. Parker;
 * HMS Bellerophon Captain E. F. Bruen;
 * HMS Temeraire Captain E. V. Underhill;
 * HMS Vanguard Captain J. D. Dick;

January 1917
Following the Battle of Jutland, the 4th Battle Squadron was reorganized, with Colossus, Hercules, St. Vincent, Collingwood and Neptune all transferred from the 1st Battle Squadron. In January 1917, the squadron was constituted as follows:


 * HMS Bellerophon
 * HMS Colossus
 * HMS Hercules
 * HMS Neptune
 * HMS St. Vincent
 * HMS Collingwood
 * HMS Superb
 * HMS Vanguard
 * HMS Temeraire

After the loss of HMS Vanguard in July 1917, HMS Superb and HMS Temeraire were detached to the Mediterranean in 1918. HMS Dreadnought rejoined the squadron as flagship in March 1918.