Northern Patrol

Northern Patrol 11th Cruiser Squadron
North Atlantic ocean
Active	1904–1917, 1939–1941
Disbanded	1917, 1941
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Part of	First World War: Grand Fleet Second World War: Home Fleet
Garrison/HQ	Scapa Flow
Nickname(s)	The Muckle Flugga Hussars
Engagements	Battle of the Atlantic 1914–1918 Battle of the Atlantic 1939–1945
Commanders
Notable commanders	Dudley de Chair Reginald Tupper Max Horton Robert Raikes Ernest Spooner

The Northern Patrol, also known as Cruiser Force B and the Northern Patrol Force, was a naval force of the Royal Navy during the world wars. The Northern Patrol was part of the British "distant" Blockade of Germany (1914–1919). Its main task was to prevent trade to and from Germany by checking merchant ships and their cargoes. It was also to stop German warships, raiders and other German naval ships from leaving the North Sea for the Atlantic Ocean or entering the North Sea from the Atlantic, to protect Shetland against invasion and to gather intelligence from intercepted neutral ships.^[1] The Northern Patrol operated under the command of the Grand Fleet during the First World War. At first, Edgar-class cruisers were used but these were not built for the seas around Scotland in winter and were replaced by civilian ships pressed into service as Armed Merchant Cruisers.

In the Second World War the Northern Patrol was commanded by the Home Fleet and participated in the Blockade of Germany (1939–1945). At first the force comprised elderly C-class cruisers and Danae-class cruisers of 4,000 and 5,000 long tons (4,100 and 5,100 t), built during the First World War. In June 1939 the Admiralty called up reservists for the cruisers and the Northern Patrol was re-established on 6 September 1939. As requisitioned Armed Merchant Cruisers became available, they replaced the cruisers, usually being crewed by their peacetime complements as reservists or on T.124 agreements. On 21 July 1940, the Admiralty extended the Northern Patrol southwards to form the Western Patrol. In November 1940 the Admiralty terminated the Northern Patrol except for the Denmark Strait and reinforce the Western Patrol.