The squadron was formed as part of an initiative by the Entente Powers to keep the Russian Empire in the First World War. One goal was to protect the large stockpiles of Allied material that had begun stockpiling at the ice-free port at Murmansk. Russia's continued involvement in the war was challenged externally by German advances into the East and internally by a strong antipathy to the war amongst the Russian population. This later factor had led to support for the Bolshevik Revolution and had resulted in the Russian Civil War. The squadron would remain in Russia throughout most of the Allied North Russia Intervention, though it served no real role in this.[2]
In October 1918 Rear-Admiral John F.E. Green became senior British naval officer in northern Russia, relieving Admiral Kemp, who returned home.[4] Rear-Admiral Green did not object to the withdrawal of American ships from Murmansk after July 1918, as the U.S. naval ships had been logistically dependent on the British, to whom they had been a burden.[5]
The squadron returned to England in September 1919, shortly after the ratification of peace with Germany, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
^Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (November, 1918). p. 7.
^Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (23 August 2018). "Archangel - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
Beers, Henry P. (1943). U.S. Naval Forces in Northern Russia (Archangel and Murmansk), 1918-1919. Administrative Reference Series Report No. 5 (November 1943). United States Navy Department.
