Five Fast Battlecruisers Programme
Fisher's emergency programme calls for five fast, shallow-draught battlecruisers intended for offensive operations.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
John Arbuthnot Fisher Biography and Timeline — Page 2
Follow John Arbuthnot Fisher through 102 dated historical records for Great Britain.
John Arbuthnot Fisher, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
102Distinct records
2 of 3Page
1914–1915Years on this page
1914
Five Flotilla Leaders Programme
Fisher's building programme includes five flotilla leaders to improve command of destroyer forces.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Fourteen-Inch Turrets Secured for Monitors
Fisher and Churchill seize the opportunity to use four American-built twin fourteen-inch turrets in new shallow-draught monitors.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Ninety Small Barges Programme
The emergency construction programme provides for ninety smaller barges alongside the larger motor-barge fleet.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Sixty-Four Submarines Programme
Fisher's emergency programme includes sixty-four submarines, reflecting his strong commitment to undersea warfare.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Submarine Construction Red Tape Waived
Fisher argues that normal paperwork and peacetime procedures must not delay urgent submarine production.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Thirty-Seven Monitors Programme
The emergency programme includes thirty-seven monitors for shallow-water and heavy coastal bombardment roles.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Thirty-Six Sloops Programme
Fisher's 612-vessel programme includes thirty-six sloops for patrol, escort and minesweeping-related duties.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Twenty-Four River Gunboats Programme
Fisher's programme includes twenty-four light river gunboats for operations in confined and shallow waters.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Twenty-Four Submarine Destroyers Programme
Fisher's emergency plan includes twenty-four specialised submarine-destroying vessels.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Two Hundred Motor Barges Programme
Fisher's programme includes two hundred oil-engined motor barges for amphibious and logistical operations.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Two Light Cruisers Programme
The emergency programme includes two light cruisers among the new wartime construction.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Urgent Submarine Expansion Memorandum
Fisher declares rapid acquisition of additional submarines an urgent national requirement and presses for immediate construction.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Abercrombie Monitor Design Work Begun
The Director of Naval Construction is instructed to develop shallow-draught monitors around the newly available fourteen-inch turrets.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Coronel Defeat Response Ordered
After news of Coronel, Fisher moves quickly to create an overwhelming force to hunt Admiral von Spee.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Invincible and Inflexible Detached for South Atlantic
Fisher orders battlecruisers Invincible and Inflexible detached from home forces for the hunt for von Spee.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Twenty H-Class Submarines Contracted
A contract is signed with Bethlehem Steel for twenty H-type submarines as part of Fisher's rapid expansion programme.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Battlecruiser Sailing Deadline Enforced
Fisher refuses to delay the South Atlantic force and requires the battlecruisers to sail even with workmen still aboard.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Falklands Hunting Force Departs
Invincible and Inflexible leave Devonport under Sturdee on the mission Fisher had organised after Coronel.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Dardanelles Naval Risk Questioned
Fisher warns that forcing the Dardanelles without adequate troops could expose the fleet to serious losses.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Devonport Battlecruiser Repairs Accelerated
Fisher insists repairs and preparation of Invincible and Inflexible be accelerated for immediate South Atlantic service.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Four Fourteen-Inch Monitors Ordered
Four large monitors are ordered to carry the American fourteen-inch twin turrets obtained during Fisher's emergency programme.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Monitor Anti-Torpedo Bulges Adopted
The new large monitors incorporate anti-torpedo bulges while being rushed from design to construction.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Princess Royal Sent toward West Indies
Fisher deploys Princess Royal toward the West Indies to guard against a possible German move through the Panama route.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Private Shipbuilding Capacity Mobilised
Fisher seeks to enlist the country's wider engineering and shipbuilding capacity for accelerated wartime construction.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Shallow-Draught Bombardment Concept Advanced
Fisher supports purpose-built shallow-draught ships able to bring heavy guns close to hostile coasts.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Sturdee South Atlantic Command Created
Fisher places Doveton Sturdee in command of the South Atlantic and Pacific force formed to destroy von Spee.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Submarine Delivery Speed Prioritised
Fisher directs that speed of submarine construction should take precedence over peacetime concerns about lowest cost.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Falkland Islands Strategy Vindicated
Sturdee's force destroys most of von Spee's squadron, vindicating Fisher's decision to send superior battlecruisers south.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Eight Twelve-Inch Monitors Ordered
The monitor programme expands with eight vessels designed around twelve-inch battleship turrets.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Coal-Burning Capital Ships Shifted toward Oil
Fisher presses redesign of capital ships under construction to use oil fuel for greater speed and operational efficiency.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Renown Recast as Fast Battlecruiser
Fisher redirects the Renown design toward a very fast oil-burning battlecruiser suited to his northern offensive ideas.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Repulse Recast as Fast Battlecruiser
Fisher redirects Repulse toward a fast battlecruiser design rather than the slower battleship concept previously planned.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
1915
Naval Policy Memorandum Submitted
Fisher submits a naval-policy memorandum warning against weakening home-water margins for peripheral operations.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Ship Bombardment without Troops Opposed
Fisher argues against using major fighting ships for bombardment unless operations are supported by adequate military forces.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Baltic Special-Vessel Strategy Defended
War Council discussion records Fisher's special cruisers and other vessels intended for a future Baltic operation.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Dardanelles Dispute Discussed with Asquith
Fisher discusses the proposed Dardanelles operation with Asquith and Churchill before the War Council meeting.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Dardanelles Naval Attack Reluctantly Accepted
Fisher returns to the War Council and remains in office after the naval attack on the Dardanelles is approved.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Kitchener Persuades Fisher to Remain
Kitchener persuades Fisher that he should remain First Sea Lord despite being the principal dissenter over the operation.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
War Council Resignation Attempt
Fisher leaves the War Council table and tells Kitchener he intends to resign over the Dardanelles decision.
Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1915
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.