British home army in the First World War bridge between Tilbury and Gravesend. There were fears that a German fleet protected by mines and submarines could land a 100,000-strong force before the British Grand Fleet could steam the south from its base at Scapa Flow. To counter this threat, the Admiralty redeployed pre-dreadnought battleships and submarines closer to vulnerable ports, expanded the coastwatch and increased patrolling of the North Sea. In October, Churchill responded to Kitchener's call for the Royal Navy to take more specific precautions against invasion by insisting that the role of the Grand Fleet was to eliminate an invader's covering fleet rather than defeat the
Master of the fleet rank of captain, while masters who had served at least 15 years were given the new rank of "staff commander" and ranked after commander. During the First World War the title was revived for the Grand Fleet's senior Navigation Officer. The title has been used outside the Royal Navy, such as in "Ultramarines" and other science fiction, and for the captain of the "Belle of Louisville". Master of the fleet In the Royal Navy, the rank of master of the fleet denoted the sailing master of a fleet flagship, or the senior sailing master in a fleet. Examples include John