In 1907 the
Channel Fleet had a large Channel Flotilla of destroyers in February 1909 when it was divided to form the 1st and 3rd Destroyer Flotillas. From March 1909 to May 1912 the formation was part of the Nore Division,
3rd Division Home Fleet. In May 1912, the Home Fleet was split into the
First Fleet, with ships in full commission, and the Second and Third Fleets, composed of ships partly crewed and laid up in reserve respectively. The 3rd Destroyer Flotilla remained part of the First Fleet until July 1914. In the summer of 1915 it was renumbered the
9th Destroyer Flotilla. It was reformed again from March 1918 as part of the Grand Fleet till November 1918. After the War the Flotilla joined the
Atlantic Fleet, forming part of that organisation from December 1918 until August 1923. It was then allocated to the
Mediterranean Fleet until 1926 when it was temporarily assigned to the
China Station until 1927. It returned to the Mediterranean until 1938. By the beginning of World War Two in September 1939 it was still in the Mediterranean Fleet. It was re-allocated to the Home Fleet in October 1939 to November 1944 under the command of the Rear-Admiral, Destroyer Flotillas Home Fleet. The flotilla was sent back to join the Mediterranean Fleet in November 1944. Throughout this period the term Flotilla had applied to a tactical unit. In 1951, instead, three specific Flag Officers, Flotillas, were created responsible for escorts up to cruisers for the Eastern, Home and Mediterranean fleets. The previous destroyer flotillas were redesignated squadrons, and thus the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla became the
3rd Destroyer Squadron in July 1951. ==Operational deployments==