The Northern Patrol was a Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 operation of the First World War

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 operating around Scotland and the North Sea.

The Patrol existed to form part of the British "distant" blockade of Germany

Blockade of Germany

The Blockade of Germany, or the Blockade of Europe, occurred from 1914-1919 and was a prolonged naval operation conducted by the Allied Powers during and after World War I in an effort to restrict the maritime supply of raw materials and foodstuffs to the Central Powers, which included Germany,...

. It was to prevent German warships passing from the North Sea into the Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...

 and to check merchant ships were not carrying trade with Germany.

The units of the Northern Patrol were the 10th Cruiser Squadron later supplanted by armed merchant cruisers which had better sea-keeping.

External links

• Excerpt from the First World War encyclopedia
• http://www.warcovers.dk/greenland/amc.htm