two white bands 8th Destroyer Flotilla (from 1935) — one black and one white band Second World War When single funnelled destroyers entered the fleet with the J class in 1939 and with an expansion in the number of flotillas, the system was changed accordingly. Single funnelled ships wore a deep band as a flotilla leader. As a divisional leader they had a wide vertical band the same colour as, and extending below, the upper flotilla band. Leaders bands were white for Home Fleet, red for Mediterranean Fleet, and the system of flotilla bands changed to; 1st Destroyer Flotilla (Mediterranean) — 1 red, G class 2nd Destroyer Flotilla (Mediterranean) — 2 red, H class 3rd Destroyer Flotilla (Mediterranean) — 3 red bands, then none, I class 4th Destroyer Flotilla (Mediterranean) — none, Tribal class 5th Destroyer Flotilla (Mediterranean) — none, K class 6th Destroyer Flotilla (Home) — 1 white, Tribal class 7th Destroyer Flotilla (Home) — 2 white, J class 8th Destroyer Flotilla (Home) — 3 white, F class 9th Destroyer Flotilla (Home) — 1 black & 2 white, V and W class 10th Destroyer Flotilla (Home) — none, V & W class 11th Destroyer Flotilla (Western Approaches) — 1 black over 2 red, V and W class 12th Destroyer Flotilla (Rosyth) — 1 white over 1 red, E class 13th Destroyer Flotilla (Gibraltar) — 1 white over 2 red, V and W class 14th Destroyer Flotilla (Home) — 1 red over 1 black, V and W class 15th Destroyer Flotilla (Rosyth) — 1 red over 2 black, V and W class 16th Destroyer Flotilla (Portsmouth) — 1 red over 1 white, V and W class 17th Destroyer Flotilla (Western Approaches) (from 1940) — 1 red over 2 white, Town class 18th Destroyer Flotilla (Channel) — 1 white & 1 black, A class 19th Destroyer Flotilla (Dover)— 1 white over 2 black, B class 20th Destroyer Flotilla (Portsmouth) — 2 white over 1 black, C class 21st Destroyer Flotilla (China Station) — 2 white over 1 red, D class Flotilla bands were used throughout the war although war-losses, operational requirements, and new construction broke up the homogeneity of the destroyer flotillas. Vessels were deployed as and when they were needed or available, and were often incorporated into mixed "escort groups" containing a range of vessel types such as sloops, corvettes, frigates and escort carriers. A few of the escort groups