The Admiralty type leader, sometimes known as the ''Scott'' class, were a

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

of eight destroyer leaders designed and built for the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

towards the end of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. They were named after

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

historical leaders. The function of a leader was to carry the flag staff of a destroyer flotilla, therefore they were enlarged to carry additional crew, offices and signalling equipment, allowing a fifth gun to be carried. These ships were contemporary with the

Thornycroft type leader The Thornycroft type leader or ''Shakespeare'' class were a class (ship), class of five Flotilla leader, destroyer leaders designed by John I. Thornycroft & Company and built by them at Woolston, Hampshire, Woolston, Southampton for the Royal Na ...

, distinguishable by their two narrow funnels of equal height, the

Thornycroft Thornycroft was an English vehicle manufacturer which built coaches, buses, and trucks from 1896 until 1977. History In 1896, naval engineer John Isaac Thornycroft formed the Thornycroft Steam Carriage and Van Company which built its firs ...

designs latter having characteristic broad, slab-sided funnels. All except ''Mackay'' and ''Malcolm'' were completed in time for wartime service, ''Scott'' being a war loss. The two final orders – ''Barrington'' and ''Hughes'' – were cancelled with the end of the War; these two had originally been ordered to the Thornycroft leader design. ''Stuart'' was transferred to Australia in 1933. All the remaining ships except ''Bruce'' (expended as a target ship in 1939) survived service in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, being converted to escort ships. ''Montrose'' and ''Stuart'' had Brown-Curtis

steam turbine A steam turbine is a machine that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam and uses it to do mechanical work on a rotating output shaft. Its modern manifestation was invented by Charles Parsons in 1884. Fabrication of a modern steam turbin ...

s, giving for an extra ½ knot.

Ships in class

The prototype was ordered in April 1916 under the

War Emergency Programme War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular ...

: *; built by

Cammell Laird Cammell Laird is a British shipbuilding company. It was formed from the merger of Laird Brothers of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century. The company also built railway rolling stock until 1929, ...

& Company, Birkenhead, launched 18 October 1917 and completed 1918. Torpedoed by

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...

15 August 1918 in the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...

off the Dutch coast. Two more were ordered in December 1916: *; built by Cammell Laird, laid down 12 May 1917, launched 26 February 1918 and completed 30 May 1918. Sunk as target off the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...

, 22 November 1939 *; built by Cammell Laird, laid down 30 June 1917, launched 8 June 1918 and completed 2 September 1918. Convoy escort during World War II, sold for breaking up 20 March 1945. Five more were ordered in April 1917. The second vessel was originally named ''Claverhouse'', but was renamed ''Mackay'' 31 December 1918: *; built by Cammell Laird, laid down 10 November 1917, launched 21 September 1918 and completed 21 December 1918. Convoy escort during World War II, sold for breaking up 18 February 1947. *; built by Cammell Laird, launched 21 December 1918 and completed 1919. Allocated to

11th Destroyer Flotilla The British 11th Destroyer Flotilla, or Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from August 1915 to September 1945. History World War One The 11th Destroyer Flotilla was formed in August 1915 and was assigned to the ...

in September 1939. Convoy escort during World War II, sold for breaking up 18 February 1947. *; built by Cammell Laird, laid down 5 March 1918, launched 29 May 1919 and completed 1919. Convoy escort during World War II, sold for breaking up 25 July 1945. *; built by R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Hebburn on Tyne, laid down 4 October 1917, launched 10 June 1918 and completed 14 September 1918. Convoy escort during World War II, sold for breaking up 31 January 1946. *; built by Hawthorn Leslie, laid down 18 October 1917, launched 22 August 1918 and completed 21 December 1918. Transferred to the

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

11 October 1933, sold for breaking up 3 February 1947. Another two were ordered in April 1918, but were cancelled with the end of the war: *''Barrington'', ordered from Cammell Laird, cancelled December 1918. *''Hughes'', ordered from Cammell Laird, cancelled December 1918.

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

{{WWII British ships Destroyer classes Ship classes of the Royal Navy