The ''Parker''-class leaders or improved ''Marksman''-class leaders 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 six
destroyer leaders 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 ...
during 1916–17 for
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 ...
service. They were named after famed historical naval leaders, except for ''Anzac'', which was named to honour the
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914, and operated during the Gallipoli campaign. General William Birdwood com ...
, and was later 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 ...
. They were the last major Royal Navy warships to be ordered with three propeller shafts, a design that was never widely adopted in British warships.
Design
The ''Parker''s were based on the design of the preceding leaders and shared the same hull design and dimensions. Operations with the ''Marksman'' class and previous leaders indicated several areas for improvement: more
freeboard
In sailing and boating, a vessel's freeboard
is the distance from the waterline to the upper deck level, measured at the lowest point of sheer where water can enter the boat or ship. In commercial vessels, the latter criterion measured relativ ...
, increased firepower, and relocation of the
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
to a position further aft. On the ''Parker'' class, the bridge was moved aft by reducing the boiler rooms from three to two; instead of the four funnels on the ''Marksman''s, the ''Parker''s had three, with the foremost funnel thicker and taller to keep the bridge clear of smoke. This allowed a
superfiring gun to be added on a shelter deck.
[Conway's p. 80] This crucial design change was to set the trend for future designs, as it allowed for two forward guns with unobstructed
firing arc
Dismissal (also called firing) is the termination of employment by an employer against the will of the employee. Though such a decision can be made by an employer for a variety of reasons, ranging from an economic downturn to performance-related ...
s, with the higher of the two guns still usable when heavy seas broke across the
fo'c'sle
The forecastle ( ; contracted as fo'c'sle or fo'c's'le) is the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or, historically, the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters. Related to the latter meaning is the phrase " be ...
. ''Anzac'' was the only ship of the class with increased freeboard, as the decision to do so was made after the construction began on the other ships.
Another design improvement over previous types was the adoption of the Royal Navy's new
director firing system for destroyers and leaders, a more spartan version of that on its battleships. Rather than having individual gun crews
lay and fire their guns independently, the director on the bridge indicated the elevation and training for all the guns, and a gyroscope within the director fired them simultaneously "on the roll". This system improved accuracy, and was adopted as standard from the
"V and W" destroyer class of 1917 onwards.
Ships
The first pair were ordered under the War Emergency Programme in February 1915; the first vessel was initially named ''Frobisher'', but was renamed ''Parker'' before launch:
* ,
:built by
Cammell Laird and Company,
Birkenhead
Birkenhead (; cy, Penbedw) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England; historically, it was part of Cheshire until 1974. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the south bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liver ...
, laid down 19 June 1915, launched 19 April 1916, and completed 13 November 1916. Sold for breaking up 5 November 1921.
* , after
Richard Grenville
:built by Cammell Laird, laid down 19 June 1915, launched 16 June 1916 and completed 11 October 1916. Sold for breaking up December 1931.
The next three ships were ordered in July 1915, and the last – ''Anzac'' – in December 1915:
* , after
William Hoste
Captain Sir William Hoste, 1st Baronet KCB RN (26 August 17806 December 1828) was a Royal Navy captain. Best known as one of Lord Nelson's protégés, Hoste was one of the great frigate captains of the Napoleonic wars, taking part in six majo ...
:built by Cammell Laird, laid down 1 July 1915, launched 16 August 1916 and completed November 1916. Lost following a collision with destroyer 21 December 1916 off the
Shetland Islands.
* ,
:built by Cammell Laird, laid down 23 November 1915, launched 31 August 1916 and completed 30 November 1916. Converted to minelayer after completion. Sold for breaking up 7 January 1930.
*, after
James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez
Admiral of the Red James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez (or Sausmarez), GCB (11 March 1757 – 9 October 1836) was an admiral of the British Royal Navy, known for his victory at the Second Battle of Algeciras.
Early life
Saumarez was born ...
:built by Cammell Laird, laid down 2 March 1916, launched 14 November 1916 and completed 21 December 1916. Sold for breaking up 8 January 1931.
*,
:built by
William Denny and Brothers
William Denny and Brothers Limited, often referred to simply as Denny, was a Scottish shipbuilding company.
History
The shipbuilding interests of the Denny family date back to William Denny (born 1779), for whom ships are recorded being buil ...
,
Dumbarton
Dumbarton (; also sco, Dumbairton; ) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven flows into the Clyde estuary. In 2006, it had an estimated population of 19,990.
Dumbarton was the ca ...
, laid down 31 January 1916, launched 11 January 1917 and completed 24 April 1917. 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 ...
in March 1919, and sold for breaking up 8 August 1935.
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
{{WWI British ships
Destroyer classes
Ship classes of the Royal Navy