The first R 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 62

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

s built between 1916 and 1917 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 ...

. They were an improvement, specifically in the area of fuel economy, of the earlier destroyers. The most important difference was that the Admiralty R class had two shafts and geared turbines, compared with the three shafts and direct turbines of the Admiralty M class, but in appearance the R class could be distinguished from its predecessors by having the after 4-inch gun mounted in a bandstand. The Admiralty ordered the first two of this class of ships in May 1915. Another seventeen were ordered in July 1915, a further eight in December 1915, and a final twenty-three in March 1916 (of which eleven were to a slightly modified design). As well as these fifty ships to the standard 'Admiralty' design, twelve more R class were designed and built by the two specialist builders

Yarrow Shipbuilders Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited (YSL), often styled as simply Yarrows, was a major shipbuilding firm based in the Scotstoun district of Glasgow on the River Clyde. It is now part of BAE Systems Surface Ships, owned by BAE Systems, which has also o ...

and John I. Thornycroft & Company to their own separate designs. Three were ordered from Thornycroft and four from Yarrow in July 1915, and two from Thornycroft and three from Yarrow in December 1915. They were the last three-funnelled destroyers ordered by the Royal Navy (although commissioned in 1973 had three funnels, these were not all on the centreline). All of these ships saw extensive service in

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 ...

. Some saw service as

minelayer A minelayer is any warship, submarine or military aircraft deploying explosive mines. Since World War I the term "minelayer" refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines. "Mine planting" was the term for installing controll ...

s. Eight R-class ships were sunk during the war and all but two of the surviving ships were scrapped in the 1920s and 1930s. One Admiralty R-class vessel, , survived to see 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 ...

as a convoy escort, making her the oldest destroyer to see wartime service with the Royal Navy. A second, was transferred to the Royal Siamese Navy as ''Phra Ruang'' in September 1920.

Admiralty R-class ships

Two prototypes were ordered in May 1915 as part of the 5th War Programme. * , built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend on Tyne; launched 3 June 1916; sold for breaking up 29 April 1927. * , built by Swan Hunter; launched 17 July 1916; sold for breaking up 29 April 1927. Seventeen ships were ordered in July 1915 as part of the 6th War Programme (as well as four of the Yarrow R class and three of the Thornycroft R class). HMS Romola 1916

* , built by

John Brown & Company John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a Scottish Naval architecture, marine engineering and shipbuilding firm. It built many notable and world-famous ships including , , , , , and the ''Queen Elizabeth 2 (ship), Queen Elizabeth 2''. At its ...

Clydebank Clydebank ( gd, Bruach Chluaidh) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, it borders the village of Old Kilpatrick (with Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, Bowling and Milton, West Dunbartonshire, Mil ...

; launched 14 May 1916; sold for breaking up 13 March 1930. * , built by John Brown; launched 1 July 1916; delivered for breaking up 27 January 1937. * , built by John Brown; launched 12 August 1916; delivered for breaking up 23 November 1936. * , built by John Brown; launched 30 September 1916; sold for breaking up 5 November 1926. * , 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; launched 2 July 1916; sold for breaking up 16 December 1926. * , built by Denny; launched 29 August 1916; sold for breaking up 13 July 1926. * , built by Denny; launched 23 November 1916; sold for breaking up July 1927. * , built by

William Doxford & Sons William Doxford & Sons Ltd, often referred to simply as Doxford, was a British shipbuilding and marine engineering company. History William Doxford founded the company in 1840. From 1870 it was based in Pallion, Sunderland, on the River Wea ...

, Sunderland; launched 28 October 1916; sold for breaking up 13 July 1926. * , built by Doxford; launched 9 December 1916; torpedoed in the North Sea by 9 August 1917. * , built by

J. Samuel White J. Samuel White was a British shipbuilding firm based in Cowes, taking its name from John Samuel White (1838–1915). It came to prominence during the Victorian era. During the 20th century it built destroyers and other naval craft for both the ...

, Cowes; launched 28 June 1916; sold for breaking up August 1927. * , built by White; launched 18 August 1916; sunk in collision with off Harwich 17 May 1917. * , built by

Harland and Wolff Harland & Wolff is a British shipbuilding company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It specialises in ship repair, shipbuilding and offshore construction. Harland & Wolff is famous for having built the majority of the ocean liners for the W ...

, Govan; launched 7 October 1916; renamed ''Sable'' in December 1933, sold for breaking up (delivered) 28 January 1937. * , built by Harland and Wolff, Govan; launched 15 November 1916; sold for breaking up 16 December 1926, but stranded while under tow en route to breakers 28 January 1927 and broken up at Aberavon. * , built by R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Hebburn on Tyne; launched 1 June 1916; sold for breaking up 13 July 1926. * , built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson, Wallsend on Tyne; launched 29 August 1916; sold for breaking up 29 April 1927. * , built by

Alexander Stephen and Sons Alexander Stephen and Sons Limited, often referred to simply as Alex Stephens or just Stephens, was a Scottish shipbuilding company based in Linthouse, Glasgow, on the River Clyde and, initially, on the east coast of Scotland. History The co ...

, Linthouse, Govan; launched 11 January 1917; sold for breaking up 16 December 1926. * , built by Stephens; launched 18 April 1917; sold for breaking up 16 December 1926. Eight ships were ordered in December 1915 as part of the 7th War Programme (as well as two more of the Thornycroft R class). * , built by

William Beardmore and Company William Beardmore and Company was a British engineering and shipbuilding conglomerate based in Glasgow and the surrounding Clydeside area. It was active from 1886 to the mid-1930s and at its peak employed about 40,000 people. It was founded and ...

, Dalmuir; launched 27 December 1916; sold for breaking up 16 December 1926. * , built by Beardmore; launched 27 February 1917; sold for breaking up 29 April 1927. * , built by John Brown; launched 30 October 1916; torpedoed by German torpedoboat ''S 50'' in the North Sea 23 January 1917. * , built by John Brown; launched 11 January 1917; sold for breaking up 4 March 1947. * , built by Harland and Wolff, Govan; launched 3 February 1917; sold for breaking up 13 July 1926. * , built by Harland and Wolff, Govan; launched 9 March 1917; sold for breaking up 16 December 1926. * , built by Hawthorn Leslie; launched 27 September 1916; sold for breaking up 21 April 1928. * , built by Hawthorn Leslie; launched 15 November 1916; sold for breaking up 7 October 1927. Twenty-three ships ordered in March 1916 as part of the 8th War Programme (as well as three more of the Yarrow R class), of which twelve were to the same design as the previous batch. * , built by Beardmore; launched 30 June 1917; sold for breaking up 17 May 1928. * , built by John Brown; launched 10 March 1917; sold for breaking up 4 August 1927. * , built by John Brown; launched 21 April 1917; sold for breaking up 26 July 1927. * , built by

Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited was a Scottish shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow. Fairfields, as it is often known, was a major warship builder, turning out many vessels for the Royal Navy ...

; launched 26 January 1917; sold for breaking up (delivered) 28 January 1937. * , built by Harland and Wolff, Govan; launched 21 May 1917; sold for breaking up 26 June 1928. * , built by Harland and Wolff, Govan; launched 20 April 1917; sold for breaking up 28 July 1934. * , built by Hawthorn Leslie; launched 8 March 1917; sold for breaking up (delivered) 31 August 1936. * , built by Hawthorn Leslie; launched 10 January 1917; sold for breaking up 1937. * , built by Stephen; launched 22 May 1917; sold for breaking up 19 November 1929, but wrecked off South Wales while under tow en route to breakers 13 December 1929. * , built by Stephen; launched 4 August 1917; mined in the North Sea 23 December 1917. * , built by Swan Hunter; launched 26 November 1917; mined in the North Sea 23 December 1917. * , built by Swan Hunter; launched 10 February 1917; sold for breaking up 27 January 1937, but wrecked off Falmouth while under tow en route to breakers 16 March 1937.

Admiralty Modified R-class ships

The remaining eleven ships ordered in March 1916 were of the Admiralty Modified R class with a slightly increased breadth of 27 ft, a draught of 11 ft, and a tonnage of 1,085. These ships had two funnels. HMS Undine 1917

* , built by White; launched 23 December 1916; sold for breaking up 15 November 1928. * , built by White; launched 24 February 1917; sold for breaking up 9 May 1921. * , built by Scott's; launched 21 April 1917; sold for breaking up 15 November 1921. * , built by Swan Hunter; launched 5 April 1917; sold for breaking up 17 May 1928. * , built by Beardmore; launched 10 October 1917; sold for breaking up April 1928. * , built by Doxford; launched 24 March 1917; sunk in collision with SS ''Ellerie'' in the Clyde 29 October 1918. * , built by Doxford; launched 9 June 1917; sold for breaking up 7 January 1930. * , built by Fairfield; launched 22 March 1917; sold for breaking up April 1928, wrecked off Horse Fort en route to breakers, wrecked sold 27 August 1928. * , built by

Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company Limited, often referred to simply as "Palmers", was a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British shipbuilder, shipbuilding company. The Company was based in Jarrow, County Durham, in north-eastern ...

; launched 7 June 1917; sold for breaking up 7 January 1930. * , built by Palmers; launched 23 July 1917; sold for breaking up 13 July 1926. * , built by Scott's; launched 2 August 1917; sold for breaking up 19 November 1929.

Thornycroft R-class ships

* , built by John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston, launched 14 October 1916. Sold for breaking up 13 July 1926. * , built by Thornycroft; launched 25 November 1916; sold back to Thornycroft 21 June 1920, who then sold her to the Thai Navy in September 1920. She was renamed ''Phra Ruang''. * , built by Thornycroft; launched 15 January 1917; sold for breaking up 26 July 1927. * , built by Thornycroft; launched 10 March 1917; sold for breaking up 18 February 1930. * , built by Thornycroft; launched 21 April 1917; sold for breaking up 6 February 1931.

Yarrow R-class ships

These seven ships built by

were sometimes classified as the

Yarrow Later M-class destroyer The Yarrow Later M class were a class of seven destroyers built for the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I. They were based on the preceding and successful Yarrow M class with minor alterations; notably reduced beam to compensate for ...

. These ships had two funnels. Four vessels were ordered in July 1915: * - Laid down August 1915, launched 24 July 1916, completed September 1916. Sold for breaking up 5 November 1926. * - Launched 30 September 1916 and completed late 1916. Sunk by gunfire from

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

cruisers ''Bremse'' and off Norway, 17 October 1917. * - Launched 25 November 1916 and completed 1916, mined in the North Sea on night of 22 December/23 December 1917. * - Laid down August 1915, launched 5 February 1917, completed February 1917. Sold for breaking up 5 November 1926. Three vessels were ordered in March 1916: * - Laid down March 1916, launched 24 March 1917, completed May 1917. Sold for breaking up 29 April 1927. * - Laid down March 1916, launched 19 May 1917, completed July 1917. Sold for breaking up April 1938. * - Launched 4 August 1917 and completed 1917, torpedoed and sunk by German

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 ...

UC-17 off Dutch coast 15 August 1918.

References

Bibliography

* * ''British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953 Drawn by Admiralty Permission from Official Records and Returns, Ships' Covers and Building Plans'', Edgar J. March 1966, Seeley, Service & Co . * ''Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893–1981'', Maurice Cocker, 1983, Ian Allan * ''British Destroyers, From Earliest Days to the Second World War'' Norman Friedman, 2009,

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:R Class Destroyer (1916) Destroyer classes Ship classes of the Royal Navy