Admiralty M-class destroyer

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HMS Pasley
Class overview
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded byL class
Succeeded byR class
Subclasses
Built1914–1916
In commission1915–1923
Completed85
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer
Displacement
Length273 ft 4 in (83.3 m) (o/a)
Beam26 ft 8 in (8.1 m)
Draught8 ft 6 in (2.6 m)
Installed power
Propulsion3 shafts; 1 steam turbine set
Speed34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range3,710 nmi (6,870 km; 4,270 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement80
Armament

The M class, more properly known as the Admiralty M class, were a class of 85 destroyers built for the Royal Navy of United Kingdom that saw service during World War I. All ships were built to an identical – Admiralty – design, hence the class name. 18 other vessels which were officially included within the 'M' class were built to variant designs by three specialist builders – 10 by Yarrow, 6 by Thornycroft (who also built another 6 to the standard Admiralty design), and 2 by Hawthorn Leslie; these are covered in other articles.

The Admiralty design was based on the preceding L class but modified to produce an increase in speed by approximately 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph). All ships built to the Admiralty design had three identical narrow, circular funnels (this did not apply to the 18 ships built by the specialist yards).

Ships of the pre-war (1913–14) Programme[edit]

An original intention to order 20 destroyers in this year's Programme was reduced to 16 vessels. Three destroyers already under construction were purchased from Yarrow, two from Thornycroft and two from Hawthorn Leslie to these builders' individual designs, and these are listed in separate articles. Three further ships had been projected under the Programme – and named Marksman, Menace and Monitor; however these three ships were cancelled before being contracted to any specific builder (although J. Samuel White & Company, at Cowes were the intended builder), in favour of two Marksman-class leaders. Thus just six vessels were built to the Admiralty design under the 1913–14 Naval Programme. These differed from the wartime vessels by being 1,010 tons full load, with slightly smaller dimensions.

Name Ship Builder Laid down[1] Launched[1] Completed[1] Fate
Matchless Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend on Tyne 8 November 1913 5 October 1914 December 1914 Sold for scrapping on 26 October 1921.
Murray Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company, Hebburn on Tyne 4 December 1913 8 August 1914 December 1914 Sold for scrapping on 9 May 1921.
Myngs Palmers, Hebburn on Tyne 31 December 1913 24 September 1914 February 1915 Sold for scrapping on 9 May 1921.
Milne John Brown & Company, Clydebank 18 December 1913 5 October 1914 December 1914 Sold for scrapping on 22 September 1921.
Morris John Brown, Clydebank 20 January 1914 19 November 1914 December 1914 Sold for scrapping on 8 November 1921.
Moorsom John Brown, Clydebank 15 January 1914 21 December 1914 February 1915 Sold for scrapping on 8 November 1921.

Ships of the Emergency War Construction Programme[edit]

All the following vessels were ordered in five batches as part of the War Emergency Programme. Wartime builds omitted the cruising turbines originally specified and carried by the pre-war sub-group. The funnel heights were also raised compared with the pre-war vessels, and the second 4 in gun was mounted on a bandstand, as with the earlier L-class destroyers. Partridge, Norman, Maenad, Ophelia and Observer were later fitted to carry a kite balloon.

1st War Programme[edit]

Sixteen vessels were ordered in September 1914 (as well as four of the Yarrow M class), but part of their cost was met by the provision in the 1914–15 Programme for ten destroyers.

Name Ship Builder Begun Launched Completed Fate
Mons John Brown 30 September 1914 1 May 1915 July 1915 Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
Marne John Brown 30 September 1913 29 May 1915 August 1916 Sold for breaking up 29 September 1921.
Michael John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston October 1914 19 May 1915 August 1915 Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921.
Milbrook Thornycroft November 1914 12 July 1915 October 1915 Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921.
Minion Thornycroft November 1914 11 September 1915 November 1915 Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
Munster Thornycroft November 1914 24 November 1915 January 1916 Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921.
Mystic William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton 27 October 1914 20 June 1915 11 November 1915 Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
Maenad Denny 10 November 1914 10 August 1915 12 November 1915 Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921.
Magic J. Samuel White & Company, Cowes 1 January 1915 10 September 1915 8 January 1916 Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921.
Moresby White 14 January 1915 20 November 1915 7 April 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Mandate Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Govan 27 April 1915 13 August 1915 Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921.
Manners Fairfield 15 June 1915 21 September 1915 Sold for breaking up 26 October 1921.
Marmion Swan Hunter 28 May 1915 Sunk after collision with Tirade on 21 October 1917 off Lerwick.
Martial Swan Hunter October 1914 1 July 1915 October 1915 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Mary Rose Swan Hunter 8 October 1915 Sunk on 17 October 1917 by German cruisers SMS Brummer and SMS Bremse off the Norwegian coast.
Menace Swan Hunter September 1914 9 November 1915 April 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.

2nd War Programme[edit]

Nine further vessels were ordered in early November 1914 (as well as one further Yarrow M class).

Name Ship Builder Laid Down Launched Completed Fate
Mameluke John Brown 23 December 1914 14 August 1915 October 1915 Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921.
Marvel Denny 11 January 1915 7 October 1915 28 December 1915 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Mindful Fairfield 24 August 1915 10 November 1915 Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921.
Mischief Fairfield 12 October 1915 16 December 1915 Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
Nonsuch Palmers 7 December 1915 February 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Negro Palmers 8 March 1915 Sunk after colliding with Hoste in the North Sea on 21 December 1916;depth charges from Hoste exploded and blew out the Negro's hull plating.
Nepean Thornycroft February 1915 22 January 1916 March 1916 Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921.
Nereus Thornycroft March 1915 24 February 1916 May 1916 Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921.
Nessus Swan Hunter 24 August 1915 Sunk after colliding with HMS Amphitrite in the North Sea on 8 September 1916.

3rd War Programme[edit]

Twenty-two further vessels were ordered in late November 1914.

Name Ship Builder Laid Down Launched Completed Fate
Nestor Swan Hunter 22 December 1915 Sunk on 31 May 1916 at the Battle of Jutland.
Noble Alexander Stephen & Sons, Linthouse 6 February 1915 22 December 1915 15 February 1916 Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
Nomad Stephen 7 February 1916 Sunk on 31 May 1916 at the Battle of Jutland.
Nizam Stephen 11 February 1915 7 February 1916 by William Beardmore & Company, Dalmuir, 29 June 1916 Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
Nonpareil Stephen 24 February 1915 7 February 1916 28 June 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Norman Palmers 20 March 1916 August 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Northesk Palmers 5 July 1916 October 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
North Star Palmers 9 November 1916 Sunk on 23 April 1918 at Zeebrugge.
Nugent Palmers 9 November 1916 April 1917 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Obedient Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited, Greenock 6 November 1916 February 1917 Sold for breaking up 25 November 1921.
Obdurate Scotts 21 November 1916 March 1917 Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921.
Onslaught Scotts 21 November 1916 Sold for breaking up 30 October 1921. Some sources claimed that she torpedoed and sank the pre-dreadnought battleship SMS Pommern, while others claimed that Faulknor sank her.
Onslow Fairfield 15 February 1916 15 April 1916 Sold for breaking up 26 October 1921.
Opal William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland 11 September 1915 Wrecked off Scapa Flow with Narborough on 12 January 1918 (one survivor).
Ophelia Doxford 13 October 1915 May 1916 Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
Opportune Doxford 20 November 1915 June 1916 Sold for breaking up 7 December 1923.
Oracle Doxford 23 December 1915 August 1916 Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921.
Orestes Doxford 21 March 1916 June 1916 Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921.
Orford Doxford 19 April 1916 December 1916 Sold for breaking up 1 November 1921.
Orpheus Doxford 17 June 1916 September 1916 Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921.
Octavia Doxford 21 June 1916 November 1916 Sold for breaking up 5 November 1921.
Ossory John Brown 23 December 1914 9 October 1915 November 1915 Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.

4th War Programme[edit]

Sixteen further vessels were ordered in February 1915 (as well as two more of the Thornycroft M class). The eight last-named below of these were of the Repeat M subgroup with raking stems compared with the straight stems of the previous sub-group, and the bows were more flared to improve seakeeping qualities.

Name Ship Builder Laid Down Launched Completed Fate
Napier John Brown 24 March 1915 27 November 1915 January 1916 Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
Narborough John Brown May 1915 2 March 1916 Wrecked off Scapa Flow (with Opal) on 12 January 1918 (no survivors).
Narwhal Denny 21 April 1915 3 February 1916 3 March 1916 Collided with another vessel in 1919 and broken up in 1920 at Devonport Dockyard.
Nicator Denny 21 April 1915 3 February 1916 15 April 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Norseman Doxford 15 August 1916 November 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Oberon Doxford 29 September 1916 December 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Observer Fairfield 1 June 1915 1 May 1916 15 June 1916 Sold for breaking up 30 October 1921.
Offa Fairfield 6 July 1915 7 June 1916 31 July 1916 Sold for breaking up 30 October 1921.
Orcadia Fairfield 24 June 1915 26 July 1916 29 September 1916 Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921.
Oriole Palmers 31 July 1916 November 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Osiris Palmers 28 September 1916 December 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Paladin Scotts May 1915 27 March 1916 May 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Parthian Scotts July 1915 3 July 1916 September 1916 Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
Partridge Swan Hunter July 1915 4 March 1916 December 1916 Sunk on 12 December 1917 by gunfire from the German destroyers G 101, G 103, G 104, and V 100 off Norwegian coast.
Pasley Swan Hunter July 1915 15 April 1916 July 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.

5th War Programme[edit]

Eighteen final vessels were ordered in May 1915 (as well as two of the Thornycroft M class and two of the Yarrow M class). However, two of the eighteen were fitted with geared turbines and became the prototypes for the Admiralty R class destroyers (these were the Radstock and Raider, and are listed with the R class). The other sixteen were all to the Admiralty design were of the Repeat M subgroup with raking stems apart from the two ships ordered from White as Redmill and Redwing, which were completed to the earlier 'M' Class design and were renamed Medina and Medway while building.

Name Ship Builder Laid Down Launched Completed Fate
Medina (ex-Redmill) White 23 September 1915 8 March 1916 30 June 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Medway (ex-Medora, ex-Redwing) White 2 November 1915 19 April 1916 2 August 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Pelican William Beardmore & Company, Dalmuir 25 June 1915 18 March 1916 1 May 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Pellew Beardmore 28 June 1915 8 May 1916 30 June 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Penn John Brown 9 June 1915 8 April 1916 May 1916 Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921.
Peregrine John Brown 9 June 1915 29 May 1916 July 1916 Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921.
Petard Denny 5 July 1915 24 March 1916 23 May 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Peyton Denny 12 July 1915 2 May 1916 29 June 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Pheasant Fairfield 23 October 1916 Mined on 1 March 1917 off the Orkney Islands.
Phoebe Fairfield 20 November 1916 28 December 1916 Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921.
Pigeon Hawthorn Leslie & Company, Hebburn 14 July 1915 3 March 1916 2 June 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Plover Hawthorn Leslie 30 July 1915 3 March 1916 30 June 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Plucky Scotts 21 April 1916 July 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Portia Scotts 10 August 1916 October 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Prince Stephen 27 July 1915 26 July 1916 21 September 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Pylades Stephen 27 July 1915 28 September 1916 by Beardmore 30 December 1916 Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Friedman 2009, p. 308.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Cocker, Maurice (1983). Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893–1981. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1075-7.
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • Dittmar, Fred; Colledge, Jim (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0380-7.
  • Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the First World War. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
  • Jane's Fighting Ships, 1919, Jane's Publishing.