Admiralty M-class destroyer

The M class, more properly known as the Admiralty M class, were a class of 85 destroyers built for the Royal Navy 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.

HMS Pasley
Class overview
Operators:	Royal Navy
Preceded by:	L class
Succeeded by:	R class
Subclasses:	Thornycroft M class Yarrow M class Hawthorn M class Yarrow Later M class
Built:	1914–1916
In commission:	1915–1923
Completed:	85
General characteristics
Type:	Destroyer
Displacement:	900 long tons (914 t) (normal) 1,100 long tons (1,118 t) full load
Length:	273 ft 4 in (83.3 m) (o/a)
Beam:	26 ft 8 in (8.1 m)
Draught:	8 ft 6 in (2.6 m)
Installed power:	4 Yarrow boilers 25,000 shp (18,642 kW)
Propulsion:	3 shafts; 1 steam turbine set
Speed:	34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range:	3,710 nmi (6,870 km; 4,270 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement:	80
Armament:	3 × single 4 in (102 mm) guns 2 × single 2-pdr (40 mm (1.6 in)) gun 2 × twin 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes

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

Six vessels were built 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.

Besides the above six 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 1913–14 Naval Programme – and named Marksman, Menace and Monitor; however these three ships were cancelled before being contracted to any specific builder, in favour of two Marksman-class leaders.

Ships of the Emergency War Construction Programme

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

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

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

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

• Nestor, built by Swan Hunter, launched 22 December 1915. Sunk on 31 May 1916 at the Battle of Jutland.
• Noble, built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Linthouse, begun 6 February 1915, launched 25 November 1915, and completed 15 February 1916. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
• Nomad, built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Linthouse, launched 7 February 1916. Sunk on 31 May 1916 at the Battle of Jutland.
• Nizam, built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Linthouse, begun 11 February 1915, launched 6 April 1916, and then completed by Beardmore 29 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• Nonpareil, built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Linthouse, begun 24 February 1915, launched 16 May 1916, and completed 28 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• Norman, built by Palmers, launched 20 March 1916 and completed August 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• Northesk, built by Palmers, launched 5 July 1916 and completed October 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• North Star, built by Palmers, launched 9 November 1916. Sunk on 23 April 1918 at Zeebrugge.
• Nugent, built by Palmers, launched 23 January 1917 and completed April 1917. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• Obedient, built by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited, Greenock, launched 6 November 1916 and completed February 1916. Sold for breaking up 25 November 1921.
• Obdurate, built by Scotts, launched 21 November 1916 and completed March 1916. Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921.
• Onslaught, built by Fairfield, launched 4 December 1915 and completed 3 March 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, built by Fairfield, launched 15 February 1916 and completed 15 April 1916. Sold for breaking up 26 October 1921.
• Opal, built by William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland, launched 11 September 1915. Wrecked off Scapa Flow with Narborough on 12 January 1918 (one survivor).
• Ophelia, built by Doxford, launched 13 October 1916 and completed May 1916. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
• Opportune, built by Doxford, launched 20 November 1915 and completed June 1916. Sold for breaking up 7 December 1923.
• Oracle, built by Doxford, launched 23 December 1915 and completed August 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921.
• Orestes, built by Doxford, launched 21 March 1916 and completed June 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921.
• Orford, built by Doxford, launched 19 April 1916 and completed December 1916. Sold for breaking up 1 November 1921.
• Orpheus, built by Doxford, launched 17 June 1916 and completed September 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921.
• Octavia, built by Doxford, launched 21 June 1916 and completed November 1916. Sold for breaking up 5 November 1921.
• Ossory, built by John Brown, begun 23 December 1914, launched 9 October 1915, and completed November 1915. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.

4th War Programme

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 moved flared to improve seakeeping qualities.

• Napier, built by John Brown, begun 24 March 1915, launched 27 November 1915, and completed January 1916. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
• Narborough, built by John Brown, begun May 1915, launched 2 March 1916. Wrecked off Scapa Flow (with Opal) on 12 January 1918 (no survivors).
• Narwhal, built by Denny, begun 21 April 1915, launched 30 December 1915, and completed 3 March 1916. Collided with another vessel in 1919 and broken up in 1920 at Devonport Dockyard.
• Nicator, built by Denny, begun 21 April 1915, launched 3 February 1916, and completed 15 April 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• Norseman, built by Doxford, launched 15 August 1916, and completed November 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• Oberon, built by Doxford, launched 29 September 1916, and completed December 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• Observer, built by Fairfield, begun 1 June 1915, launched 1 May 1916, and completed 15 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 30 October 1921.
• Offa, built by Fairfield, begun 6 July 1915, launched 7 June 1916, and completed 31 July 1916. Sold for breaking up 30 October 1921.
• Orcadia, built by Fairfield, begun 24 June 1915, launched 26 July 1916, and completed 29 September 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921.
• Oriana, built by Fairfield, launched 23 September 1916, and completed 4 November 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921.
• Oriole, built by Palmers, launched 31 July 1916, and completed November 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• Osiris, built by Palmers, launched 28 September 1916, and completed December 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• Paladin, built by Scotts, begun May 1915, launched 27 March 1916, and completed May 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
• Parthian, built by Scotts, begun July 1915, launched 3 July 1916, and completed September 1916. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
• Partridge, built by Swan Hunter, begun July 1915, launched 4 March 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, built by Swan Hunter, begun July 1915, launched 15 April 1916, and completed July 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.

5th War Programme

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.

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

Notes

1. Friedman 2009, p. 308.

Bibliography

• 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.
• Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893–1981, Maurice Cocker, 1983, Ian Allan ISBN 0-7110-1075-7
• Jane's Fighting Ships, 1919, Jane's Publishing.
• British Warships 1914–1919, Fred Dittmar & Jim Colledge, 1972, Ian Allan SBN 7110 0380 7.