R-Class (1916)

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flag
R class
HMS Skate 1918
HMS Skate 1918
Overview
Type destroyer
units 50 (+ 12 specials )
Shipyard

12 shipyards as well as Yarrow / Thornycroft specials

Order May, July and December 1915
March 1916
Keel laying from August 1915
Launch May 1916
to October 1917
Commissioning August 1916 Romola
to November 1917 Ulster
Whereabouts nine war losses
from 1921 sold for demolition
1939 still in service:
HMS Skate
(torpedo school boat)
Phra Ruang
(Thailand, ex HMS Radiant )
Technical specifications
displacement

Standard : 1036-1096  ts

length

up to 84.1 m (276 ft) above sea level
80.77 m pp.

width

8.1 m (26.75 ft)

Draft

3.0 m (9 ft 10 in)

crew

82 men

drive
speed

36 kn

Armament
Fuel supply

243-295 ts of oil

Driving range

3440 nm at 15 kn

The R-Class was a destroyer class of the Royal Navy in the First World War . The 62 ships ordered were put into service between August 1916 and November 1917. Only fourteen destroyers received a with R incipient names depending twenty names began with S or T and eight with U . These destroyers were a further development of the Admiralty M-Class, especially in the drive area with regard to more economical fuel use: The R destroyers were given, for the first time in series production, turbines that were geared down, so-called geared turbines, and therefore only two shafts. It differed from its predecessors in that the rear gun was raised. The Admiralty ordered two prototypes in May 1915. As early as July 1915, a series of seventeen destroyers based on the Admiralty's draft was ordered from eight shipyards. In addition, orders for four more destroyers went to Yarrow and three more to Thornycroft , which were completed by these two shipyards according to similar own designs as so-called "specials". As early as December 1915, orders for eight more destroyers based on the Admiralty draft and two more "specials" were received from Thornycroft. The 8th war building program in March 1916 again included twelve standard destroyers, eleven boats according to an improved admiralty draft and three other "specials" from Yarrows. At this point, none of the previously issued orders had launched an R-Class destroyer.
The R-Class was the last British destroyer class with three funnels except for the seven Yarrow "specials" and the eleven destroyers of the last order based on the Admiralty Modified "R" design , which had only two funnels.

The prototypes

The two prototypes were ordered by the British Admiralty in May 1915 as part of the 5th War Program . The order to Swan Hunter for two Admiralty M-class destroyers was supplemented in May, so that the newbuildings should serve as prototypes of a new class, which should be equipped with two sets of Brown-Curtis geared turbines . The ships had a hull length between perpendiculars of 265  ft  pp. (80.77 m), a hull width of up to 26 ft 7 in (8.10 m) and a normal draft of 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m). The displacement of the destroyers was 975 long tons with normal payload and 1155 long tons with full payload. The two Brown-Curtis geared turbine sets, which were supplied with steam by three Yarrow boilers , had a maximum output of 27,000 hp and drove two propellers. They enabled the destroyers to achieve a design speed of 36 knots, which was faster than their predecessors, the M-Class. Like these, the new ships had three funnels. The fuel supply of 296 long tons of oil should give the ships a range of 3,450 nautical miles (nm) at 15 knots (kn) cruising speed.
The armament of the destroyers consisted of three 4 in-102 mm Mk.IV rapid-fire guns on the centerline of the ships (one on the forecastle, one between the 2nd and 3rd chimneys and one aft on a raised platform). In addition there was a single 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" flak and a torpedo armament of two twin sets for 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes. The crew of the ships should be 82 men.

The Thisbe by Hawthorn Leslie

The Admiralty R-Class

As early as July 1915, as part of the 6th War Program, seventeen boats were ordered according to the Admiralty draft. In addition, four specials were ordered from Yarrow and three from Thornycroft. For boats according to the Admiralty draft, John Brown & Co in Clydebank received four, William Denny in Dumbarton three and William Doxford in Sunderland , Harland and Wolff in Govan , Alexander Stephen in Linthouse and J. Samuel White in Cowes two each. R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. in Hebburn on Tyne and Swan Hunter each received one order . In the following 7th War program in December 1915, in addition to two Thornycroft specials , eight boats were ordered according to the Admiralty draft. Two boats each were built by John Brown, Harland & Wolff, Hawthorn Leslie and Beardmore in Dalmuir . The 8th War Program last included R-Class destroyers. In addition to three specials from Yarrow, 23 boats were ordered according to the Admiralty draft in March 1916, but only twelve of them corresponded to the previous constructions. John Brown, Harland and Wolff, Hawthorn Leslie, Stephen and Swan Hunter built two each. Beardmore and Fairfield each delivered a destroyer in Govan. Parson turbines were installed in the buildings of Doxford, Hawthorn and the first two boats from Beardmore. In contrast, the White boats received White Foster boilers.

  • HMS Romola , built by John Brown , Clydebank , BauN ° 449; off the stack on May 14, 1916; entered service as the first destroyer of the class on August 17, 1916; sold for demolition in March 1930.
  • HMS Skate , as above, construction number 481; launched on January 11, 1917; sold for demolition in March 1947, last destroyer of the class in service with the Royal Navy from 1938, oldest destroyer in the Navy in World War II.

Modified Admiralty R-Class

The Tower of Swan Hunter

The other eleven boats on the order from March 1916 were built according to a slightly modified design by the Admiralty. Unlike the other boats, these only had two chimneys of almost the same size, a considerably longer forecastle and the bridge house not on top of it, but directly behind it. The mast and front chimney followed him relatively closely. The center gun was on a platform between the funnels. To the side of the rear chimney were the davits for the dinghies. With the same hull length, the modified boats had a slightly larger width and the normal draft was 11 ft; the displacement increased to 1085 ts.
Two boats of this variant were built at Doxford, White and, for the first time, at Palmers in Jarrow and Scotts in Greenock ; Beardmore, Fairfield and Swan Hunter made one boat each.

- White delivered the first boat of this variant with the HMS Trenchant on April 30, 1917.
- HMS Ulster , built at Beardmore with construction number 560, was delivered on November 1, 1917 as the last new R-class building.

In 1916, in addition to the last R-Class boats, the Royal Navy also procured the V-Class flotilla commanders , from which the V- and W-Class destroyers ordered in 1916 were developed. Smaller destroyers were not ordered again until 1917. These were initially called the Modified Trenchant class , later the S-Class , and were a further development of the Modified Admiralty R-class.

The Teazer

Thornycroft R-Class

As previously mentioned, the John I. Thornycroft & Company shipyard in Woolston received construction contracts for three and two boats respectively in July and December 1915, which were completed between December 1916 and July 1017. The Thornycroft boats all exceeded the required maximum speed of 36 knots in their test drives; Teazer , the last boat built, even reached 40.22 knots.

Radiant , the first boat completed by Thornycroft between December 1915 and February 1917, had the longest career of any R-class destroyer. The shipyard bought the destroyer back on June 21, 1920 for export. In September 1920 it was sold to Thailand, where it was named Phra Ruang and remained in service with interruptions until 1957.

Nerissa , a Yarrow-M special

Yarrow R-Class (also Yarrow "Later M" Class )

Yarrow Shipbuilders in Scotstoun built seven boats on orders from July 1915 and March 1916 as specials , which were completed between September 1916 and September 1917. These destroyers had two chimneys. Since the seven boats did not have geared turbines and the rear gun was not placed on a special platform, these destroyers are also known as the Yarrow "Later M" Class .
They were ordered at the same time as the R-Class destroyers, but they lacked the aforementioned typical features of the R-Class.

The boats displaced 897 to 923 tons, had a length of 269 ft 6 in (82.14 m) pp. or 271 ft 6 in (82.75 m) overall, a width of 25 ft 9 in (7.84 m) and a draft of 8 ft 6 in to 10 ft 6 in (2.6-3.2 m) ). The fuel supply of the boats was 200 to a maximum of 256 tons.

War losses

On January 23, 1917, the Simoom, the first R-class destroyer, was lost. The German torpedo boat S 50 hit the Simoom off the Maas estuary with artillery and a torpedo. The wreck was sunk by the flotilla leader Nimrod after the survivors had been rescued . Also by German surface forces on October 17, 1917, the Strongbow , built near Yarrows, was lost in a naval battle near the Shetland Islands . Recruit were sunk by German submarines in the North Sea on August 9, 1917 and Ulleswater on August 15, 1918. On the night of December 23, 1917, Surprise , Tornado and Torremt ran into a minefield while awaiting a convoy from the Netherlands and sank with large staff losses. By collisions sank on May 17, 1917 Setter off Harwich and Ulysses on October 29, 1918 on the Clyde .

The R-Class boats

Come on Surname Shipyard BuildingN ° Keel laying Launch in service Type fate
PT Wheel stick Swan Hunter 1005 6.09.15 3.07.16 09/20/16 sold for demolition in April 1927
PT Raider Swan Hunter 1007 25.10.15 07/17/16 1.11.16 sold for demolition in April 1927
6.E Sorceress Swan Hunter 1013 11/13/15 08/29/16 12/14/16 sold for demolition in April 1927
8.E Torrent Swan Hunter 1023 May 16, 2015 11/26/16 02/27/16 sank on December 23, 1917 after being hit by a mine
8.E Torrid Swan Hunter 1025 07/19/15 02/10/17 02/27/16 sold for demolition in January 1937
8.E Tower Swan Hunter 1027 9/8/16 5.04.17 08/11/17 mod. R-type sold for demolition in May 1928
6.E Romola John Brown 449 08/25/15 05/14/16 08/17/16 sold for demolition in March 1930
6.E Rowena John Brown 450 08/25/15 1.07.16 09/29/16 sold for demolition in January 1937
6.E Restless John Brown 451 22.09.15 08/12/16 10/21/16 sold for demolition in November 1936
6.E Rigorous John Brown 452 22.09.15 09/30/16 11/27/16 sold for demolition in November 1926
7.E Simoon John Brown 455 05/23/16 10/30/16 12/22/16 Sunk on January 23, 1917: 47 dead
7.E Skate John Brown 461 1/12/16 11/01/17 02/19/17 sold for demolition in March 1947
8.E Tarpon John Brown 457 04/12/16 03/10/17 04/26/17 Mine layers sold for demolition in August 1927
8.E Telemachus John Brown 458 04/12/16 04/21/17 06/16/17 Mine layers sold for demolition in July 1927
6.E Sarpedon Hawthorn Leslie 483 09/27/15 1.06.16 2.09.16 sold for demolition in July 1921
7.E Starfish Hawthorn Leslie 484 01/26/16 09/27/16 12/16/16 sold for demolition in April 1928
7.E Stork Hawthorn Leslie 485 04/10/16 11/25/16 1.02.17 sold for demolition in October 1927
8.E Thruster Hawthorn Leslie 491 2.06.16 01/10/17 03/30/17 sold for demolition in March 1937
8.E Thisbe Hawthorn Leslie 492 06/13/16 3/8/17 6/06/17 sold for demolition in August 1936
6.E Rocket Denny 1055 28.09.15 2.07.16 7.10.16 sold for demolition in December 1926
6.E Rob Roy Denny 1056 15.10.15 08/29/16 12/15/16 sold for demolition in July 1926
6.E Redgauntlety Denny 1056 09/30/15 11/23/16 02/07/17 sold for demolition in July 1927
6.E Sable White 12/20/15 06/18/16 11/30/16 sold for demolition in August 1927
6.E setter White 16 08/18/16 16 after collision with HMS on May 17, 1917 Sylph dropped
8.E Trenchant White 07/17/16 23.12.16 04/30/17 mod. R-type sold for demolition in November 1928
8.E Tristram White 09/23/16 02/24/17 06/30/17 mod. R-type sold for demolition in May 1921 | -
6.E Salmon Harland & Wolff 494G 08/27/15 7.10.16 12/20/16 Renamed Sable in December 1933, sold for demolition in January 1937, still available in 1939, reactivated after the outbreak of war and intended for conversion as a magnetic minesweeper, not completed and then scrapped
6.E Sylph Harland & Wolff 495G 08/30/15 11/15/16 02/10/17 sold for demolition in December 1926
7.E Skilful Harland & Wolff 496G 01/20/16 3.02.17 03/26/17 sold for demolition in July 1926
7.E Springbok Harland & Wolff 497G 01/27/16 3/9/17 04/30/17 sold for demolition in December 1926
8.E Tetrarch Harland & Wolff 499G 07/26/16 04/20/17 2.06.17 sold for demolition in July 1934
8.E Tenacious Harland & Wolff 498G 07/25/16 05/21/17 08/12/17 sold for demolition in June 1928
7.E Satyr Beardmore 549 04/15/16 12/27/16 2.02.17 sold for demolition in April 1927
7.E Sharpshooter Beardmore 550 05/23/16 02/27/17 2.04.17 sold for demolition in April 1927
8.E Tancred Beardmore 556 7/6/16 06/30/17 1.09.17 sold for demolition in May 1928
8.E Ulster Beardmore 560 19.09.16 10/10/17 11/21/17 mod. R-type sold for demolition in April 1928
6.E Sturgeon Stephen 477 11/10/15 11/01/17 02/26/17 sold for demolition in December 1926
6.E Scepter Stephen 478 11/10/15 04/18/17 05/26/17 sold for demolition in December 1926
8.E Tormentor Stephen 479 04/15/16 12/27/16 2.02.17 sold for demolition in April 1927
8.E tornado Stephen 480 1.05.16 4.08.17 2.11.17 Sank on the night of December 23, 1917 after being hit by mines
6.E Redoubt Doxford 508 10/28/16 3.17 sold for demolition in July 1926
6.E Recruit Doxford 509 12/9/16 4.17 sank on August 9, 1917 after being hit by a torpedo
8.E Ulysses Doxford 510 16 03/24/17 6.17 mod. R-type sunk on October 29, 1918 after a collision in the Clyde
8.E Umpire Doxford 512 6/9/17 6.17 mod. R-type sold for demolition in January 1930
8.E Tempest Fairfield 524 06/24/16 01/26/17 03/20/17 sold for demolition in January 1937
8.E Undine Fairfield 525 5.08.16 03/22/17 05/26/17 mod. R-type sold for demolition in April 1928
8.E tirade Scotts 478 1.05.16 04/21/17 06/30/17 mod. R-type sold for demolition in November 1921
8.E Ursula Scotts 480 09/22/16 2.08.17 9.17 mod. R-type sold for demolition in November 1929
8.E Urchin Palmer 871 9.16 6/7/17 08/19/17 mod. R-type sold for demolition in January 1930
8.E Ursa Palmer 872 10.16 07/23/17 16.10.17 mod. R-type sold for demolition in July 1926
6.E Rosalind Thornycroft 850 10.15 10/14/16 12.16 Th.-special sold for demolition in July 1926
6.E Radians Thornycroft 851 12.15 11/25/16 2.17 Th.-special June 21, 2020 Buyback, September 1920 to Thailand Phra Ruang
6.E retriever Thornycroft 852 1.16 1/15/17 3.17 Th.-special sold for demolition in February 1930
7.E Taurus Thornycroft 871 3.16 03/10/17 5.17 Th.-special sold for demolition in February 1930
7.E Teazer Thornycroft 872 3.16 04/21/17 7.17 Th.-special sold for demolition in February 1931
6.E Sabrina Yarrow 1393 11.15 07/24/16 9.16 Yar special sold for demolition in November 1926
6.E Strongbow Yarrow 1394 11.15 09/30/16 11.16 Yar special sunk in front of the Shetlands by SMS Bremse on October 17, 1917
6.E Surprise Yarrow 1395 12.15 11/25/16 2.17 Yar special Sank on December 23, 1917 after being hit by a mine
6.E Sybille Yarrow 1396 8.15 5.02.17 2.17 Yar special sold for demolition in November 1926
8.E Truculent Yarrow 1408 3.16 03/24/17 5.17 Yar special April 1927 sold for demolition
8.E Tyrant Yarrow 1409 3.16 05/19/17 7.17 Yar special April 1938 sold for demolition
8.E Ulleswater Yarrow 1410 7.16 4.08.17 9.17 Yar special sunk on August 15, 1918 after being hit by a torpedo

Deployments of the destroyer

The leader Shakespeare after a mine hit in the North Sea

When the new boats first came in, the 15th Destroyer Flotilla was formed, which was used to secure the Grand Fleet . Until the end of the war, the R destroyers were used in other flotillas. They also secured convoys to and from the neutral states of Norway and the Netherlands. Most of the destroyers of the type continued to be used by the 15th DF (15 of 18) and the 10th DF of the Harwich Force . This flotilla had 24 destroyers of the R-Class, the four flotilla Shakespeare , Spenser , Bruce and Montrose and eight minesweepers of the Hunt class .
The 10th Destroyer Flotilla had received their first boats of the class with Starfish and Simoom in December 1916. However, Simoom was lost after a month. Of the class’s nine war casualties, all but Strongbow and Ulysses were serving in the 10th DF. In July 1917, the flotilla had 24 R destroyers for the first time and only used this type from that month until it was disbanded in spring 1919. The boats were distributed at the dissolution. In 1919, only the 4th and 5th flotillas remained in the fleet as users of R-class destroyers with ten and 14 boats respectively. Many boats were also used as training and instruction ships at various locations.
In 1921 the first of the R destroyers were eliminated. Most of the boats were in reserve in 1923 (31 boats) or were doing school and training purposes. At the end of 1933 two more remained in reserve with Tetrach and Thisbe ; eight other boats were still in service. The anti-submarine school in Portland used several R-destroyers as school boats until the mid-1930s. When the 19th Destroyer Flotilla was formed in the course of the Abyssinian crisis at the end of 1935 to protect shipping traffic off the Suez Canal and the Egyptian coast, the newly established flotilla received two Scott-class flotilla leaders and five V- and W-class destroyers as well as Rowena , Torrid and Thruster from the Anti-Submarine School.

HMS Skate 1942

The desire of the Admiralty to maintain and use the former largest ship in the world, the Majestic (ex Bismarck ) , which was scheduled for demolition , as a training ship, led to the sale of 24 older destroyers to the demolition company Thos W. Ward as compensation for the scrap value of the Majestic . The remaining R-Class boats have now also been eliminated. Only the last used as a torpedo training ship in Portsmouth

was preserved and was the Royal Navy's oldest destroyer in World War II . As the last British unit in the class, the skate was sold for demolition in 1947.

literature

  • Maurice Cocker: Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981 , Ian Allan 1983, ISBN 0-7110-1075-7
  • Fred Dittmar & Jim Colledge: British Warships 1914-1919 , Ian Allen 1972, ISBN 0-7110-0380-7 .

Web links

Commons : R-Class Destroyer  - collection of images

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jane's Fighting Ships 1919 , p. 108
  2. ↑ Jane's Fighting Ships 1919 , p. 107
  3. ↑ a b Jane’s Fighting Ships 1919 , p. 106
  4. ↑ Harald Fock: Z-before! Volume 2: International development and war missions of destroyers and torpedo boats in World War II 1940 - 1945. Koehlers Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Herford 2001, ISBN 3-7822-0762-9 , p. 121.
  5. ↑ Tenth_Destroyer_
  6. ↑ 8.1 DESTROYER FLOTILLAS 4.1919-1.1921
  7. ↑ 19th Destroyer Flotilla, Malta 12.35-36