# R-class destroyer (1916)

The first R class were a class of 62 destroyers built between 1916 and 1917 for the Royal Navy. They were an improvement, specifically in the area of fuel economy, of the earlier Admiralty M-class 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 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 HMS Bristol commissioned in 1973 had three funnels, these were not all on the centreline). All of these ships saw extensive service in World War I. Some saw service as minelayers. 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, HMS Skate, survived to see service in World War II as a convoy escort, making her the oldest destroyer to see wartime service with the Royal Navy. A second, HMS Radiant was transferred to the Royal Siamese Navy as Phra Ruang in September 1920.

## Ships in class

The ships of this class were ordered under the 5th through 8th War Emergency Programmes through which the government funded the United Kingdom's increased ship production during World War I. The first two prototypes of this class were ordered in May 1915 as part of the 5th War Programme and larger numbers followed, as summarized in the following table:
| War Programme | Ordered | Admiralty R | Admiralty Modified R | Thornycroft R | Yarrow R |
| 5 | May 1915 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 6 | July 1915 | 17 | - | 3 | 4 |
| 7 | December 1915 | 8 | - | 2 | - |
| 8 | March 1916 | 12 | 11 | - | 3 |

### Admiralty R-class destroyers

| Name | Pennant | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Disposed | Status |
| 5th War Programme order in May 1915 (2 ships) |||||||||
| Radstock | D94, H64, G76, G79, G81 | Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson | 6 September 1915 | 8 June 1916 | 20 September 1916 | 29 April 1927 | Sold for scrap |
| Raider | D95, G41, G81, G82, G86 | Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson | October 1915 | 17 July 1916 | October 1916 | 29 April 1927 | Sold for scrap |
| 6th War Programme order in July 1915 (17 ships) |||||||||
| Romola | G15, G18, G53, G83 | John Brown & Company, Clydebank | 25 August 1915 | 14 May 1916 | 17 August 1916 | 13 March 1930 | Scrapped |
| Rowena | D84, F45, H85, G81, G90 | John Brown & Company, Clydebank | 25 August 1915 | 1 July 1916 | 29 September 1916 | 27 January 1937 | Scrapped |
| Restless | G85, G88 | John Brown & Company, Clydebank | 22 September 1915 | 12 August 1916 | 21 October 1916 | 23 November 1936 | Scrapped |
| Rigorous | G86, G90 | John Brown & Company, Clydebank | 22 September 1915 | 30 September 1916 | 30 November 1916 | 5 November 1926 | Scrapped |
| Rocket | G43, G82, G88, H76 | William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton | 28 September 1915 | 2 July 1916 | 7 October 1916 | 16 December 1926 | Scrapped |
| Rob Roy | | William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton | 15 October 1915 | 29 August 1916 | 15 December 1916 | 13 July 1926 | Scrapped |
| Redgauntlet | F51, F58, F97, FA4 | William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton | 28 September 1915 | 23 November 1916 | 7 February 1917 | July 1927 | Scrapped |
| Redoubt | F56, F57 | William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland | | 28 October 1916 | | 13 July 1926 | Scrapped |
| Recruit | | William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland | | 9 December 1916 | April 1917 | 9 August 1917 | Sunk by submarine |
| Sable | G44, G91, H93 | J. Samuel White, Cowes | | 26 June 1916 | 30 November 1916 | August 1927 | Scrapped |
| Setter | F55, G98 | J. Samuel White, Cowes | | 18 August 1916 | 12 February 1917 | 17 May 1917 | Sunk after collision |
| Salmon (renamed Sable) | F18, G93, G94, H36, H58 | Harland and Wolff, Govan | 27 August 1915 | 7 October 1916 | 20 December 1916 | 28 January 1937 | Sold for scrap |
| Sylph | D93, F54, F68, G69, H0A | Harland and Wolff, Govan | 30 August 1916 | 15 November 1916 | 10 February 1917 | 16 December 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| Sarpedon | F15, G14, G19, G21, G82 | R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Hebburn on Tyne | 27 September 1915 | 1 June 1916 | 2 September 1916 | 23 July 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| Sorceress | G68, G93, G94, H66 | Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne | 13 November 1915 | 29 August 1916 | 4 December 1916 | 29 April 1927 | Sold for scrap |
| Sturgeon | F47, F49, G17 | Alexander Stephen and Sons, Linthouse, Govan | 10 November 1915 | 11 January 1917 | 26 February 1917 | 16 December 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| Sceptre | F60, F79 | Alexander Stephen and Sons, Linthouse, Govan | 10 November 1915 | 18 April 1917 | 26 May 1917 | 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| 7th War Programme order in December 1915 (8 ships) |||||||||
| Satyr | F51, F59, G52, H78 | William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir | April 1916 | 27 December 1916 | 2 February 1917 | 16 December 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| Sharpshooter | F48, F61 | William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir | May 1916 | 27 February 1917 | 2 April 1917 | 29 April 1927 | Sold for scrap |
| Simoom | | John Brown & Company, Clydebank | 23 May 1916 | 30 October 1916 | 22 December 1916 | 23 January 1917 | Sunk by torpedo boat |
| Skate | | John Brown & Company, Clydebank | 12 January 1916 | 11 January 1917 | 19 February 1917 | 1947 | Sold for scrap |
| Skilful | | Harland and Wolff, Govan | | 3 February 1917 | | 13 July 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| Springbok | | Harland and Wolff, Govan | 27 January 1916 | 9 March 1917 | 30 April 1917 | 16 December 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| Starfish | F60, F64, G50, H70 | | R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Hebburn on Tyne | 27 September 1916 | | 21 April 1928 | Sold for scrap |
| Stork | F65, F66, G60, H90 | R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Hebburn on Tyne | 10 April 1916 | 25 November 1916 | 1 February 1917 | 7 October 1927 | Sold for scrap |
| 8th War Programme order in March 1916 (12 ships) |||||||||
| Tancred | F12, F85, G07, G08, G79, H67 | William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir | 5 November 1916 | 30 June 1917 | 1 September 1917 | 17 May 1928 | Sold for scrap |
| Tarpon | F22, F65, F72, F79, H97 | John Brown & Company, Clydebank | 12 April 1916 | 10 March 1917 | April 1917 | 4 August 1927 | Sold for scrap |
| Telemachus | F23, F66, F81, F86, H98 | John Brown & Company, Clydebank | 12 April 1916 | 21 April 1917 | June 1917 | July 1927 | Sold for scrap |
| Tempest | | Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company | | 26 January 1917 | April 1917 | January 1937 | Sold for scrap |
| Tenacious | F96, G02, G61, H1A | Harland and Wolff, Govan; J. Samuel White, Cowes | 25 July 1916 | 21 March 1917 | 12 August 1917 | 26 June 1928 | Sold for scrap |
| Tetrarch | F74, F87, G54, H59 | Harland and Wolff, Govan; J. Samuel White, Cowes | 26 July 1916 | 20 April 1917 | 2 June 1917 | 28 July 1934 | Sold for scrap |
| Thisbe | F75, F82, G80, H72 | R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Hebburn on Tyne | June 1916 | 8 March 1917 | 6 June 1917 | 31 August 1936 | Sold for scrap |
| Thruster | F74, F76, G81, H73 | R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Hebburn on Tyne | 2 June 1916 | 10 January 1917 | 30 March 1917 | 16 March 1937 | Sold for scrap |
| Tormentor | | Alexander Stephen and Sons, Linthouse, Govan | | 22 May 1917 | | 19 November 1929 | Sold for scrap; sunk in transit |
| Tornado | | Alexander Stephen and Sons, Linthouse, Govan | | 4 August 1917 | November 1917 | 23 December 1917 | Sunk by mines |
| Torrent | | Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne | | 26 November 1916 | February 1917 | 23 December 1917 | Sunk by mines |
| Torrid | | Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne | 19 July 1916 | 10 February 1917 | 5 May 1917 | 27 January 1937 | Sunk by mines |

### Admiralty Modified R-class destroyers

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.
| Name | Pennant | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Disposed | Status |
| 8th War Programme order in March 1916 (11 ships) |||||||||
| Trenchant | G78, G96 | J. Samuel White, Cowes | | 23 December 1916 | 30 April 1917 | 15 November 1928 | Sold for scrap |
| Tristram | F11, F25, F89 | J. Samuel White, Cowes | 23 September 1916 | 24 February 1917 | 30 June 1917 | 9 May 1921 | Sold for scrap |
| Tirade | F07, F81, G80, HA7 | Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Greenock | 1 May 1916 | 21 April 1917 | 30 June 1917 | 15 November 1921 | Sold for scrap |
| Tower | | Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne | September 1916 | 5 April 1917 | | 17 May 1928 | Sold for scrap |
| Ulster | F01, F17, F91, H09 | William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir | | 10 October 1917 | 21 November 1917 | 21 April 1928 | Sold for scrap |
| Ulysses | | William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland | | 24 March 1917 | | 29 October 1918 | Sunk following collision |
| Umpire | F02, F26, F94, H10 | William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland | | 9 June 1917 | August 1917 | 7 January 1930 | Sold for scrap |
| Undine | F03, G79, G97, H61 | Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company | 23 September 1916 | 22 March 1917 | 26 May 1917 | 28 September 1927 | Sold for scrap; sunk in transit |
| Urchin | F04, F99, H62 | Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company | | 7 June 1917 | August 1917 | 7 January 1930 | Sold for scrap |
| Ursa | F05, F10, H63 | Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company | | 23 July 1917 | 16 October 1917 | 13 July 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| Ursula | F01, F84, F88, H11 | Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Greenock | 22 September 1916 | 21 April 1917 | 26 September 1917 | 19 November 1929 | Sold for scrap |

### Thornycroft R-class ships

| Name | Pennant | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Disposed | Status |
| 6th War Programme order in July 1915 (3 ships) |||||||||
| Rosalind | D87, G64, G89, G95 | John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston | October 1915 | 14 October 1916 | December 1916 | 13 July 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| Radiant | | John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston | | 25 November 1916 | February 1917 | 21 June 1920 | Sold to Thailand as Phra Ruang |
| Retriever | | John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston | | 15 January 1917 | | 26 July 1927 | Sold for scrap |
| 7th War Programme order in December 1915 (2 ships) |||||||||
| Taurus | D82, F39, F70, F71, H30 | John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston | March 1916 | 10 March 1917 | May 1917 | 18 February 1930 | Sold for scrap |
| Teazer | D83, F40, F71, F93, H17 | John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston | March 1916 | 21 April 1917 | July 1917 | 6 February 1931 | Sold for scrap |
Only a single R-class destroyer was passed on from the Royal Navy for service in another service:
| Name | Former name | Operator | Service entry | Service exit | Status | Ref |
| Phra Ruang | ex-Radiant | Royal Thai Navy | September 1920 | 1957 | Stricken | |

### Yarrow R-class ships

These seven ships built by Yarrow Shipbuilders were sometimes classified as the Yarrow Later M-class destroyer. These ships had two funnels.
| Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Disposed | Status |
| 6th War Programme order in July 1915 (4 ships) |||||||||
| Sabrina | Yarrow Shipbuilders | August 1915 | 24 July 1916 | September 1916 | 5 November 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| Strongbow | Yarrow Shipbuilders | | 30 September 1916 | November 1916 | 17 October 1917 | Sunk by cruisers |
| Surprise | Yarrow Shipbuilders | | 25 November 1916 | February 1917 | 23 December 1917 | Sunk by mines |
| Sybille | Yarrow Shipbuilders | August 1915 | 5 February 1917 | February 1917 | 5 November 1926 | Sold for scrap |
| 8th War Programme order in March 1916 (3 ships) |||||||||
| Truculent | Yarrow Shipbuilders | March 1916 | 24 March 1917 | May 1917 | 29 April 1927 | Sold for scrap |
| Tyrant | Yarrow Shipbuilders | March 1916 | 19 May 1917 | July 1917 | April 1938 | Sold for scrap |
| Ulleswater | Yarrow Shipbuilders | 1916 | 4 August 1917 | | 15 August 1918 | Sunk by submarine |