HMS Narwhal (1915)
HMS "Narwhal" was a which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the preceding , capable of higher speed. Launched on 30 December 1915, the vessel fought in the Battle of Jutland between 31 May and 1 June 1916 and subsequently served in anti-submarine and escort duties based at Cobh in Ireland. During February 1917, the destroyer rescued the crew of the Q-ship , which had sunk and been sunk by the German submarine , and rescued the armed merchantman from , The destroyer was transferred to Devonport during  1918 and, after the end of the war, was broken up there in 1920 after suffering a fatal collision the year before. Design and development. "Narwhal" was one of sixteen s ordered by the British Admiralty in February 1915 as part of the Fourth War Construction Programme. The M class was an improved version of the earlier destroyers, designed to reach the higher speed of in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers. The destroyer was long overall, with a beam of and a draught of . Displacement was normal and full load. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding  two Parsons steam turbines rated at and driving two shafts, to give a design speed of . Three funnels were fitted. A fuel load of of oil was carried, giving a design range of at . Armament consisted of three Mk IV QF guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the middle and aft funnels. A single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun was carried, while torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for torpedoes. The ship had a complement of 76 officers and ratings. Construction  and career. "Narwhal" was laid down by William Denny and Brothers of Dumbarton on 21 April 1915 with the yard number 1046, launched on 30 December and completed on 3 March the following year. The ship was named after the toothed whale. The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla. Between 31 May and 1 June 1916, "Narwhal" sailed as part of the Flotilla, led by the flotilla leader to confront the German High Seas Fleet in the Battle of Jutland. The ship managed to launch two torpedoes from her port side against  the German Fleet, but both missed. In February 1917, the destroyer was transferred to Cobh, Ireland, to counter increasing activity by German submarines in the Southwest Approaches. The submarines had been very active and the Royal Navy had resorted to introducing Q-ships to try and ambush them. On 17 February, "Narwhal" was called upon to rescue the crew of one of these ships, , which was sunk by and sank . Nine days later, the ship chased away from attacking the armed merchantman . Escort duties continued, including convoys to Liverpool from 27 March. During 1918, the destroyer was transferred to Devonport  as part of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla. "Narwhal" was damaged in a collision in 1919 and returned to Devonport to be broken up the following year. The vessel's name was subsequently used by two submarines that served with the Royal Navy.