A-class destroyer (1913)

	HMS Daring, the lead ship of the "26-knotter" group
Class overview
Builders	Various
Operators	Royal Navy
Built	1892–1895
In commission	1893–1920
Completed	42
Lost	3
General characteristics
Type	Destroyer
Displacement	From 185–340 long tons (188–345 t)
Length	200–210 ft (61–64 m)
Propulsion	list error: <br /> list (help); Triple expansion steam engines; Coal-fired water-tube boilers
Speed	26 kn (48 km/h) or 27 kn (50 km/h)
Complement	46 to 53
Armament	list error: <br /> list (help); • 1 × QF 12-pounder gun; • Up to 5 × QF 6 pounder guns; • 2 × 14 in (360 mm) torpedo tubes; Daring and Havock class ships had a third torpedo tube in the bow, later removed

The A class as designated in 1913 was a heterogeneous group of torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s. Some 42 vessels were constructed to the individual designs of their builders to meet Admiralty specifications, the only uniting feature being a specified top speed of 27 knots (50 km/h). In fact the initial six vessels were generally differentiated by a slightly lower speed and were often referred to as "26-knotters" to distinguish them from the following batch of thirty-six vessels; all surviving "27-knotter" vessels were classified by the Admiralty as the A class in 1913 to provide some system to the naming of HM destroyers. All of the "26-knotters" and most of the "27-knotters" had been lost or scrapped before the 1913 classification (and so - strictly speaking - never survived to become 'A' class), but for convenience all 42 ships are listed below. The number of funnels varied from one to four. All vessels had a distinctive "turtleback" forecastle that was intended to clear water from the bow, but actually tended to dig the bow in to anything of a sea, resulting in a very wet conning position.

They generally displaced around 260 tons and had a length of around 200 feet (61 m). All were powered by triple expansion steam engines and had coal-fired water-tube boilers (although initially, some had "locomotive type" fire-tube boilers in lieu). Armament was generally one QF 12 pounder on a bandstand on the forecastle, up to five QF 6 pounder and 2 single tubes for 14-inch (360 mm) torpedoes. The Daring and Havock class ships initially had a third tube in the bow, fixed to fire straight ahead, but this was found to weigh down the bows and it was possible for the ship to run over its own torpedo when moving at high speed, as such they were later removed and this feature was not repeated in later vessels.

Ships

The 26-knotter group (ordered under the 1892-93 Programme)

Originally Daring class destroyer; both built by John I. Thornycroft & Company, Chiswick.

HMS Daring, launched 25 November 1893, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
HMS Decoy, launched 7 February 1894, sunk in collision with Arun 13 August 1904.

Originally Havock-class destroyer; both built by Yarrow Shipbuilders, Poplar.

HMS Havock, launched 12 August 1893, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
HMS Hornet, launched 3 December 1893, sold for breaking up 12 October 1909.

Originally Ferret-class destroyer; both built by Laird Brothers, Birkenhead.

HMS Ferret, launched 9 December 1893, dismantled 1910 and sunk as target 1911.
HMS Lynx, launched 24 January 1894, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.

The 27-knotter group (ordered under the 1893-94 Programme) Initially six TBDs (the Thornycroft and Yarrow vessels below) were ordered under the 1893-94 Estimates, but a series of follow-up orders raised the programme to thirty-six vessels.

Originally Ardent-class destroyer; all built by John I. Thornycroft & Company, Chiswick.

HMS Ardent, launched 16 October 1894, sold for breaking up 10 October 1911.
HMS Boxer, launched 28 November 1894, lost in collision with SS St Patrick in the Channel 8 February 1918.
HMS Bruizer, launched 27 February 1895, sold for breaking up 26 May 1914.

Originally Charger-class destroyer; all built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Poplar.

HMS Charger, launched 15 September 1894, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
HMS Dasher, launched 28 November 1894, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
HMS Hasty, launched 16 June 1894, sold for breaking up 9 July 1912.

Originally Banshee-class destroyer; all built by Laird Brothers, Birkenhead

HMS Banshee, launched 17 November 1894, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
HMS Contest, launched 1 December 1894, sold for breaking up 11 July 1911.
HMS Dragon, launched 15 December 1894, sold for breaking up 9 July 1912.

Originally Conflict-class destroyer; all built by J. Samuel White, Cowes

HMS Conflict, launched 13 December 1894, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920.
HMS Teazer, launched 9 February 1895, sold for breaking up 9 July 1912.
HMS Wizard, launched 27 February 1895, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920.

Originally Fervent-class destroyer; both built by Hanna, Donald & Wilson, Paisley.

HMS Fervent, launched 20 March 1895, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920.
HMS Zephyr, launched 10 May 1895, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920.

Originally Handy-class destroyer; all built by Fairfields, Govan

HMS Handy, launched 9 March 1895, sold for breaking up 1916 at Hong Kong.
HMS Hart, launched 27 March 1895, sold for breaking up 1912 at Hong Kong.
HMS Hunter, launched 28 December 1895, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.

Originally Hardy-class destroyer; both built by William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland.

HMS Hardy, launched 16 December 1895, sold for breaking up 11 July 1911.
HMS Haughty, launched 18 September 1895, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.

Originally Janus class; all built by Palmers, Jarrow.

HMS Janus, launched 12 March 1895, sold for breaking up 1914 at Hong Kong.
HMS Lightning, launched 10 April 1895, sunk, probably by mine, 30 June 1915.
HMS Porcupine, launched 19 September 1895, sold for breaking up 29 April 1920.

Originally Sunfish-class destroyer; all built by Hawthorn, Newcastle upon Tyne.

HMS Sunfish, launched 9 August 1895, sold for breaking up 7 June 1920.
HMS Opposum, launched 4 October 1895, sold for breaking up 29 July 1920.
HMS Ranger, launched 28 May 1895, sold for breaking up 20 July 1920.

Ex-Rocket-class destroyer; all built by J & G Thomson (later to become John Brown and Company), Clydebank.

HMS Rocket, launched 14 August 1894, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
HMS Shark, launched 22 September 1894, sold for breaking up 11 July 1911.
HMS Surly, launched 10 November 1894, sold for breaking up 23 March 1920.

Originally Salmon-class destroyer; both built by Earle's, Kingston upon Hull.

HMS Salmon, launched 15 January 1895, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
HMS Snapper, launched 30 January 1895, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.

Originally Sturgeon-class destroyer; all built by Naval Construction and Armament Company (later to become Vickers and eventually Vickers-Armstrongs), Barrow in Furness.

HMS Sturgeon, launched 21 July 1894, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
HMS Starfish, launched 26 January 1895, sold for breaking up 15 May 1912.
HMS Skate, launched 13 March 1895, sold for breaking up 9 April 1907.

Originally Swordfish-class destroyer; both built by Armstrong Mitchell and Company (later part of Vickers-Armstrongs), Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne

HMS Swordfish, launched 7 June 1895, sold for breaking up 11 October 1910.
HMS Spitfire, launched 27 February 1895, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.

Originally Zebra class; built by Thames Iron Works, Bow Creek

HMS Zebra, launched 13 December 1895, sold for breaking up 30 July 1914.

Bibliography

Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981, Maurice Cocker, 1983, Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1075-7.
The First Destroyers, David Lyon, 1996, Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1-86176-005-1.

v t e A-class destroyers
"26-knotter" type	Daring class Havock class Ferret class
"27-knotter" type	Ardent class Charger class Hardy class Janus class Salmon class Banshee class Fervent class Conflict class Handy class Sunfish class Rocket class Sturgeon class Swordfish class Zebra class
Followed by: B class
List of destroyer classes of the Royal Navy

v t e British naval ship classes of the First World War
Aircraft/Seaplane carriers	Empress^S^V Riviera^S^V Engadine^S^V Ark Royal^S Ben-my-Chree^S^V Campania^S^V Raven II^S^V Anne^S^V Vindex^S^V Manxman^S^V Furious^M Pegasus^S^V Nairana^S^V Argus^S^V Vindictive^S^V
Dreadnought battleships	Dreadnought^S Bellerophon St Vincent Neptune^S Colossus Orion King George V Erin^S Agincourt^S Iron Duke Canada^S Queen Elizabeth Revenge
Pre-dreadnought battleships	Royal Sovereign Majestic Canopus Formidable London Duncan King Edward VII Swiftsure Lord Nelson
Battlecruisers	Invincible Indefatigable Lion Queen Mary^S Tiger^S Renown Courageous Admiral^S^A
Armoured cruisers	Cressy Drake Monmouth Devonshire Duke of Edinburgh Warrior Minotaur
Heavy cruisers	Hawkins^A
Light cruisers	Town^G Arethusa C^G^C Danae^C Emerald^A
Protected cruisers	Apollo Astraea Eclipse Blake Pearl Edgar Powerful Diadem Arrogant Pelorus Highflyer Challenger Topaze
Scout cruisers	Adventure Forward Pathfinder Sentinel Boadicea Blonde Active
Destroyer flotilla leaders	Swift^S Faulknor Marksman Parker Thornycroft (or Shakespeare)^C Admiralty (or Scott)^C
Destroyers	A^G B^G C^G D^G E^G F G H I K L Admiralty M Hawthorn M Thornycroft M Yarrow M Yarrow Later M Medea Arno^S R^G S^G^C Talisman V and W^G^C
Torpedo boats	TB 81^S TB 98 TB 109 TB 114 Cricket^G
Monitors	Marshal Ney Abercrombie Lord Clive Humber Gorgon M15 M29 Erebus
Minesweepers	Racecourse Hunt Dance
Gunboats	Fly Insect
Submarines	A B C D E F G H^C J K L^C M^C R^C Swordfish^S V
Sloops	P Cadmus Flower Acacia Azalea Arabis Anchusa Aubrietia 24^C
naval trawlers	Castle Mersey
A All completed after the war C One or more completed after the war G Grouping of several classes M converted from Courageous class S Single ship of class V Conversions X Cancelled

Ships

See also

Bibliography