"S" Class Destroyer (1918)

A total of sixty-seven "S" Class Destroyers were completed for the Royal Navy in 1918 and beyond.

Overview of 67 vessels
Citations for this data available on individual ship pages
Name	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Completed	Fate
Simoom	John Brown & Company		26 Jan, 1918
Scimitar	John Brown & Company		27 Feb, 1918
Scotsman	John Brown & Company		30 Mar, 1918
Scout	John Brown & Company		27 Apr, 1918
Shark	Swan Hunter		9 Apr, 1918
Sparrowhawk	Swan Hunter		14 May, 1918
Splendid	Swan Hunter		10 Jul, 1918
Sabre	Alexander Stephen & Sons		23 Sep, 1918
Saladin	Alexander Stephen & Sons		17 Feb, 1919
Sikh	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		7 May, 1918
Sirdar	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		6 Jul, 1918
Somme	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		10 Sep, 1918
Success	William Doxford & Sons		29 Jun, 1918
Shamrock	William Doxford & Sons		26 Aug, 1918		Handed over
Shikari	William Doxford & Sons		14 Jul, 1919
Senator	William Denny & Brothers		2 Apr, 1918
Sepoy	William Denny & Brothers		22 May, 1918
Seraph	William Denny & Brothers		8 Jul, 1918
Swallow	Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		1 Aug, 1918
Swordsman	Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		28 Dec, 1918
Steadfast	Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company		8 Aug, 1918
Sterling	Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company		8 Oct, 1918
Tribune	J. Samuel White		28 Mar, 1918
Trinidad	J. Samuel White		8 Apr, 1918
Tactician	William Beardmore & Company		7 Aug, 1918
Tara	William Beardmore & Company		12 Oct, 1918
Tasmania	William Beardmore & Company		22 Nov, 1918
Tattoo	William Beardmore & Company		28 Dec, 1918
Scythe	John Brown & Company		25 Apr, 1918
Seabear	John Brown & Company		6 Jul, 1918
Seafire	John Brown & Company		10 Aug, 1918
Searcher	John Brown & Company		11 Sep, 1918
Seawolf	John Brown & Company		2 Nov, 1918
Sportive	Swan Hunter		19 Sep, 1918
Stalwart	Swan Hunter		23 Oct, 1918
Tilbury	Swan Hunter		13 Jun, 1918
Tintagel	Swan Hunter		9 Aug, 1918
Sardonyx	Alexander Stephen & Sons		27 May, 1919
Stonehenge	Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company		19 Mar, 1919
Stormcloud	Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company		30 May, 1919
Spear	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		9 Nov, 1919
Spindrift	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		30 Dec, 1918
Serapis	William Denny & Brothers		17 Sep, 1918
Serene	William Denny & Brothers		30 Nov, 1918
Sesame	William Denny & Brothers		30 Dec, 1918
Strenuous	Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		9 Nov, 1918
Stronghold	Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		6 May, 1919
Sturdy	Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		25 Jun, 1919
Trojan	J. Samuel White		20 Jul, 1918
Truant	J. Samuel White		18 Sep, 1918
Trusty	J. Samuel White		6 Nov, 1918
Turbulent	Hawthorn Leslie & Company		29 May, 1918
Tenedos	Hawthorn Leslie & Company		21 Oct, 1918
Thanet	Hawthorn Leslie & Company		5 Nov, 1918
Thracian	Hawthorn Leslie & Company		5 Mar, 1920
Speedy	John I. Thornycroft & Company		1 Jun, 1918
Tobago	John I. Thornycroft & Company		15 Jul, 1918
Torbay	John I. Thornycroft & Company		6 Mar, 1918
Toreador	John I. Thornycroft & Company		7 Dec, 1918
Tourmaline	John I. Thornycroft & Company		12 Apr, 1919
Torch	Yarrow & Company		16 Mar, 1918
Tomahawk	Yarrow & Company		16 May, 1918
Tryphon	Yarrow & Company		22 Jun, 1918
Tumult	Yarrow & Company		17 Sep, 1918
Turquoise	Yarrow & Company		9 Nov, 1918
Tuscan	Yarrow & Company		1 Mar, 1919
Tyrian	Yarrow & Company		2 Jul, 1919

Performance

Machinery

Generators

In 1916, it was stated that "new destroyers" have two 26.25 kw dynamos arranged in parallel.^[1] It is possible that this applied to this class.

Armament

4-in Guns

Three 4-in Q.F. Mark IV guns on C.P. III mountings. These recoiled 38 inches and could elevate 30 degrees. The sights were graduated to 12,400 yards.^[2]

Other Guns

Two 2-pdr pom-poms.^[3]

Torpedoes

Initially, in 1917, it was planned that these boats would carry two double 21-in tubes on the centreline, and a single 18-in tube mounted each side forward under the bridge,^[4] but in the end they were fitted with:

two triple sets of revolving 21-in tubes^[5]

In mid-1920, it was ordered that "S", "V" and "W" class destroyers should be allocated the 21-in Mark IV* torpedo.^[6]

Other Weapons

Fire Control

These ships had electrical fire control instruments and directors.^[7]

Directors

Firing Circuits^[8]

Training and Slewing Circuits^[9]

In 1917, it was approved that the "V" class and later destroyers should all receive installations of the British Destroyer Director Firing System.^[10] The first installations were completed in March 1918, but those vessels completed after February were then having training systems in place upon their delivery, and from May they had their mechanical elevating gear installed.^[11]

In 1918, it was ordered that those destroyers with director installations were to additionally receive:^[12]

a voice pipe from T.S. to director
a fire gong at director worked from existing push in T.S.
a fire gong push on fore bridge to be added, wired in parallel to that in the T.S.
the repeat receivers on the fore bridge were to be positioned so as to be visible to the director sightsetter.

Torpedo Control

Additional equipment in "S" class T.B.D.s^[13]

Chadburn's Order and Deflection Equipment^[14]

Sighting positions were provided on both sides of a bridge that had been enlarged from earlier classes with firing pushes and keys for sounding buzzers at the tubes. The order and deflection transmitters were situated centrally on a panel on the bridge, between the two sights.^[15]

Chadburn's Torpedo Telegraphs communicated orders and deflection to the D.R. tubes. The 18-in S.R. tubes under the bridge were to receive no order instruments - merely firing gongs and firing circuits.^[16]

Footnotes

↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1916. p. 120.
↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 4, Part 34. p. 16.
↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 4, Part 34. p. 16.
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. p. 24.
↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 4, Part 34. p. 16.
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1920. pp. 6-7. (G. 10141/20-6.8.1920).
↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 4, Part 34. p. 16.
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. Plate100.
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. Plate101.
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. p. 229.
↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 23. pp. 12, 13.
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1918. p. 376. (C.I.O. 1081/18, G. 24486/15).
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. Plate 81.
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. Plate 86.
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. p. 210.
↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. pp. 210, 211.

Bibliography

March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892-1953. London: Seeley Service & Co. Limited. (on Bookfinder.com).
Gray, Randal (editor) (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. (on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk).
Commander H StA Maelleson RN (Ret). The "S" Class Destroyers 1918-1945 in Warship Issue 16.