Sold for Scrap 1926

HMS Rocket, built by Denny, launched 2/7/1916. Sold for breaking up at Inverkeithing, 16/12/1926.

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 M class destroyers. The Admiralty ordered this class of ships in July 1915. They were the last 3 stack destroyers ordered by the Royal Navy (although HMS Bristol commissioned in 1973 her 3 funnels 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 RN. A second was transferred to the Royal Siamese Navy as Phra Ruang and survives to this day as a hulk.

Destroyer, R Class, 6th order.
975t normal; 1173t deep load
84.1m x 8.1m x 2.7m
2 shaft Brown-Curtis turbines, 3 Yarrow boilers, oil, 27,000shp giving 36 knots.
3 x 4in 45 cal QF Mk IV, 1 x 2pdr pom-pom, 4 x 21in TTs (2 x 2)
Crew 82