The ''Marksman'' class (sometimes known as ''Lightfoot'' class) were a

class Class, Classes, or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used d ...

flotilla leader A flotilla leader was a warship of late 19th century and early 20th century navies suitable for commanding a flotilla of destroyers or other small warships, typically a small cruiser or a large destroyer (known as a destroyer leader). The floti ...

s built for the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

. Two each were ordered in the naval programmes of 1913–14 and 1914–15 with a further three being ordered under the

Emergency War Programme An emergency is an urgent, unexpected, and usually dangerous situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment and requires immediate action. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening ...

and all saw service during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Like other British flotilla leader designs, these ships were significantly larger than the typical

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...

s, to accommodate the flotilla staff ("Captain (D)" in Royal Navy parlance) and the additional signalling gear. All ships had four funnels, the foremost being taller (although it was cut down post-war in ''Nimrod'' and ''Abdiel''). They were armed with four QF 4 inch guns. The guns were carried one each on the forecastle, between the first three funnels and on a bandstand on the

quarterdeck The quarterdeck is a raised deck behind the main mast of a sailing ship. Traditionally it was where the captain commanded his vessel and where the ship's colours were kept. This led to its use as the main ceremonial and reception area on bo ...

. ''Abdiel'' and ''Gabriel'' were later fitted as fast

minelayer A minelayer is any warship, submarine, military aircraft or land vehicle deploying explosive mines. Since World War I the term "minelayer" refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines. "Mine planting" was the term for ins ...

s, for which purposes they landed the after 4 inch gun and their torpedo tubes and were screened by canvas panels from the fourth funnel to the stern to give shelter to 60 to 70 mines. ''Nimrod'' and ''Kempenfelt'' later received QF 12 pdr (3 inch / 76 mm) 18 cwt

anti aircraft Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-bas ...

guns in place of one of the QF 2-pounder. Following the war-time trend to install director firing in ever-smaller vessels, as resources permitted, ''Lightfoot'' was selected to serve as a test-bed for the Royal Navy's new training-only director firing system for flotilla leaders and destroyers in March 1917. By August, results obtained were favourable enough that it was decided to equip fully 203 other leaders and destroyers of "L" class and later.''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships, 1919'', p. 12.

Ships

Two were ordered under the 1913–14 Programme. * — built by

J. Samuel White J. Samuel White was a British shipbuilding firm based in Cowes, taking its name from John Samuel White (1838–1915). It came to prominence during the Victorian era. During the 20th century it built destroyers and other naval craft for both the ...

Cowes Cowes () is an England, English port, seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked b ...

, laid down 9 June 1914, launched 28 May 1915, completed 29 May 1915, sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.Friedman 2009, p. 307.Dittmar and Colledge 1972, p. 65. * — built by

Hawthorn Leslie and Company R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a shipbuilder and locomotive manufacturer. The company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982. History The company was formed ...

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

, laid down 20 July 1914, launched 28 April 1915, completed 18 November 1915, sold for breaking up 8 November 1921. Two ordered under the 1914–15 Programme. * — built by

Cammell Laird Cammell Laird is a British shipbuilding company. It was formed from the merger of Laird Brothers of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century. The company also built railway rolling stock until 1929, ...

Birkenhead Birkenhead () is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liverpool. It lies within the Historic counties of England, historic co ...

, laid down 2 October 1914, launched 1 May 1915, completed 20 August 1915, sold for breaking up 9 May 1921. * — built by

William Denny and Brothers William Denny and Brothers Limited, often referred to simply as Denny, was a Scotland, Scottish shipbuilder, shipbuilding company. History The shipbuilding interests of the Denny family date back to William Denny (born 1779), for whom ships a ...

Dumbarton Dumbarton (; , or ; or , meaning 'fort of the Britons (historical), Britons') is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven, Dunbartonshire, River Leven flows into the Clyde estuary. ...

, laid down 9 October 1914, launched 12 April 1915, completed 25 August 1915, sold for breaking up 5 November 1926. Three ordered in November 1914 under the War Emergency Programme. * — built by

, laid down 6 May 1915, launched 12 October 1915, completed 26 March 1916, sold for breaking up July 1936. * — built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, laid down 12 January 1915, launched 23 December 1915, completed 1 July 1916, sold for breaking up 9 May 1921. * — built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, laid down 14 January 1915, launched 12 March 1916, completed 2 August 1916, sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * * Now O.U. 6171/14. At The National Archives. ADM 275/19 {{WWI British ships Destroyer classes Ship classes of the Royal Navy