The M class, more properly known as the Admiralty M class, were a class

Ship class

A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....

 of 85 destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

s built for the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 that saw service during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

. All ships were built to an identical - Admiralty - design, hence the class name (25 other vessels of the 'M' class were built to variant designs by three specialist builders Thornycroft, Yarrow, and Hawthorn Leslie).

The Admiralty design was based on the preceding L class

Laforey class destroyer (1913)

The Laforey class was a class of 22 torpedo boat destroyers of the Royal Navy, twenty of which were built under the Naval Programme of 1912 - 1913 and a further two under the War Emergency Programme of 1914. As such they were the last pre-war British destroyer design. All served during World War I...

 and all ships had three identical narrow, circular funnels.

Ships of the pre-war (1913-14) Programme

Six vessels were built under the 1913-14 Naval Programme. These differed from the wartime vessels by being 1,010 tons full load, with slightly smaller dimensions., built by Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company, Hebburn

Hebburn

Hebburn is a small town situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in North East England, sandwiched between the towns of Jarrow and Bill Quay...

 on Tyne, launched 6 August 1914, and completed December 1914. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Palmers, launched 24 September 1914, and completed February 1915. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend

Wallsend

Wallsend is an area in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Wallsend derives its name as the location of the end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 42,842.-Romans:...

, begun November 1913, launched 5 October 1914, and completed December 1914. Sold for breaking up 26 October 1921., built by John Brown & Company

John Brown & Company

John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a pre-eminent Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm, responsible for building many notable and world-famous ships, such as the , the , the , the , the , and the...

, Clydebank

Clydebank

Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...

, begun in early 1914, launched 5 October 1914, and completed December 1914. Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921., built by John Brown, begun in early 1914, launched 19 November 1914, and completed December 1914. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921., built by John Brown, begun in early 1914, launched 20 December 1914, and completed February 1915. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.
Besides the above six vessels, three

Yarrow M class destroyer

The Yarrow M class was a class of ten destroyers built for the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I. They were generally similar to the standard Admiralty M class, but were instead designed by the builder, Yarrow & Company. Generally, they had two instead of three shafts, as well as two...

 destroyers already under construction were purchased from Yarrow, two

Thornycroft M class destroyer

The Thornycroft M or Mastiff class were a class of six destroyers completed for the Royal Navy during 1914-16 for World War I service. They were quite different from the Admiralty-designed ships of the Admiralty M class class, although based on a basic sketch layout provided by the Admiralty from...

 from Thornycroft and two

Hawthorn M class destroyer

The Hawthorn M were a class of two destroyers built for the Royal Navy under the pre-war 1913-14 Programme for World War I service....

 from Hawthorn Leslie to these builders' individual designs, and these are listed in separate articles. Three further ships were projected under the 1914-15 Naval Programme - and named Marksman, Menace and Monitor; however these three ships were cancelled before being contracted to any specific builder, in favour of two Marksman-class leaders.

Ships of the Emergency War Construction Programme

All the following vessels were ordered in five batches as part of the War Emergency Programme. Wartime builds omitted the cruising turbines originally specified and carried by the pre-war sub-group. The funnel heights were also raised compared with the pre-war vessels, and the second 4 in gun was mounted on a bandstand, as with the earlier L-class destroyers. Partridge, Norman, Maenad, Ophelia and Observer were later fitted to carry a kite balloon.

Sixteen vessels were ordered in September 1914 (as well as four

Yarrow M class destroyer

The Yarrow M class was a class of ten destroyers built for the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I. They were generally similar to the standard Admiralty M class, but were instead designed by the builder, Yarrow & Company. Generally, they had two instead of three shafts, as well as two...

 of the Yarrow M class), but part of their cost was met by the provision in the 1914-15 Programme for ten destroyers., built by John Brown, begun 30 September 1914, launched 1 May 1915, and completed July 1915. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921., built by John Brown, begun 30 September 1913, launched 29 May 1915, and completed August 1916. Sold for breaking up 29 September 1921., built by John I. Thornycroft & Company

John I. Thornycroft & Company

John I. Thornycroft & Company Limited, usually known simply as Thornycroft was a British shipbuilding firm started by John Isaac Thornycroft in the 19th century.-History:...

, Woolston, begun October 1914, launched 19 May 1915, and completed August 1915. Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921., built by Thornycroft, begun November 1914, launched 12 July 1915, and completed October 1915. Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921., built by Thornycroft, begun November 1914, launched 11 September 1915, and completed November 1915. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921., built by Thornycroft, begun November 1914, launched 24 November 1915, and completed January 1916. Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921., built by William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton, begun 27 October 1914, launched 20 June 1915, and completed 11 November 1915. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921., built by Denny, begun 10 November 1914, launched 10 August 1915, and completed 12 November 1915. Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921., built by J. Samuel White & Company, Cowes

Cowes

Cowes is an English 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...

, begun 1 January 1915, launched 10 September 1915, and completed 8 January 1916. Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921., built by White, begun 14 January 1915, launched 20 November 1915, and completed 7 April 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Govan

Govan

Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....

, launched 27 April 1915, and completed 13 August 1915. Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921., built by Fairfield, launched 15 June 1915, and completed 21 September 1915. Sold for breaking up 26 October 1921., built by Swan Hunter, launched 28 May 1915. Sunk after collision with on 21 October 1917 off Lerwick., built by Swan Hunter, begun October 1914, launched 1 July 1915, and completed October 1915. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Swan Hunter, launched 8 October 1915. Sunk on 17 October 1917 by German cruisers and off the Norwegian coast., built by Swan Hunter, begun September 1914, launched 9 November 1915, and completed April 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.

Nine further vessels were ordered in early November 1914 (as well as one further

Yarrow M class destroyer

The Yarrow M class was a class of ten destroyers built for the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I. They were generally similar to the standard Admiralty M class, but were instead designed by the builder, Yarrow & Company. Generally, they had two instead of three shafts, as well as two...

 Yarrow M class)., built by John Brown, begun 23 December 1914, launched 14 August 1915, and completed October 1915. Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921., built by Denny, begun 11 January 1915, launched 7 October 1915, and completed 28 December 1915. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Fairfield, launched 24 August 1915, and completed 10 November 1915. Sold for breaking up 22 September 1921., built by Fairfield, launched 12 October 1915, and completed 16 December 1915. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921., built by Palmers, launched 7 December 1915, and completed February 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Palmers, launched 8 March 1915. She was sunk after colliding with in the North Sea on 21 December 1916; depth charges from Hoste exploded and blew out the Negros hull plating., built by Thornycroft, begun February 1915, launched 22 January 1916, and completed March 1916. Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921., built by Thornycroft, begun March 1915, launched 24 February 1916, and completed May 1916. Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921., built by Swan Hunter, launched 24 August 1915. Sunk after colliding with in the North Sea on 8 September 1918.

Twenty-two further vessels were ordered in late November 1914., built by Swan Hunter, launched 22 December 1915. Sunk on 31 May 1916 at the Battle of Jutland

Battle of Jutland

The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...

., built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Linthouse

Linthouse

Linthouse is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde. It is immediately west of Govan, and although it is often referred to locally as 'Govan' due to its closeness, it is in fact a distinct area .Linthouse was home to the shipbuilder...

, begun 6 February 1915, launched 25 November 1915, and completed 15 February 1916. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921., built by Stephen, launched 7 February 1916. Sunk on 31 May 1916 at the Battle of Jutland

Battle of Jutland

The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...

., built by Stephen, begun 11 February 1915, launched 6 April 1916, and then completed by Beardmore 29 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Stephen, begun 24 February 1915, launched May 16, 1916, and completed 28 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Palmers, launched 20 March 1916 and completed August 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Palmers, launched 5 July 1916 and completed October 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Palmers, launched 9 November 1916. Sunk on 23 April 1918 at Zeebrugge

Zeebrugge

Zeebrugge is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. Zeebrugge serves as both the international port of Bruges-Zeebrugge and a seafront resort with hotels, cafés, a marina and a beach.-Location:...

., built by Palmers, launched 23 January 1917 and completed April 1917. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited, Greenock

Greenock

Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...

, launched 6 November 1916 and completed February 1916. Sold for breaking up 25 November 1921., built by Scotts, launched 21 November 1916 and completed March 1916. Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921., built by Fairfield, launched 4 December 1915 and completed 3 March 1916. Sold for breaking up 30 October 1921. Some sources claimed that she torpedoed and sank the pre-dreadnought battleship SMS Pommern

SMS Pommern

SMS Pommern was one of five Deutschland class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Kaiserliche Marine between 1904 and 1906. Named after the Prussian province of Pomerania, she was built at the AG Vulcan yard at Stettin, where she was laid down on 22 March 1904 and launched on 2 December...

, while others claimed that sank her., built by Fairfield, launched 15 February 1916 and completed 15 April 1916. Sold for breaking up 26 October 1921., built by William Doxford & Sons

William Doxford & Sons

William Doxford & Sons Ltd, often referred to simply as Doxford, was a British shipbuilding company.-History:The Company was established by William Doxford in 1840. From 1870 it was based in Pallion, Sunderland, on the River Wear in Northeast England. The Company was managed by William Doxford's...

, Sunderland, launched 11 September 1915. Wrecked off Scapa Flow

Scapa Flow

right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...

 with on 12 January 1918 (one survivor)., built by Doxford, launched 13 October 1916 and completed May 1916. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921., built by Doxford, launched 20 November 1915 and completed June 1916. Sold for breaking up 7 December 1923., built by Doxford, launched 23 December 1915 and completed August 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921., built by Doxford, launched 21 March 1916 and completed June 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921., built by Doxford, launched 19 April 1916 and completed December 1916. Sold for breaking up 1 November 1921., built by Doxford, launched 17 June 1916 and completed September 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921., built by Doxford, launched 21 June 1916 and completed November 1916. Sold for breaking up 5 November 1921., built by John Brown, begun 23 December 1914, launched 9 October 1915, and completed November 1915. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.

Sixteen further vessels were ordered in February 1915 (as well as two more

Thornycroft M class destroyer

The Thornycroft M or Mastiff class were a class of six destroyers completed for the Royal Navy during 1914-16 for World War I service. They were quite different from the Admiralty-designed ships of the Admiralty M class class, although based on a basic sketch layout provided by the Admiralty from...

 of the Thornycroft M class). The eight last-named below of these were of the Repeat M subgroup with raking stems compared with the straight stems of the previous sub-group, and the bows were moved flared to improve seakeeping qualities., built by John Brown, begun 24 March 1915, launched 27 November 1915, and completed January 1916. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921., built by John Brown, launched 2 March 1916. Wrecked off Scapa Flow

Scapa Flow

right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...

 (with ) on 12 January 1918 (no survivors)., built by Denny, begun 21 April 1915, launched 30 December 1915, and completed 3 March 1916. Collided with another vessel in 1919 and broken up in 1920 at Devonport Dockyard., built by Denny, begun 21 April 1915, launched 3 February 1916, and completed 15 April 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Fairfield, launched 26 July 1916, and completed 29 September 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921., built by Fairfield, launched 23 September 1916, and completed 4 November 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921., built by Scotts, launched 27 March 1916, and completed May 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Scotts, launched 3 July 1916, and completed September 1916. Sold for breaking up 8 November 1921., built by Doxford, launched 15 August 1916, and completed November 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Doxford, launched 29 September 1916, and completed December 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Fairfield, launched 1 May 1916, and completed 15 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 30 October 1921., built by Fairfield, launched 7 June 1916, and completed 31 July 1916. Sold for breaking up 30 October 1921., built by Palmers, launched 31 July 1916, and completed November 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Palmers, launched 28 September 1916, and completed December 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Swan Hunter, launched 4 March 1916. Sunk on 12 December 1917 by gunfire from the German destroyers g_101, G-103, G-104, and V106 off Norwegian coast., built by Swan Hunter, begun July 1915, launched 15 April 1916, and completed July 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.

Sixteen final vessels were ordered in May 1915 (as well as two

Thornycroft M class destroyer

The Thornycroft M or Mastiff class were a class of six destroyers completed for the Royal Navy during 1914-16 for World War I service. They were quite different from the Admiralty-designed ships of the Admiralty M class class, although based on a basic sketch layout provided by the Admiralty from...

 of the Thornycroft M class and two

Yarrow M class destroyer

The Yarrow M class was a class of ten destroyers built for the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I. They were generally similar to the standard Admiralty M class, but were instead designed by the builder, Yarrow & Company. Generally, they had two instead of three shafts, as well as two...

 of the Yarrow M class). All to the Admiralty design were of the Repeat M subgroup with raking stems., built by White, begun 23 September 1915, launched 8 March 1916, and completed 30 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by White, begun 2 November 1915, launched 19 April 1916, and completed 2 August 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by William Beardmore & Company, Dalmuir

Dalmuir

Dalmuir is an area on the western side of Clydebank, in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.-Location:It is neighboured by the village of Old Kilpatrick, the Mountblow and Parkhall areas of Clydebank, as well as the town centre...

, begun 25 June 1915, launched 18 March 1916, and completed 1 May 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Beardmore, begun 28 June 1915, launched 8 May 1916, and completed 30 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by John Brown, begun 9 June 1915, launched 8 April 1916, and completed May 1916. Sold for breaking up 31 October 1921., built by John Brown, begun 9 June 1915, launched 29 May 1916, and completed July 1916. Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921., built by Denny, begun 5 July 1915, launched 24 March 1916, and completed 23 May 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Denny, begun 12 July 1915, launched 2 May 1916, and completed 29 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Fairfield, launched 23 October 1916. Mined on 1 March 1917 off the Orkney Islands

Orkney Islands

Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...

., built by Fairfield, launched 20 November 1916, and completed 28 December 1916. Sold for breaking up 15 November 1921., built by Hawthorn Leslie & Company, Hebburn

Hebburn

Hebburn is a small town situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in North East England, sandwiched between the towns of Jarrow and Bill Quay...

, begun 14 July 1915, launched 3 March 1916, and completed 2 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Hawthorn Leslie, begun 30 July 1915, launched 3 March 1916, and completed 30 June 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Scotts, launched 21 April 1916, and completed July 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Scotts, launched 10 August 1916, and completed October 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Stephen, begun 27 July 1915, launched 26 July 1916, and completed 21 September 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921., built by Stephen, begun 27 July 1915, launched 28 September 1916, and then completed by Beardmore 30 December 1916. Sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.