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The "M" class destroyers (a copy of the original "L" class) were approved under the 1937 Naval Estimates. Their design and armament was the subject of major debate as the proponents of heavier anti-aircraft armaments for such vessels were at last beginning to be listened to at the Admiralty, mainly as a result of the lessons of the Spanish Civil War.
They had single funnels as per the J class, a tripod foremast and a short mainmast just aft of amidships. As ordered the class comprised a leader and 7 destroyers. Each ship was to mount 6 x 4.7 inch guns and 8 torpedo tubes. Close range armament had still to be decided, with the expected time to delivery being a crucial factor. They were the first British destroyers to have their guns in fully enclosed mountings.
All ships from the second batch of "L" class destroyers, were laid down after war broke out and so some changes were made; a 4" AA gun replaced the after tubes, 2 single 20mm AA cannons were added abreast the searchlight and two twin 0.5" MG AA at the stern, and two DC mortars and racks for 42 DC's were also fitted. AR type 285 was fitted on the HA/LA.DCT and AW type 286 was carried at the masthead. Later, the quad 0.5" MG's in the wings were replaced by single 20mm Oerlikon cannons, and all single 20mm were later replaced by twins, and the torpedoes replaced the 4". |
