HMS Rapid (1916)

Rapid was one of two M-class destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty from John I. Thornycroft & Company in May 1915 as part of the Fifth War Construction Programme. Rapid and Ready were the fifth and sixth of the Thornycroft M-class; they differed from the 85 destroyers built to the Admiralty design in having more powerful engines, which gave them a higher potential speed.[1] The speed increase was to combat a rumoured German design that was capable of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).[2]

Rapid was 274 feet (84 m) long overall and 265 feet (81 m) long between perpendiculars, with a beam of 27 feet 6 inches (8.38 m) and a draught of 10 feet (3.0 m).[3] Displacement was 1,033 long tons (1,050 t) normal and 1,208 long tons (1,227 t) full load.[4] Three Yarrow boilers fed steam to two sets of Brown-Curtis steam turbines rated at 27,500 shp (20,500 kW) and driving two shafts, giving a design speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph), although the ship reached 35.45 knots (65.65 km/h; 40.80 mph) during trials.[3] Three funnels were fitted, the centre one being wider than the others, a feature shared with the R-class destroyers designed by Thornycroft.[4] A total of 275 long tons (279 t) of oil were carried, giving a design range of 1,620 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,860 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[5]

Armament consisted of three QF 4in Mk IV guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft and one between the second and third funnels.[3] Four 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes were carried in two twin rotating mounts.[6] By 1920, the ship was equipped with a single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun.[7] Fire control included a single Dumaresq and a Vickers range clock.[8] The vessel had a complement of 82 officers and men.[3]

Rapid was laid down on 12 August 1915 and launched on 15 July 1916.[9] On commissioning on 19 September 1916, the ship joined the Grand Fleet, initially with the Fifteenth Destroyer Flotilla.[1][10] Occasionally, the vessel operated alone. On 17 May 1917, the ship rescued the survivors from the British armed merchantman Middlesex, which had been sunk by the German submarine U-30 the previous day. In the process, Rapid was involved in a friendly fire incident when it mistook the British submarine E54, which was simultaneously approaching the lifeboats, for an enemy and subjected it to gunfire and a depth charge attack, albeit without sinking it.[11]

The flotilla was also employed collectively in larger operations, although these sorties were also not always as successful. For example, during an anti-submarine patrol in the North Sea as part of a convoy run from Lerwick between 15 and 24 June 1917, Rapid launched twelve attacks, none of which led to the destruction of any submarines.[12] The destroyer was also employed on escort duties and it was during one these operations in the North Sea during August 1917 that Rapid, along with the destroyer Tirade, unsuccessfully attacked a fleeing German submarine.[13] Rapid continued to serve with the Fifteenth Destroyer Flotilla until the end of the war.[14]

When the Grand Fleet was disbanded, Rapid was kept on "miscellaneous service."[15][lower-alpha 1] In 1921, the ship was seconded to the Compass Department of the Admiralty, which had responsibility for many of the scientific instruments used on board ships of the Navy.[17] However, in 1923, the Navy decided to scrap many of the older destroyers, up to and including some of the M-class, in preparation for the introduction of newer and larger vessels.[18] Despite having little over a decade in service, Rapid was retired and sold to G Cohen for breaking up on 20 April 1927.[9]