The Battle class were a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN), named after naval or other battles fought by British or English forces. Built in three groups, the first group were ordered under the 1942 naval estimates. A modified second and third group, together with two ships of an extended design were planned for the 1943 and 1944 estimates. Most of these ships were cancelled when it became apparent that the war was being won and the ships would not be required, although two ships of the third group, ordered for the RAN, were not cancelled and were subsequently completed in Australia.
HMS Jutland (D62) was a later or 1943 Battle-class fleet destroyer of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. She was named after the Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of the First World War. The first Jutland was launched in 1945, but was cancelled that same year. Her sister ship, Malplaquet - named after a battle between Britain and France during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1709 - was renamed Jutland just prior to her launch on 20 February 1946, and was commissioned on 30 July 1947. The original Jutland was finally broken up in 1957 at Rosyth.
HMS Trafalgar was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She was named after the Battle of Trafalgar, a decisive British victory over a Franco-Spanish Fleet in 1805. Trafalgar was built by Swan Hunter on the Tyne. She was launched on 12 January 1944 and commissioned on 23 July 1945.
HMS Camperdown was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She was named after the Battle of Camperdown, a naval engagement between the British and Dutch that took place in 1797, and which resulted in a British victory.
HMS Cadiz was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was named after the Battle of Cádiz, in which the French besieged the Spanish town in 1810, which was eventually lifted in 1812 after the French defeat at the Battle of Salamanca.
HMS Barrosa (D68) was a later or 1943 Battle-class fleet destroyer of the Royal Navy.
HMS Barfleur was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She was named after the Battle of Barfleur, which involved an Anglo-Dutch Fleet against the French in 1692.
HMS Armada was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She was named in honour of the English victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588. Armada was built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company on the Tyne. She was launched on 9 December 1943 and commissioned on 2 July 1945.
HMS Aisne (D22) was a 1943 or later Battle-class fleet destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was named after one of the Battles of the Aisne.
HMS Gravelines was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was named after the Battle of Gravelines, which took place in 1588, resulting in the English Navy defeating the Spanish Armada. Gravelines was built by Cammell Laird of Birkenhead. She was laid down on 10 August 1943, launched on 30 November 1944 and completed on 14 June 1946.
HMS Agincourt (D86) was a later or 1943 Battle-class fleet destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was named in honour of the Battle of Agincourt, fought in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War. Agincourt was built by R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Limited on the River Tyne. She was launched on 29 January 1945 and commissioned on 25 June 1947.
HMS St. James was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was named in honour of the Battle of St. James Day which took place in 1666.
HMS Solebay was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She was named after the Battle of Solebay which took place in 1672 between an Anglo-French force and the Dutch Navy during the Third Anglo-Dutch War. Solebay was built by R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Limited on the Tyne. She was launched on 22 February 1944 and commissioned on 25 September 1945.
HMS Roebuck was an R-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. She was the fifteenth ship to carry this traditional ship name, after a small deer native to the British Isles, which was used as far back as the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
HMS Wizard was a W-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II.
HMS Wakeful was a W-class destroyer of the Royal Navy launched in 1943. She saw service during the Second World War and was later converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate. She was sold for scrap in 1971.
HMS Bicester(pennant number L34) was an escort destroyer of the Type II Hunt class. The Royal Navy ordered Bicester's construction three months after the outbreak of the Second World War. Hawthorn Leslie & Co. laid down her keel at their Tyne yard on 29 May 1940, as Admiralty Job Number J4210. The ship was named after a fox hunt in Oxfordshire.
HMS Myngs was a Z-class destroyer of the Royal Navy built as a flotilla leader by Vickers-Armstrongs, High Walker. She served in the Second World War, taking part in operations in the North Sea and off the Norwegian coast, before taking part in some of the Arctic convoys. She spent a further ten years in Royal Navy service after the end of the war, before being sold to the Egyptian Navy, which operated her as El Qaher. She was sunk in an Israeli air attack on 16 May 1970.
HMS Obedient was an O-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was built by William Denny and Brothers of Dumbarton, between 1940 and 1942. During Warship Week in 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Lymington, United Kingdom. She was scrapped in 1962.
The 3rd Destroyer Squadron was a naval unit of the Royal Navy from 1952 to 2001.
United Kingdom
