Allied Warships

Destroyers

M class

7 ships


The destroyer HMS Martin (G 44) of the Royal Navy. She was lost on 10 Nov 1942.

Technical information

TypeDestroyer
Displacement1930 (Milne 1935) BRT 
Length345 feet 
Complement221 men 
Armament

6-4.7inch (3x2)
1-4inch (AA)
4-2pdr (AA)(1x4)
8-0.5inch (AA) (2x4)
4-21inch (TT) (1x4) 

Max speed36 knots
Engines48.000 HP 
PowerTwo Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2-shaft Parsons geared turbines 
Notes on class

Modified J-class design. The main armament was housed in weather-proof mountings. 


All ships of the M class


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Myrmidon (G 90) (Became the Polish destroyer Orkan)
HMS Mahratta (G 23) Lost on 25 Feb 1944
HMS Marne (G 35)
HMS Martin (G 44) Lost on 10 Nov 1942
HMS Matchless (G 52)
HMS Meteor (G 73)
HMS Musketeer (G 86)


Polish Navy Polish Navy (more on Polish Navy)

ORP Orkan (G 90) (ex. HMS Myrmidon) Lost on 8 Oct 1943

Flotilla leader


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Milne (G 14)


7 Destroyers (9 names) of the M class. 3 of them were lost.

See all Destroyer classes.


M class ships hit by U-boats (4)

25 Feb 1944HMS MahrattaSunkU-990
12 Nov 1942HMS MarneDamagedU-515
10 Nov 1942HMS MartinSunkU-431
8 Oct 1943ORP OrkanSunkU-378


The last stand of the tin can sailors

Hornfischer, James D.

Books dealing with this subject include:

200,000 Miles Aboard the Destroyer Cotten, Robinson, C. Snelling, 1999
A Home on the Rolling Main, A G F Ditcham, 2013
Afridi to Nizam – British Fleet Destroyers 1937 – 43, English, John, 2003
All the Gallant Men, Donald Stratton, 2016
Arctic Convoy PQ8, Michael Wadsworth, 2010
The Battle of Tassafaronga, Russell Syndnor Crenshaw, 2010
Battlestations, Veronico, Nicholas A., 2001
Blood on the Sea, Parkin, Robert Sinclair, 1996
A Blue Water Navy, WAB Douglas, R. Sarty, M. Whitby et al., 2007
British destroyers & frigates, Norman Friedman, 2006
British Destroyers 1892 to 1953, March, Edgar J, 2003
Cadillac of Destroyers, Barrie, Ron and Macpherson, Ken, 1996
Cape Hatteras, Lloyd, Keith Warren, 2008
The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War, Collingwood, Donald, 1999
Capturing Enigma, Harper, Stephen, 2000 (transl.)



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