Moresby was one of sixteen Admiralty M-classdestroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in September 1914 as part of the First War Construction Programme.[1] The M-class was an improved version of the earlier L-class destroyers, required to reach a higher speed in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers. The remit was to have a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) and, although the eventual design did not achieve this, the greater performance was appreciated by the navy. It transpired that the German ships did not exist.[2]
On 30 May 1916, the destroyer sailed with the Grand Fleet to confront the German High Seas Fleet in the Battle of Jutland.[16]Moresby was one of fourteen M-class destroyers that were allocated to form part of the screen to protect the battlecruisers of the fleet.[17][18] However, along with sistership Onslow, the destroyer was detached to cover the seaplane tenderEngadine.[19] The tender had launched a Short Type 184 to observe the German fleet movements and was stationary waiting for it to return.[20] After the reconnaissance seaplane had been recovered, Lieutenant commanderJack Tovey, who commanded Onslow, led the two destroyers back into the action.[21]
Moresby rejoined the flotilla and, led by the light cruiserChampion, steamed towards the German High Seas Fleet. The two fleets met and Moresby was soon in the centre of the action. The destroyer attacked the German battlecruisers, and shortly after 17:10 on 31 May, launched a torpedo at the dreadnoughtbattleshipMarkgraf.[22] The destroyer also narrowly escaped an attack from the light cruiser Wiesbaden, two torpedoes streaking past, one ahead and the other astern.[23] As the battlesfleets broke apart, Champion sped away in pursuit of the German fleet, leaving the majority of the destroyers behind, with only Moresby and Obdurate able to keep up.[24]
The small flotilla sought for the main German fleet, and at 02:15 the following day turned westwards towards gunfire.[25] They saw four German cruisers with their attendant destroyers.[26] However, through the mist, Moresby saw what were initially taken to be four pre-dreadnought battleships.[27] The destroyer sped off and launched a torpedo at a range of 3,700 yards (3,400 m) at the third ship in the line. The destroyer reported a hit and then withdrew. In fact, two of the vessels were German battlecruisers, and the torpedo narrowly missed Von der Tann.[28] Instead, the torpedo hit the torpedo boatV4.[29] Returning to the British lines, the three ships were spotted by the German torpedo boats G40 and V45, which launched torpedoes, but both sides escaped without recording a hit.[30]
The destroyer was transferred to Buncrana, Ireland, with the Second Destroyer Flotilla during the latter part of 1917.[31] The vessel served as a convoy escort, and on 2 October 1917, was also involved in the ultimately unsuccessful efforts to save the armoured cruiserDrake.[32] On 15 March the following year, the destroyer was patrolling with sistership Michael when they surprised U-110 shortly after the submarine had sunk the ocean liner Amazon. The submarine dived but was brought back to the surface when the destroyers attacked with depth charges and was finished by gunfire. Six of the crew were rescued.[33]
AAfter the Armistice of 11 November 1918 that ended the war, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of strength and both the number of ships and the amount of personnel needed to be reduced to save money.[34]Moresby was taken out of active service and initially placed alongside fifty-two other destroyers in reserve at Nore.[35] On 9 May 1921, the vessel was sold to Thos. W. Ward of Grays and was broken up in 1923.[13]
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