HMS Narwhal (1915)

Narwhal was laid down by William Denny and Brothers of Dumbarton on 21 April 1915 with the yard number 1046, launched on 30 December and completed on 3 March the following year.^[4] The ship was named after the toothed whale.^[7] The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla.^[8]

Between 31 May and 1 June 1916, Narwhal sailed as part of the Flotilla, led by the flotilla leader HMS Faulknor to confront the German High Seas Fleet in the Battle of Jutland.^[9] The ship managed to launch two torpedoes from her port side against the German Fleet, but both missed.^[10]

In February 1917, the destroyer was transferred to Cobh, Ireland, to counter increasing activity by German submarines in the Southwest Approaches.^[11][12] The submarines had been very active and the Royal Navy had resorted to introducing Q-ships to try and ambush them. On 17 February, Narwhal was called upon to rescue the crew of one of these ships, HMS Farnborough, which was sunk by and sank SM U-83.^[13] Nine days later, the ship chased away SM U-50 from attacking the armed merchantman Cameronia.^[14] Escort duties continued, including accompanying convoys to Liverpool from 27 March.^[15]

During 1918, Narwhal was transferred to Devonport as part of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla.^[16] After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 that ended the war, the destroyer remained in Devonport and, shortly afterwards, joined the local defence flotilla at the base.^[17] Narwhal was damaged in a collision in 1919 and returned to Devonport to be broken up the following year. The vessel's name was subsequently used by two submarines that served with the Royal Navy.^[18]