HMS Plucky (1916)

Plucky was laid down by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Greenock with the yard number 474 in May 1915, launched on 21 April the following year and completed on 4 July.^[8] The ship was the third of the name to serve with the navy. The previous holder of the name was renamed Banterer before the destroyer was launched.^[9] The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla.^[10]

The vessel was initially based at Plymouth and, in January 1917, Plucky was allocated to anti-submarine warfare. following reports of increased submarine activity off the coast of Cornwall. The destroyer, along with sister ship Orestes, was sent to hunt for the German intruders. Although no submarines were sunk, neither were any merchant ships.^[11] However, while on duty on 20 February, Plucky collided with the collier Mervin off Lizard Point. Although the merchant ship was unharmed, the impact cut off the destroyer's stern and detonated depth charges, which put the ship out of action for a short time.^[12] Plucky was subsequently transferred to the Northern Division of the operations out of Ireland, based at Buncrana.^[13] The destroyer was deployed to escort convoys travelling from the United States.^[14] The service was later extended to cover inward and outward convoys from other locations, including Halifax and Sydney.^[15] The ship returned to Plymouth for 1918.^[16]

After the armistice, Plucky was allocated to Portsmouth to join the local defence flotilla, operating as part of the First Destroyer Flotilla .^[17] However, within a few years, the Royal Navy was required to return to a peacetime level of mobilisation and the destroyer fleet was reduced dramatically. On 9 May 1921, the vessel was sold to Thos. W. Ward of Briton Ferry and broken up.^[18]