The Arethusa-class cruisers were a class of eight oil-fired light cruiser

Light cruiser

A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...

s of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 all ordered in September 1912, primarily for service in the North Sea

North Sea

In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...

. They had three funnels with the middle one somewhat larger in diameter than the others. All served in World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

. They were designed as follow on to the earlier scout cruiser

Scout cruiser

A scout cruiser was a type of warship of the early 20th Century, which were smaller, faster, more lightly armed and armoured than protected cruisers or light cruisers, but larger than contemporary destroyers...

s, to operate with destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

s in the North Sea but incorporated improvements on the previous ships. They retained the side protection introduced in the later ships of the previous Town class

Town class cruiser (1910)

The Town class was a group of twenty-one light cruisers built for the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy . These vessels were long-range cruisers, suitable for patrolling the vast expanse covered by the British Empire...

, but reverted to a mixed main armament that was a feature of earlier ships. The ships of the class underwent modification during the war, receiving an additional pair of 21 inches (533.4 mm) torpedo

Torpedo

The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...

 tubes and an upgraded anti aircraft armament, whilst all but HMS Undaunted were fitted to lay mines and five of the class had the aft pair of 4 inch guns replaced by a single 6 inch gun. They were found to be very cramped internally.

In order to achieve the high speeds designed they were the first British cruisers with all oil propulsion and lightweight destroyer type machinery. The cruisers cost £285,000 each on average.

Ships

• Arethusa
  HMS Arethusa (1913)
  HMS Arethusa was the name ship of the Arethusa class of light cruisers. She was laid down at Chatham Dockyard in October 1912, launched on 25 October 1913, and commissioned in August 1914 as flotilla leader for the Harwich Destroyer flotillas....
  
  , built by Chatham Dockyard, laid down 28 October 1912, launched 25 October 1913, and completed August 1914. She was sunk by mine off Felixstowe
  Felixstowe
  Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
  
   on 11 February 1916.
• Aurora
  HMS Aurora (1913)
  HMS Aurora was an Arethusa-class light cruiser launched on 30 September 1913 at Devonport Dockyard.Construction started in 1912 and she was commissioned into the Royal Navy and saw service as part of the Grand Fleet from 1914 to 1915, as leader of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla...
  
  , built by Devonport Dockyard, laid down 24 October 1912, launched 30 September 1913, and completed September 1914. She took part in the sinking of the German raider Meteor on 9 August 1915, was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in November 1920, and for sold for breaking up in August 1927.
• Galatea
  HMS Galatea (1914)
  HMS Galatea was an Arethusa-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy launched on 14 May, 1914 at William Beardmore and Company shipyard....
  
  , built by William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir, laid down 9 January 1913, launched 14 May 1914, and completed December 1914. She also took part in the sinking of the German raider Meteor on 9 August 1915, and was sold for breaking up 25 October 1921.
• Inconstant
  HMS Inconstant (1914)
  HMS Inconstant was an Arethusa-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy launched on 6 July, 1914 at William Beardmore and Company shipyard....
  
  , built by Beardmore, laid down 3 April 1914, launched 6 July 1914, and completed January 1915. She was sold for breaking up 9 June 1922.
• Penelope
  HMS Penelope (1914)
  HMS Penelope was an Arethusa-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy launched on 25 August 1914 at Vickers Limited's shipyard. Unlike her sisters, she carried an extra 4 inch anti-aircraft gun in place of two 3 inch anti-aircraft guns....
  
  , built by Vickers, Barrow in Furness, laid down 1 February 1913, launched 25 August 1914, and completed December 1914. She was damaged by a torpedo from the German submarine UB-29
  SM UB-29
  SM UB-29 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 10 February 1916...
  
   on 25 April 1916, but repaired, and was sold for breaking up in October 1924.
• Phaeton
  HMS Phaeton (1914)
  HMS Phaeton was an Arethusa-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy launched on 21 October 1914 at Vickers Limited shipyard.On being commissioned, she was assigned to the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet, and between February and March 1915 was operating in the Dardanelles in support of...
  
  , built by Vickers, laid down 12 March 1913, launched 21 October 1914, and completed February 1915. She fought at the Dardanelles
  Battle of Gallipoli
  The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
  
   in 1915, and was sold for breaking up 16 January 1923.
• Royalist
  HMS Royalist (1915)
  HMS Royalist was an Arethusa-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy launched on 14 January 1915 at William Beardmore and Company's shipyard....
  
  , built by Beardmore, laid down 3 June 1913, launched 14 January 1915, and completed March 1915. She was sold for breaking up 24 August 1922.
• Undaunted
  HMS Undaunted (1914)
  HMS Undaunted was an Arethusa-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy launched on 28 April 1914 at Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company's shipyard at Govan.Undaunted participated in numerous naval operations during the First World War...
  
  , built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan, laid down 21 December 1912, launched 28 April 1914, and completed August 1914. She took part in the Battle off Texel
  Battle off Texel
  The Battle off Texel, also known as the Action off Texel or the Action of 17 October 1914, was a naval battle off the coast of the Dutch island of Texel during the First World War where a British squadron consisting of one light cruiser and four destroyers on a routine patrol encountered the...
  
   on 17 October 1914, and was sold for breaking up 9 April 1923.

Galatea, Inconstant, Phaeton and Royalist fought in the battle of Jutland

Battle of Jutland

The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...

on 31 May 1916.