The Marksman class (sometimes known as Lightfoot class) were a class of flotilla leader

Flotilla leader

A flotilla leader was a warship suitable for commanding a flotilla of destroyers or other small warships, typically a small cruiser or a large destroyer...

s built for 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...

. Two each were ordered in the naval programmes of 1913–14 and 1914–15 with a further three being ordered under the Emergency War Programme and all saw service during 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...

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Like other British flotilla leader designs, these ships were significantly larger than the typical 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 of the day, in order to accommodate the flotilla staff ("Captain (D)" in Royal Navy parlance) and the necessary additional signalling gear. All ships had four funnels, the foremost being taller (although it was later cut down post-war in Nimrod and Abdiel). They were armed with four QF 4 inch guns. The guns were carried one each on the forecastle, between the first three funnels and on a bandstand on the quarterdeck

Quarterdeck

The quarterdeck is that part of a warship designated by the commanding officer for official and ceremonial functions. In port, the quarterdeck is the most important place on the ship, and is the central control point for all its major activities. Underway, its importance diminishes as control of...

. Abdiel and Gabriel were later fitted as fast minelayer

Minelayer

Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...

s, for which purposes they landed the after 4 inch gun and their torpedo tubes and were screened by canvas panels from the fourth funnel to the stern to give shelter to 60 to 70 mines. Nimrod and Kempenfelt later received QF 12 pdr (3 inch / 76 mm) 18 cwt  anti aircraft guns in place of one of the QF 2 pdr

QF 2 pounder naval gun

The 2-pounder gun, officially designated the QF 2-pounder and universally known as the pom-pom, was a 1.575 inch British autocannon, used famously as an anti-aircraft gun by the Royal Navy. The name came from the sound that the original models make when firing...

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Following the war-time trend to install director firing in ever-smaller vessels as resources permitted, Lightfoot was selected to serve as a test-bed for the Royal Navy's new training-only director firing system for flotilla leaders and destroyers in March, 1917. By August, results obtained were favourable enough that it was decided to equip fully 203 other leaders and destroyers of "L" class and later.

Ships

Two were ordered under the 1913–14 Programme. — built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, laid down 2 October 1914, launched 1 May 1915, completed 20 August 1915, sold for breaking up 9 May 1921. — built by J. Samuel White

J. Samuel White

J. Samuel White was a British shipbuilding firm based in Cowes, taking its name from John Samuel White . It came to prominence during the Victorian era...

, Cowes

Cowes

Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...

, laid down 9 June 1914, launched 28 May 1915, completed 29 May 1915, sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
Two ordered under the 1914–15 Programme. — built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company

Hawthorn Leslie and Company

R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturer. The Company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982.-History:...

, Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

, laid down 20 July 1914, launched 28 April 1915, completed 18 November 1915, sold for breaking up 8 November 1921. — built by William Denny and Brothers Limited, Dumbarton, laid down 9 October 1914, launched 12 April 1915, completed 25 August 1915, sold for breaking up 5 November 1926.
Three ordered in November 1914 under the War Emergency Programme. — built by Cammell Laird

Cammell Laird

Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, came about following the merger of Laird, Son & Co. of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co. of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century.- Founding of the business :The Company...

, Birkenhead

Birkenhead

Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...

, laid down 6 May 1915, launched 12 October 1915, completed 26 March 1915, sold for breaking up July 1936 — built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, laid down 12 January 1915, launched 23 December 1915, completed 1 July 1916, sold for breaking up 9 May 1921. — built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, laid down 14 January 1915, launched 18 March 1916, completed 2 August 1916, sold for breaking up 8 November 1921.