The countdown to the start of World War II saw the Royal Navy scrambling to rebuild its depleted strength. The Admiralty appreciated that the number of ships in all categories was inadequate to meet the demands of the forthcoming conflict, but time was short to remedy the deficiency. This problem was particularly acute among the destroyer flotillas, which were vital for both fleet operations and convoy protection.
The navy’sdestroyers was ordered in September 1939, followed by a second a month later.
