HMS Starfish was an R-class destroyer commissioned into the Royal Navy during World War I. Built by Hawthorn Leslie at Hebburn on the Tyne, she was laid down on 26 January 1916, launched on 27 September 1916, and completed by 16 December 1916. The vessel measured 276 feet (84.12 meters) in length overall, with a beam of 26 feet 6 inches (8.08 meters) and a draught of 9 feet (2.74 meters). Her displacement was 975 long tons (991 tons) at normal loading, increasing to 1,075 long tons (1,092 tons) at deep load. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding two sets of Parsons geared steam turbines, rated at 27,000 shaft horsepower, which drove two shafts and enabled a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). She carried 296 tons of oil, giving her a range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 miles) at 15 knots. The armament included three QF 4-inch Mk IV guns—one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised bandstand, and one between the second and third funnels—a single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun, and four 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes in two twin mounts. Her crew numbered around 82 officers and men. Starfish initially joined the 10th Destroyer Flotilla of the Harwich Force. During her service, she participated in noteworthy operations, including patrolling off Schouwen Bank during an encounter with German destroyers in January 1917, where she engaged and observed the Germans’ escape. She also participated in the protection of bombardments, such as the Dover Patrol’s attack on Ostend in June 1917, and was involved in large-scale North Sea operations aimed at countering German naval activity. Notably, in October 1917, she took part in an extensive deployment attempting to intercept German cruisers Bremse and Brummer, which successfully sank merchant ships and destroyers before returning to Germany. On 4 October 1918, HMS Starfish, along with other destroyers, sank German armed vessels Bremerhaven and Ober Burgermeister Adickes. She remained with the 10th Destroyer Flotilla at the war’s end and later served in training capacities at the Nore, supporting gunnery and torpedo schools. The vessel was decommissioned and sold for scrap on 21 April 1928, marking the end of her service after roughly 12 years of active duty.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.