Design

In 1916, Thornycroft had proposed a design for a large flotilla leader which was considered by the Admiralty and eventually amended in line with recommendations by the DNC. In particular the six 4 inch guns in the Thornycroft layout were to be replaced by five 5 inch guns. However, because of the delay inherent in designing a new gun it was decided to adopt the 4.7 inch army gun for naval use. These were to be shipped super imposed fore and aft, with the fifth gun between the funnels a leader layout which was to be followed until the late 1930s.

The class originally numbered seven but of these, Saunders and Spragge were cancelled in January 1919 and work stopped on Keppel and Rooke. Only Shakespeare and Spencer were completed in time to serve with the Fleet during the First World War, the former being badly damaged by a mine in June 1918. Both of these ships were sold out in July 1936, going to the breakers in Jarrow and Inverkeithing respectively in September. Rooke was re named Broke in about 1921, both she and Keppel being towed to and eventually completed at Royal Dockyards. Shakespeare, running trials under wartime conditions, reached 38.95 knots with 43,527shp on 1,605 tons displacement. Wallace made 38.25 knots

Modifications

Early in 1939, Wallace was converted to an escort destroyer more or less on the lines of the V & W Wair conversions. Both banks of torpedo tubes and all 4.7 inch guns were landed, the bridge rebuilt and the forward shelter deck dismantled. Two twin 4 inch Mk XIX comprised the main armament and Wallace was unique in having a quadruple 2pdr fitted on a bandstand aft in lieu of 'Y' gun. Quadruple .5in MG mountings were shipped in the spaces vacated by the torpedo tubes, the forward one to port, the after to starboard. Two 20mm Oeriikons in the bridge wings completed the gunnery outfit. A lattice tower over the searchlight platform supported the Type 272 radar lantern. A Type 291 radar aerial was fitted at the masthead. In late 1942, Type 285 gunnery radar was fitted to the HACS director. By mid 1944, the .5in MG mountings had been replaced by single 2pdr guns and two further single 20mm mounted in the waist.

Keppel and Broke received little initial alterations, except for the after funnel being cut down in height. At the time of her loss in November 1942, Broke had been rearmed for escort duties, landing 'A', 'Q' and 'Y' guns. A 'hedgehog' replaced 'A' gun and four 20mm Oerlikons were added. Radar 272 replaced the rangefinder on the bridge. Keppel was converted on similar lines, No. 1 boiler room being stripped out to increase bunkerage and accommodation. Her armament was now two 4.7 inch, one 3 inch, four 20mm and six torpedo tubes.

Service

Keppel served with the 13th Destroyer Flotilla and Force H at Gibraltar and in the Mediterranean 1940 42, but acted as escort in between to some Atlantic and Russian convoys, in particular PQ17, when she was leader of the close escort. In 1943, she was partially converted to a long range escort and joined Escort Group B3 working Atlantic convoys. In 1944 she was predominantly employed on Arctic convoys, with the 8th Support and 20th Escort Groups, when she sank three U boats, U713, U360 and U344 the last in company with other ships. She remained on Russian convoys until 1945.

At the beginning of the war Broke formed part of the 29th Division, 15th Destroyer Flotilla. She served in the Western Approaches and North Atlantic until 1942 when, towards the end of the year, she moved to the Mediterranean for the North Africa landings. During the course of these, Broke was sunk by shore batteries while attempting to force the defences of Algiers.

Wallace, which had completed her conversion to an escort destroyer on 14 June 1939, spent a period on reserve and subsidiary duties until recommissioned on 26 August. At the outbreak of war, she served on east coast convoys between Rosyth and Sheerness until March 1945 except for a brief period in 1943 when she participated in the Invasion of Sicily. After her return to the UK in August 1943, Wallace reverted to east coast convoy duty, but after a collision with Farndale off the Humber on 16 March 1945, she was paid off into reserve unrepaired on 12 April 1945.