Royal Navy workhorses beyond the famous classes

What Royal Navy ship types were workhorses but receive less attention than famous classes?

Examples include 13.5-inch dreadnoughts, Renown, Crown Colony and Arethusa cruisers, Hunt destroyers, U-class submarines, and escort carriers.

For the First World War, the 13.5-inch dreadnoughts, including the Orion generation, carried more of the work than their fame suggests. In the Second World War, Renown, Crown Colony and Arethusa cruisers, Hunt-class destroyers, and U-class submarines could be similarly overshadowed. Escort carriers provide the clearest aviation example because they performed extensive routine work while fleet carriers dominated popular memory. Naval history organised around prestige ships and famous battles can miss these workhorses.