Five of the eight I-class destroyers were lost. Impulsive, Ivanhoe, Intrepid, and Icarus were modified to carry mines, which gave them another wartime role beyond the standard gun and torpedo fit. The class displaced 1,391 tons standard. Britain was also building four broadly similar ships for Turkey. The Royal Navy retained two and delivered two; these variants carried eight torpedoes in two quadruple mountings. The decision to release half the order may have reflected the memory of Britain requisitioning Turkish warships during the First World War, which helped push Turkey toward the opposing side. British wartime needs could therefore override treaty commitments.
Notable Point · 18:03-19:20
I-class minelayers and Turkish orders
The later I-class story adds minelaying conversions and Turkish-built orders to the familiar destroyer mix of guns, torpedoes, and wartime attrition.