Racecourse-class paddle minesweepers in World War I

The Racecourse or Ascot class demonstrates that paddle propulsion was still receiving major wartime investment between 1916 and 1918. The Royal Navy ordered 24 original ships and eight improved vessels rather than relying only on civilian conversions. Independent wheels offered tight maneuvering, and a draft of roughly seven feet helped the ships work close inshore. At about 15 knots, original vessels carried two 12-pounders, while the improved class paired one 12-pounder with a 3-inch antiaircraft gun and may also have received machine guns. Coastal convoy escort and occasional anti-submarine work made them adaptable small warships rather than single-purpose curiosities.