The Battle class needed high-angle 4.5-inch guns, but the intended upper-deck mounting was still unavailable. Savage tested a twin between-decks installation of the kind used in larger ships such as Renown and fleet carriers. The intended upper-deck mount would avoid penetrating the hull. The between-decks installation spread its working space inside the ship, giving the crew more room and better access for maintenance. Better support and a potentially higher rate of fire were among the claimed advantages. Its weight and the space occupied below decks imposed a substantial cost in a destroyer.
Notable Point · 50:41-53:41
HMS Savage's between-decks 4.5-inch gun trial
Savage put a large-ship mounting into a destroyer hull to test a gun installation for the Battle class.