The S-class programme answered a wartime need, even though some ships entered service after the fighting ended. Construction proceeded as quickly as possible, with some commissions occurring in 1919 or later. Ships completed in time supplied front-line strength and helped keep the wartime fleet operational. Later completions reinforced the fleet retained through the interwar years and provided a reserve for the 1940s. Some ships remained in service until 1945, supplying additional support during the Second World War. That continued usefulness supports the favourable assessment of the design, while survival into the later war was explicitly limited to part of the class.
Notable Point · 42:04-43:45
S-class ships as late-war strength and a later reserve
Late S-class completions strengthened the interwar fleet, while some ships continued providing support through the Second World War.