HMS Vectis (D51) HMS Vectis (D51) HMS "Vectis" (D51) was a V-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in World War I and the Russian Civil War. "Vectis", the first Royal Navy ship of the name, was ordered in July 1916. She was laid down by J. Samuel White at Cowes, Isle of Wight and launched on 4 September 1917. She was completed on 5 December 1917. V- and W-class destroyers like "Vectis" were assigned to the Grand Fleet or Harwich Force for the rest of World War I. In early June 1918, "Vectis" conducted towing trials with the NS-class
HMS Vectis (D51) airship "N.S.3" to see if an airship which ran out of fuel or suffered a mechanical breakdown could be towed at speed by a ship at sea. Trials were successful, with "Vectis" reaching nearly 20 knots with "N.S.3" in tow. Before the final run, "N.S.3" landed on the sea to exchange 2 officers from HMS Vectis, with 2 of her own crew. After the armistice with Germany of 11 November 1918 brought World War I to an end, "Vectis" was incorporated into a new 3rd Destroyer Division, 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, in the spring of 1919. With the new formation, she