The M-class destroyers were repeats of the preceding L class. Milne, being the flotilla leader, was slightly larger than her sister ships. She displaced 1,935 long tons (1,966 t) at standard load and 2,750 long tons (2,790 t) at deep load. The ships had an overall length of 362 feet 3 inches (110.4 m), a beam of 37 feet (11.3 m) and a deep draught of 14 feet (4.3 m). They were powered by Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 48,000 shaft horsepower (36,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). The ships carried a maximum of 567 long tons (576 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ship's complement was 224 officers and ratings.[1]
Milne was laid down on 24 January 1940 by Scotts at their Greenockshipyard and launched 30 December 1941.[2] Because of bomb damage to the shipyard, she had to be towed to John Brown & Company to be completed on 6 August 1942. During the war she saw service in the Mediterranean and Arctic theatres.
Postwar service
Following the Second World War Milne, along with three other ships of the same class, was transferred to the Turkish Navy as part of an agreement signed at Ankara on 16 August 1957. They underwent a refit which involved the removal of the after set of torpedo tubes and some secondary armament. They received a new deckhouse and Squid anti-submarine weapons system. On 29 June 1959 they were handed over at Portsmouth. Milne was renamed Alp Arslan.[3]
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