The six Battambang class were built to provide half leaders for the Khmer destroyer squadrons. A Squadron would consist of a light cruiser as Leader, a Battambang as half leader and six Noenwong as the rest of the destroyers. These Squadrons went to the Med as escorts to Khmer's capital ship contributions to the war. Every three to six months they would be replaced so that all members got war experience.
The Battambang class were a natural progression of size and armament over the Noenwong class. The extra space, so they could act as half leaders, was utilised for a 3rd 4" and the torpedoes were placed fore and aft rather than in echelon. A larger hull was required, which also required a larger propulsion system. The number of funnels rising from two to four.
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All six ships made it to World War Two. By then they had been re-rated twice, in the 1920's, from Destroyer Leader to Destroyer, then in 1938, from Destroyer to Submarine Chaser (DDE). the 1940-41 refits were to improve the AA value of the ships. In 1916 the AA armament was two machine guns by the aft mast. Then two single 25mm were fitted beside the aft most funnel in 1917-18. During the 1930's the 'B' 4" was removed and replaced with a twin 25mm. 1940-41 the aft set of torpedo tubes was removed and a new bandstand built for another twin 25mm mounting. As more of the 1938 model 25mm became available, the older 1910/1928 model 25mm were replaced. All who survived the initial Japanese onslaught were sent to an Australian port (normally Darwin) for the fitting of Asdic equipment.
