HMS Abdiel was a Marksman-class flotilla leader of the Royal Navy, built by Cammell Laird during the First World War.

[4] Abdiel was propelled by three sets of Parsons steam turbines, fed by four Yarrow three-drum boilers, rated at 36,000 shaft horsepower (27,000 kW), which gave a speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph).

[2][4] Up to 515 tons of oil fuel could be carried, giving a range of 4,290 nautical miles (7,950 km; 4,940 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[c] The conversion involved removing the ship's torpedo tubes and the aft two 4-inch guns to allow the fitting of rails to carry mines.

Silhouettes of guns and torpedo tubes were later painted on the canvas screens to further disguise the ship's role and equipment, particularly from long distances and in poor visibility.

[19][20] On 27 March 1918, while laying minefield A34 70 nmi (81 mi; 130 km) north-west of Heligoland, Abdiel, together with Legion, Telemachus, Vanquisher, Ariel and Ferret encountered three armed German trawlers, Polarstern, Mars and Scharbentz.

The 20th Flotilla, supported by the minelayer Princess Margaret, then reverted to its main role of laying minefields to contain the Bolshevik Baltic Fleet.

[31] On 8 October 1919, pro-Baltic German forces under the command of Pavel Bermondt-Avalov attempted to seize the Latvian capital Riga.

[32] Bermondt's attack was repelled by the Latvians following a bombardment by British and French warships, and on 26 October, the 20th Flotilla was relieved and set out on its journey back to the United Kingdom.

[33] It was decided to retain Abdiel for service as a minelayer postwar, and she was refitted at Chatham Dockyard in March–April 1920, before taking part in Reserve Fleet exercises at Portland Harbour in July that year.

On completing this refit, Abdiel reached a speed of 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph) during sea trials,[35][36] and commissioned into active service with the Atlantic Fleet on 30 September that year.