1:600 Adventure, early war. Note 4.7" guns, pom-pom forward, fore and aft directors and new mast top command position. Diesel exhaust has also been removed. © Andrew Arthur

Interwar, minelaying fell by the wayside, and only a few ships were maintained to keep the expertise alive. Adventureoriginated from a requirement to replace the converted Princess Margaret, and a very large mineload was specified - the feeling was that if she did not carry enough mines, she would be useless.
This required a very long minedeck, and thus a very long hull, and the mines were stored internally, running on rails from bow to stern, discharging from four ports there. Oddly, a transom stern was originally built in, to increase propulsive efficiency, but this was completely innapropriate; it meant the mines landed in dead water and swung forwards into the stem! So, in 1932, a 19 foot extension was added to give a round 'cruiser' stern, and a good minelaying wake. Mines were loaded through hatches amidships, abreast the foremast, and cranes were provided here to assist.
The designation "cruiser-minelayer" came about only because of her extensive sizing, the great topweight of the mines prevented a large main belt or heavy LA armament being shipped. In the event, the DP armament proved much more succesful than a LA armament, AA defence being much improved. A HA/DCT was mounted in an air spotting top at the head of the foremast. The original octuple pom-pom was not shipped as it was not available, and it was in 1941 that it replaced the four single pom-poms shipped in lieu.
Propulsion was by a standard plant from a "C" / "D" class 2-shaft installation, and her range was considerably increased by addind a then ( for the RN ) revolutionary diesel-electric plant; a third stack being scabbed onto the back of the number 2 funnel - these were removed in 1941 to increase wartime accomodation / bunkerage / stowage.
Next year, the original airborne spotting top was replaced by a new AR type 285 HA/DCT, and nine single 20mm's were added. AW type 291,was fitted at the mastheads.
In 1944, for the forthcoming invasions, she was converted to a landing craft repair and support ship.