ORIBI-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from
William Denny at Dumbarton on 3rd September
1939 with the 1st Emergency
Flotilla. She was laid down on 22nd May 1940
and launched on 30th April 1942 as
the 2nd RN ship to carry this name, previously
used for a destroyer sold in
1921. Completion date was 30th October 1942
and she was designed for use as a
minelayer if required. In March 1942 after a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign the ship was adopted by the
civil community of Lymington,
Hampshire.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
JUTLAND 1916 - ARCTIC
1942-44 - BARENTS SEA 1942 - ATLANTIC 1943 -
NORMANDY 1944
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Blue, a sea
dog sejant
Proper, collared Gold.
D
e t a i
l s o f W a
r
S e r v i c e
(for more
ship information,
go
to Naval
History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search)
1
9
4 2
October Contractor's
trials.
30th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
Commissioned for
service in 17th Destroyer Flotilla, Horns
Fleet
November Took
passage to Scapa
Flow on
completion of trials and storing.
Joined Flotilla
at Scapa Flow and
worked-up for service.
15th
Deployed as screen for HM Cruisers
LONDON and SUFFOLK with HM Destroyers
OBDURATE and
ORWELL to Spitzbergen
for routine replenishment of garrison
(Operation
GEARBOX Series).
December
Deployed with Flotilla for Hone
Fleet screening and patrol in NW Approaches.
25th
Joined Russian Convoy JW51B with HM Destroyers
ACHATES, OBDURATE, ONSLOW,
ORIBI and
ORWELL.
(Note: This
convoy was under threat of attack from German
cruiser HIPPER and Armoured
Ship
LUTZOW (Ex DEUTSCHLAND) escorted by
destroyers.
31st
In action with German force in
defence of convoy (Battle of the Barents Sea).
Sustained damage
and casualties from heavy return fire.
(For full details
see 73 NORTH by Dudley North, RUSSIAN CONVOYS
by R Woodman
and Naval Staff
History. HMS
ACHATES and a Fleet Minesweeper
HMS BRAMBLE were
sunk. H M
Destroyers ONSLOW and
OBDURATE were also
damaged and had many
casualties).
1
9 4 3
January
Deployed for escort of Convoy
JW51B during passage to Murmansk..
(For details of
all Russian Convoy operations including names
of all the warships involved
in
escort
or provision of cover see CONVOYS
TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
,CONVOY ! by P
Kemp, ARCTIC
CONVOYS by R Woodman and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS
by B
Schoefield).
4th
Detached on arrival of JW51B at
Kola Inlet and remained at Murmansk.
11th
Took independent passage to Scapa
Flow with HMS OBDURATE.
(Note: Seriously
wounded casualties from HMS ONSLOW
were taken
back to UK.)
15th
Arrived at Scapa
Flow.
30th
Escorted HM Battleship ANSON and HM Cruiser
SHEFFIELD with HM Destroyers ORIBI,
INGLEFIELD and
Polish destroyer ORP PIORUN during provision
of Distant Cover for transit
of return Convoy
RA52 from Kola Inlet.
February
2nd
On release from screening resumed Flotilla
Home Fleet duties with Flotilla.
19th
Joined Ocean Escort for Russian
Convoy JW53 off Iceland with HM Destroyers
MILNE,
BOADICEA,
INGLEFIELD, ORWELL, OPPORTUNE and OBDURATE for
passage to Kola
Inlet.
(Note: Cover was
provided by ships of Home Fleet.
27th
Detached on arrival after
particularly extreme weather conditions which
limited extensive
enemy
interference.
March
1st
Joined Ocean Escort for return Convoy
RA53 with H M Cruiser
SCYLLA and the same
destroyers as for
escort of JW53.
7th
Detached from RA53 with HMS SCYLLA,
HMS INTREPID and HMS OBDURATE.
20th
Deployed in Western Approaches for
North Atlantic convoy defence as 3rd Support
Group
with HM
Destroyers OFFA, ORIBI, ORWELL, ONSLAUGHT and
IMPULSIVE.
26th
Reinforced escort for Convoy HX 230
which was under attack by U- Boats of SEEWOLF
and
SEETEUFEL Groups.
29th
Sustained structural damage in heavy
weather conditions.
31st
Returned to Scapa
Flow.
April
Support role deployment
with 3rd Escort Group in Atlantic continued.
to
(For details of
development of tactics and weapons used in
Atlantic see SEEK AND STRIKE
June
by
W Hackmann,
U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), HITLER'S
U-BOAT WAR
by C.Blair
and
THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by Donald MacIntyre)
July
Resumed Home Fleet
screening duties in 17th Destroyer Flotilla.
27th
Deployed with ships of Flotilla as
screen for HM Battleship DUKE CF YORK and the
US
battleship USS
SOUTH DAKOTA during offensive sweep off Norway
by Home Fleet..
(Operation
GOVERNOR).
August
3rd
Deployed with HMS OPPORTUNE and HMS
OBDURATE as screen for HM Aircraft
Carriers
ILLUSTRIOUS and UNICORN during anti-submarine
air operations in NW
Approaches.
13th
Escorted HMS UNICORN during passage
to Gibraltar with same consorts.
(Note: This
aircraft carriers was to be used during allied
landings in Sicily.
(Operation
HUSKY)).
The
presence of ship at Scapa
Flow during visit to Home
Fleet by HM King George
VI on
15th August 1943 is therefore unlikely.)
20th
Escorted damaged HM Aircraft Carrier
INDOMITABLE with HMS OBDURATE and
OPPORTUNE from
Gibraltar to Norfolk, Va,
via Bermuda for repair.
31st
On arrival at Norfolk detached and returned
to UK.
September Passage
to rejoin Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow..
Deployed with HM
Destroyers MAHRATTA, SHIKARI and SARDONYX .
(Operation SF -
Anti-submarine patrols in NW Approaches
October
Part of escort for HM
Battleship VALIANT from Gibraltar to UK after
Salerno landings
(Operation
AVALANCHE).
28th
Carried out unsuccessful
anti-submarine operations with HM Destroyer
TEAZER on passage
to Gibraltar.
Passage to
Iceland to join escort for Russian convoy.
November
Part of escort for HM Battleship
KING GEORGE V from Gibraltar to UK after
service in
Mediterranean.
18th
Joined Ocean Escort for Russian
Convoy JW54A with HM Destroyers IMPULSIVE,
ONSLOW,
ORWELL,
ONSLAUGHT, HAIDA (RCN), HURON (RCN) and
IROQUOIS
(RCN).
19th
Detached after steering gear
failure and returned to Iceland steering by
engines.
Passage
to Tyne shipyard after
temporary repair
Taken in hand
for refit and repair in Tyne shipyard.
December
Under repair.
1
9 4 4
January Under
repair
17th
Passage to Scapa
Flow to resume Home Fleet duties after post
refit trials.
February
6th
Detached to reinforce Ocean Escort
of return Convoy RA56 during passage from Kola
Inlet
with HM
Destroyers VERULAM and SWIFT after loss of HMS
HARDY and damage to
HMS OBDURATE
whilst escorting Convoys JW56A and JW56B
.
9th
Detached from RA56 with HMS VERULAM
and HMS SWIFT.
22nd
Took passage to join Russian Convoy
JW57 as Ocean Escort with HM Escort Aircraft
Carrier
CHASER, HM
Cruiser BLACK PRINCE, HM Destroyers OFFA,
ONSLAUGHT, ORIBI and
MAHRATTA
24th
Carried unsuccessful attacks on
U-Boat.
25th
Under submarine attacks during
which HMS MAHRATTA was sunk by U990 with only
16
of her ship's
company surviving.
28th
Detached from JW57 on arrival at
Kola Inlet.
March
3rd
Part of escort for returning
Russian Convoy RA57 with HMS BLACK PRINCE, HM
Escort
Aircraft Carrier
CHASER and same destroyers as for JW57-
7th
Detached from RA57 with HMS
BLACK PRINCE, HM
Destroyers IMPULSIVE, METEOR,
SWIFT and
VERULAM.
Passage to
rejoin Fleet at Scapa
Flow.
29th
Joined Ocean Escort for Russian
Convoy JW58 which sailed from Loch Ewe.
(Note: Escort
comprised HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort
Carriers ACTIVITY and
TRACKER
with twelve
Hone Fleet
destroyers including 17th Flotilla.)
April
4th
Detached from JW58 on arrival at
Kola Inlet after unscathed passage.
7th
Joined Ocean Escort for return
Convoy RA58 with same ships.
14th
Detached from RA58 with HMS TRACKER,
HM Destroyers IMPULSIVE, ORIBI, SCORPION,
HM Corvettes
BLUEBELL, HONEYSUCKLE and Sloops of 2nd
Support
Group.
After return to Scapa
Flow nominated with HMS OFFA, ONSLAUGHT,
ONSLOW and
ORIBI
for support of
exercises prior to planned allied landings in
Normandy.
20th
Deployed with Flotilla as Force 27
and carried cut patrols and convoy defence.
28th
Engaged E-Boats with HMS OFFA and
HMS ORWELL
.
(Note: Enemy ships
had attacked landing Craft in Lyme
Bay during passage from Plymouth
to
carry out assault landings on Slapton
Sands and had
sunk several with heavy loss
loss
of life. (Exercise TIGER - See LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, JUNE 1944
(HMSO).)
May
Resumed Flotilla duties
with Home Fleet based at Scapa
Flow.
14th
Part of screen for HM Escort
Carriers EMPEROR, STRIKER, HM Cruisers
ROYALIST,
and SHEFFIELD
with H M Destroyers ONSLOW, URSA, WAKEFUL,
Polish destroyers
PIORUN and
BLYSKAWIKA for air attacks on shipping off Rorvik
and Standlandet.
(Note: This was
one of a series of Home Fleet air attacks on
Norwegian coast shipping
and on
German
battleship TIRPITZ.)
26th
Nominated with 17th Flotilla for
support of allied landings in Normandy.
(Operation NEPTUNE
- For details of naval activities before and
during the allied landings see
LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO), OPERATION NEPTUNE
by K. Edwards
and BRITISH
INVASION FLEETS by J de S Winser).
June
Deployed in Dover
Command with HMS OPPORTUNE and HMS ORWELL for
patrol
duty to
the seaward side
of the coastal channel used by convoys to
assault area.
6th
In action with E-Boats of 4th
German MTB Flotilla based at Boulogne.
Enemy craft
withdrew.
7th
In action with E-Boats of same
Flotilla 40 miles south of Beachy
Head.
8th
Deployed in Dover Command for
patrol and convoy defence.
11th
Deployed with HM Destroyer Savage
for anti-submarine search off Beachy
Head.
12th
Channel deployment in continuation.
No major interruption of convoy traffic
reported.
to
27th
28th
Continued Channel deployment for
convoy defence and interception of surface or
submarine
incursions into
Eastern Task Force area.
July
1st
Carried
out unsuccessful submarine
hunt in Channel with HM Destroyer SAVAGE after
detection
by coastal
radar.
On completion of
patrol took passage for Boiler clean at
Chatham.
26th
In action against E-Boats attacking
a west bound convoy off Dungeness with HMS
SAVAGE,
HMS OPPORTUNE
and MTB's of
Light Coastal Forces.
August Resumed
Flotilla duties
with Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow.
September Escorted
HM Cruiser JAMAICA with
HMS ORWELL for replenishment of the Spitsbergen
garrison
(Operation GEARBOX series).
October
Home Fleet deployment with
Flotilla in continuation.
20th
Flotilla exercises off Faeroes.
22nd
Joined Ocean Escort for Russian
Convoy JW61 with HM Cruiser DIDO, HM Escort
Aircraft
NAIRANA,
TRACKER, VINDEX and destroyers of the 17th
Flotilla.
(Note: In
addition two Escort Groups of Frigates were
deployed to strengthen the
anti-submarine
defence
against the expected heavy U-Boat attacks).
28th
Detached on arrival at Kola Inlet
after safe passage without loss.
November
2nd
Escorted returning Convoy RA61 with
same ships.
9th
Detached from RA61 with Flotilla on
arrival at Loch Ewe.
Resumed
Home Fleet
screening duties in NW Approaches.
December
1st
Joined escort for Russian Convoy
JW62 with HM Cruiser BELLONA, HM Escort
Aircraft
Carriers CAMPANIA
and NAIRANA, destroyers of 17th and 7th
Flotillas and ten RN
and RCN
Frigates.
7th
Detached on arrival at Kola Inlet
without loss of mercantiles.
10th
Joined Ocean Escort for return
Convoy RA62 with same ships.
(Note: Before
departure frigates had carried out a special
operation to attack an assembly
of
U-boats outside Inlet.)
11th
HM Destroyer CASSANDRA damaged by
U-Boat torpedo and returned to Murmansk.
19th
Detached from
RA62 and resumed Home Fleet duties at Scapa
Flow.
31st
Deployed with HM Destroyers
ORWELL, ZEPHYR and ZEALOUS for anti-submarine
search operations
west of Orkneys.
1 9
4 5
January Deployed
in Home Fleet with
Flotilla.
10th
Joined Force 1 as escort for HM
Cruisers NORFOLK and BELLONA with HM
Destroyers
ONSLOW and ORWELL
during shipping strike off Norway.
(Operation
SPELLBINDER)
11th
In action against convoy and
escorts off Egersund.
12th
Returned to Scapa
with Force 1.
February Home
Fleet deployment in
continuation.
to
Nominated for minelaying
operation off Kola Inlet after conversion.
March
April
6th
Converted for minelaying operation
at Immingham
11th
Carried cut minelay
in NW Approaches with APOLLO, OPPORTUNE and
ORWELL.
(Operation
CH - Part of Field
S3. This was done when Russian agreement for
planned
minelay off Kola
Inlet had not been obtained).
17th
Detached for Kola minelay
with HM Minelaying Cruiser APOLLO, HM
Destroyers
ORWELL and
OPPORTUNE as Force 5.
(Operation
TRAMMEL - See Naval Staff History (Mining).
(Note: Passage
in hazardous weather conditions.)
21st
Delayed fuelling at Kola Inlet and
Russian insistence on prior inspection.
Embarked
Russian observers. (See ARCTIC DESTROYERS by
GC Cornell).
22nd
Laid A/S Trap minefield and
returned to refuel at Kola Inlet after passing
over new
field to
prove it had
been laid deep.
(Note: Cover
was provided by HM Cruiser DIDO.
23rd
Sailed for Scapa
Flow with Force 5.
Speed reduced
to 15 knots when HMS ORWELL had reported
split
in hull structure
26th
Resumed Fleet duties on arrival at
Scapa Flow.
May
4th
Escorted Fleet
Auxiliary tanker BLUE RANGER with HMS ORWELL
for refuelling duties
in support of
returning Convoy RA66 during passage to UK.
5th
Detached with HMS ORWELL to join
Task Force deployed on shipping strike west of
Narvik
.
(Operation
JUDGEMENT).
Joined HM
Destroyers CARYSFORT, OPPORTUNE, SAVAGE,
SCOURGE, ZAMBESI as
screen for
HM Cruisers NORFOLK,
DIADEM, HM Escort Aircraft
SEARCHER, QUEEN and
TRUMPETER.
(Note: Carrier
aircraft sank Depot Ship BLACK WATCH during
air operations.)
Deployed for
Air Sea Rescue duties.
8th
Detached with HM
Escort Aircraft Carriers SEARCHER,
TRUMPETER, HM Cruiser
NORFOLK, HM
Destroyers CARYSFORT, ZAMBESI, OPPORTUNE
and ORWELL to
join
Task Force
covering passage of major ships to Copenhagen
for
surrender of German forces in
Denmark. Ship
entered minefield and had to be detached from
Task Force until area swept.
Ordered to
return to Scapa
Flow when safe to leave area.
15th
Escorted HM Cruiser NORFOLK on
Flag visit to Bergen
26th
Arrived
at Kiel for Guardship
duties and support of clearance
operations to allow reopening
of
Kiel Canal.
June
Deployed at Kiel in
connection with collection of surrendered
U-Boats.
15th
Deployed as Guardship
in Baltic ports including Travemunde.
(Note: This
duty was rotated with HM Destroyers ORIBI,
OFFA and OBDURATE.)
Passage to UK
for special duty.
July
Deployed in Hone waters.
Escorted US
cruiser USS PHILADELPHIA during passage in
Channel.
(Note: Mr
Truman, President of USA was embarked for
passage to Potsdam Conference with
allied
leaders.
August During
visit to Tromso
took German State Yacht GRAF as Prize.
(Note: This
yacht was used by RN during post war years.)
Under
refit.
P
o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS
OBEDIENT remained in service after refit and
took part
in Operation DEADLIGHT, the destruction of
surrendered
U-Boats in NW Approaches. She then joined the
Portsmouth Local Flotilla for use
by the Torpedo School.
The ship was reduced to Reserve status in
October 1947 at Sheerness and was
refitted in 1949- She was re-commissioned
on 17th October 1952 and deployed at
Portsmouth for service in the Local
Flotilla including taking
part in the Coronation Review. After July 1953
this ship used for Air -Sea
rescue duties during air operations
by aircraft carriers in Channel. After
acceptance into the Reserve Fleet at
Chatham in December that year she
briefly commissioned for further service for
trials in February 1956 but then
returned to Reserve at Chatham
.A proposal to convert this ship and HMS
OBDURATE for use as Anti-submarine
Frigates was not implemented and she was
laid-up in Reserve at Hartlepool
in 1957. The ship was put on the Disposal List
in 1961 and
sold to BISCO for demolition by Hughes Bolcow,
She
arrived in tow at the Breakers yard in Blyth
on 19th
October 1962.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS OBEDIENT
by
Don Kindell
These
convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy
No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
25/12/42
|
03/01/43
|
JW 051B
|
22/12/42
|
04/01/43
|
01/02/43
|
02/02/43
|
RA 052
|
29/01/43
|
09/03/43
|
19/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
JW 053
|
15/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
01/03/43
|
07/03/43
|
RA 053
|
01/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
27/03/43
|
28/03/43
|
SC 123
|
14/03/43
|
03/04/43
|
29/03/43
|
31/03/43
|
HX 230
|
18/03/43
|
02/04/43
|
18/11/43
|
19/11/43
|
JW 054A
|
15/11/43
|
24/11/43
|
06/02/44
|
09/02/44
|
RA 056
|
03/02/44
|
11/02/44
|
22/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
JW 057
|
20/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
07/03/44
|
RA 057
|
02/03/44
|
10/03/44
|
29/03/44
|
04/04/44
|
JW 058
|
27/03/44
|
04/04/44
|
07/04/44
|
14/04/44
|
RA 058
|
07/04/44
|
14/04/44
|
22/10/44
|
28/10/44
|
JW 061
|
20/10/44
|
28/10/44
|
02/11/44
|
07/11/44
|
RA 061
|
02/11/44
|
09/11/44
|
01/12/44
|
07/12/44
|
JW 062
|
29/11/44
|
07/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
18/12/44
|
RA 062
|
10/12/44
|
19/12/44
|
05/05/45
|
08/05/45
|
RA 066
|
29/04/45
|
08/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)