|
O-Class
Patrol submarine ordered on 2nd December
1926 with HM Submarines OSIRIS and
OSWALD from Vickers-Armstrong,
Barrow and laid down on 31st May 1927
This submarine was launched on 30th August
1928 as HMS OTUS and she was the
first RN vessel to carry the name. Build was
completed on 5th July
1929 and the she
was then commissioned for service with
the 4th Submarine Flotilla on the China
Station. When war against German began
on 3rd September
1939 she was still deployed at Hong Kong
Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings
campaign
in
February 1942 she was adopted by the civil
community of Diss,
Norfolk.
B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
MALTA
CONVOYS 1941
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Blue, beneath a bar wavy Silver,
on a Field
Green, a Trident Gold
(In a circular frame)
M
o t t o
De
profundis paratus:
'Out of the
deep I am ready'
(Note:
Otus was son of
Poseidon).
S um
m a r y o f W a
r
S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
August
Deployed on the China Station with 4th
Flotilla.
Nominated for service on East Indies
Station.
September
Passage to join 8th Flotilla at Colombo.
October
Deployed for Flotilla duties in Indian Ocean
based at Colombo.
to
(Note : Other submarines transferred to
Colombo were:
December
HM Submarines ODIN, ORPHEUS, OSIRIS and OLYMPUS.)
1 9 4 0
January
Nominated for transfer to Mediterranean
Fleet.
to
Joined 1st Submarine Flotilla based at
Alexandria
May
Deployed for interception patrols and took
part in Fleet exercises, especially after
the
threat
of war with Italy.
(Note: HM Submarine OSWALD of this Class was
also deployed in this Flotilla.)
Commanding Officer Lieut Cdr Harvey RN.
May
Joined 1st Flotilla, supported by HMS MEDWAY
Transferred to Malta
for interception patrols.
Pennant Number for visual signalling
purposes changed to 92P
June
Based in
Malta
with HM Submarines ODIN, OLYMPUS, ORPHEUS,
GRAMPUS and
RORQUAL
July
Mediterranean patrol deployment with
Flotilla in continuation.
to
Nominated for transfer to Atlantic for
convoy defence against U-Boats.
December
1
9 4 1
January
Carried out patrols off Azores in defence of
HG convoys on passage to and from
Gibraltar.
to
Deployed with OLYMPUS and relieved HM
Submarine TRIDENT.
February
Withdrawn for repair.
March
On completion of repair transferred to Bay
of Biscay Patrol in defence of HG and OG
convoys.
April
Deployed with HM Submarines OLYMPUS and
PANDORA in area west of Bay of
Biscay for convoy defence based at
Gibraltar with 8th Flotilla
On return to Gibraltar deployed with HM
Submarine OLYMPUS for patrol of Oran to
intercept Vichy French battleship DUNKERQUE
reported to about to attempt passage to
France.
(Operation
PRINCIPAL)
On release took passage to Alexandra.
May
Resumed duties at Alexandria with 1st
Flotilla.
to
Deployed for anti-submarine training of
escorts based at Alexandria.
June
July
Deployed for carriage of fuel and essential
stores to Malta.
August
Stores transport in continuation.
14th
Came under unsuccessful torpedo attack by HM
Submarine TALISMAN
September
to
November
Carried out interception patrols against
traffic between Tripoli and Italy.
1
9 4 2
January
Deployed in eastern Mediterranean including
transport of essential stores to Malta
to
May
June
Transferred with Flotilla from
Alexandria to Haifa
in continuation.
Nominated for return to UK
for long over due refit
22nd
Embarked mail for UK from submarines of
Flotilla
Passage to Gibraltar.
July
Retained for duty at Gibraltar
August
Deployed at Gibraltar for Malta supply
duties with HM Submarines RORQUAL and
CLYDE.
Carried ammunition and aviation fuel to
Malta concurrent with
PEDESTAL relief convoy
20th
Sustained serious damage in collision with
harbour breakwater at
Gibraltar.
Under repair at Gibraltar to allow passage
to UK.
September
Return passage to UK
for completion of repair
October
Under repair in Tyneside shipyard.
to
December
1
9 4 3
January
Under repair
to
Nominated for training duties.
June
June
On completion of post repair trials prepared
at Rothesay for anti-submarine training of
convoy escorts based at Simonstown.
July
Passage to Simonstown.
December
Deployed at Simonstown for training duties.
1
9 4 4
Anti-submarine training based at Simonstown
in continuation.
Nominated to be withdrawn from service.
Paid-off and transferred to Reserve status.
1
9 4 5
January
Laid-up at Durban
to
August
P
o s t W a r N o t e
s
HMS
OTUS
was placed on the Disposal List and in
September 1946 was
sold to R Scott in May 1946 and scuttled off
Durban in September that year. In
October 1962 this name was carried forward
when it was given to a patrol
submarine built at Greenock by Scotts.
|
