ORIBI-Class
Fleet Destroyer ordered from John I.
Thornycroft at Woolston, Southampton
on 3 Sept. 1939 under
the 1939 Programme and laid down on 20 May
1940. The ship was launched on 2nd
April 1942 and
was completed on 17th October that year. Build
cost was £410,872 excluding
Admiralty supplied items such
as weapons and communications equipment. This
ship was fitted for use as a
minelayer if required and
was adopted by the civil community of Ipswich,
Suffolk following a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
Campaign in March 1942.
B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
ARCTIC
1942-43
- BARENTS
SEA 1942 - ATLANTIC 1943 -
NORMANDY 1944 - NORWAY 1945
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field White, a Seahorse
Proper holding between the
feet
a roundel barry wavy blue
and 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
Contractors trials and commissioned
for service in 17th Destroyer Flotilla.
17th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
18th
Passage to Scapa Flow to work-up with
Home Fleet.
19th
Arrived at Scapa Flow.
Joined Flotilla for
operational service on completion.
November
15th
Escorted HM Cruisers LONDON and
SUFFOLK taking stores and personnel to
garrison at
Spitzbergen
with HM Destroyers
OBEDIENT and OBDURATE.
(Operation GEARBOX Series).
23rd
Joined Ocean Escort of returning
Convoy QP15 with HM Destroyer MUSKETEER after
a
search in atrocious weather conditions.
30th
Detached to return to Scapa Flow.
December
14th
Escorted HM Battleship ANSON with two
other destroyers for passage to Havalfjord,
Iceland arriving on
16th.
22nd
Sailed from Seidisfjord after
refuelling to join Convoy JW51B.
25th
Joined escort of Russian Convoy JW51
with HM Destroyers ACHATES, OBEDIENT,
ONSLOW, OBDURATE and
ORIBI.
(For details of all
Russian Convoys and their hazards see CONVOYS
TO RUSSIA by RA
.
RUEGG, CONVOY! by Paul Kemp,
RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schofield, ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by Corelli Barnett and Naval Staff History.).
31st
In
action against HIPPER with ONSLOW, OBEDIENT
and OBDURATE in defence
of JW51B.
Laid smoke screen to
hide convoy movements. Assisted ONSLOW after
action.
(For details see 73
NORTH by Pope, and ARCTIC DESTROYERS by GC
Cornell and above
references.)
1
9 4 3
January
2nd
Arrived at Kola Inlet.
14th
Independent passage to Seidisfjord
with HMS ORIBI.
20th
Detached from HMS ORIBI and took
passage to Rosyth.
21st
Under repair at Rosyth.
February
16th
Passage to Iceland arriving en 18th.
19th
Joined
escort for Russian
Convoy JW53 with HM Destroyers, FAULKNOR,
INGLEFIELD,
MILNE, BOADICEA,
OBDURATE, OBEDIENT and OPPORTUNE.
21st
HM Cruiser SCYLLA and four
destroyers joined convoy escort.
27th
Detached
after arrival of
eastern local escort.
(Note: The extreme
weather prevented enemy activity but caused
serious damage to
many
warships. See references.)
March
1st
Joined returning
Convoy RA53
on departure from Kola Inlet with HM Cruiser
SCYLLA,
HM Destroyers INTREPID,
OBEDIENT, OBDURATE, BOADICEA, ECLIPSE,
FAULKNOR, IMPULSIVE,
INGLEFIELD, FURY, OPPORTUNE, MILNE and Polish
destroyer ORP ORKAN.
11th
After convoy was dispersed due to
appalling weather conditions detached to carry
out search for missing
mercantiles.
12th
Escorted American freighter OREMAR
back to convoy.
Detached from RA53 with
HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FURY and ECLIPSE and
took passage to Scapa
Flow, arriving on 13th.
(See above references
for details of U-Boat attacks,)
Nominated for detached
service in Western Approaches with ships of
Flotilla.
15th
Deployed in Western Approaches with
HM Destroyers IMPULSIVE, ONSLAUGHT
and ORIBI as 3rd Support
Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
22nd
Took passage to Lisahally from
Liverpool with Group.
27th
Joined Convoy SC123 and carried out
anti-submarine search.
28th
Detached to join Convoy HX230
(Note:
These convoys were under
attack by SEEWOLF and SEETEUFEL U-Boat Groups.
Carried out
anti-submarine search operations in extreme
weather conditions.
31st
Detached from HX230 and returned
to Londonderry.
(See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR
by C Blair.)
April
Passage to Hull for refit.
9th
Taken in hand for refit.
May
Under refit.
12th
Arrived at Scapa
Flow to resume service with Flotilla after
post refit trials.
21st
Escorted HM Battleship HOWE with
HMS ONSLOW during passage to Gibraltar.
25th
Arrived at Gibraltar and refuelled
for return passage.
26th
Escorted HM Battleship NELSON with
HMS ONSLOW during passage to UK from
Gibraltar
30th
Arrived at Plymouth with HMS
NELSON.
June Deployed
for Flotilla duties at
Scapa Flow.
Escorted HM Battleship
DUKE OF YORK and HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS
during
cover for reinforcement
of allied garrison at Spitzbergen (Operation
FH).
21st
Boiler clean and docking at Scapa
Flow
July
On completion resumed Home
Fleet duties with Flotilla.
5th
Carried out unsuccessful search
for U-Boat in NW Approaches.
27th
Part of escort for HM Battleship
DUKE OF YORK, US Battleship SOUTH DAKOTA
with HM Cruisers
BERMUDA, BELFAST, HM Aircraft Carrier UNICORN
and ships
of the 17th Destroyer Flotilla for an
offensive
diversionary sweep off Norway.
(Operation GOVERNOR).
August Exercised
with HMS ONSLOW and other
ships of 17th Flotilla in NW Approaches.
4th
On completion deployed on A/S
patrols west of Faeroes and rescued survivors
from
U489 sunk on 4th by RCAF
aircraft. See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
7th
Part of home fleet escort for rms
QUEEN MARY taking Prime Minister Churchill to
the QUADRANT conference
with US President at Quebec.
(Note: Present during
visit to Home Fleet at Scapa Flow by HM King
George VI
on 15th
August is to be confirmed.)
17th
Took part in diversionary
operation off Norway with Home Fleet ships.
September
13th
Escorted
HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN for return journey with the Prime
Minister and
embarked 2 members of a
Parliamentary delegation, one of whom was AP
Herbert.
17th
Rejoined Flotilla at Scapa Flow.
Transferred
to Western Approaches
Command for Atlantic convoys in support role.
Joined HM Destroyer
MUSKETEER, ORIBI and Polish ORP ORKAN in 10th
Support
Group.
October
7th
Joined escort of Convoy SC143 with
HM Destroyers MUSKETEER, ORIBI and ORP
ORKAN during Atlantic
passage to reinforce defence against attacks
by ROSSBACH
U-Boat Group.
8th
Rescued some survivors from ORP
ORKAN which had been sunk by an acoustic
torpedo
during attack on U378.
(Note: For details see
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR Volume 2 by C Blair.)
11th
Detached from SC143 and returned to
Clyde.
17th
After return to Fleet duties joined
escort for US Cruiser TUSCALOOSA
with HMS
ONSLAUGHT, HMS ORIBI and
US destroyer USS FITCH for landing of
Norwegian
troops on Spitzbergen to
re-establish the meteorological station
destroyed by German
warships in September.
(Operation FQ in GEARBOX Series.)
Took passage to
Seidisfjord to refuel on completion and sailed
to Greenock.
November
Resumed Flotilla duties at Scapa Flow.
18th
Joined escort for Russian Convoy
JW54A with HM Destroyers IMPULSIVE, ONSLAUGHT,
ONSLOW, OBEDIENT and the
Canadian destroyers HAIDA, HURON and
IROQUOIS.
25th
Detached after arrival in Kola Inlet.
Passage
was not detected by the enemy.
28th
Joined escort for returning Convoy
RA54B with same ships.
December
5th
Detached from RA54B when local
escort arrived.
22nd
Joined escort for Russian Convoy
JW55B with IMPULSIVE, ONSLOW, ONSLAUGHT,
SCOURGE, HAIDA (RCN),
HURON (RCN) and IROQUOIS (RCN).
25th
Remained with convoy during
operations against German battleship
SCHARNHORST.
(For
details of this action and the
measures taken to protect JW55B from surface
attack see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, RUSSIAN CONVOYS by
B.
Schofield and the Naval
Staff History).
31st
Part
of escort for
returning Convoy RA55B with same ships as for
JW55B (except
HMS SCOURGE), Apart from
unsuccessful U-Boat attack passage was
uneventful.
1
9 4 4
January
7th
Resumed Flotilla duties with Home
Fleet at Scapa Flow.
February Passage
to Humber.
2nd
Taken in hand for refit at Hull
commercial shipyard.
March Under
refit.
13th
Resumed
Flotilla duties at
Scapa Flow after post refit trials.
29th
Part of the main escort joining
Russian Convoy JW58 with HM Cruiser
DIADEM,
H M
Escort Carriers
ACTIVITY, TRACKER and ships of 17th Flotilla
(HM Destroyers
ONSLOW, OBEDIENT, OFFA,
OPPORTUNE, ORIBI), ships of 23rd Destroyer
Flotilla (HM Destroyers
(SAUMAREZ, SERAPIS, SCORPION, VENUS) and HM
Norwegian destroyer
STORD).
April
4th
Detached after local eastern
escort joined).
7th
Part of escort for returning
Convoy RA58 with DIADEM, OFFA, ONSLOW,
OPPORTUNE,
SAUMAREZ, SERAPIS and
STORD which made a successful without enemy
contact.
13th
Detached from RA58.
23rd
Passage to Plymouth with HM
Destroyers OFFA, ONSLAUGHT and OPPORTUNE to
join HMS ONSLOW for
patrol duties in Channel during exercises
prior to allied
landings
in Normandy.
25th
Deployed for interception patrol
in Channel.
27th
In action with HM Destroyer OFFA
against E-Boats which had attacked US landing
craft convoy T5 going to
Slapton Sands for Exercise TIGER. Enemy craft
used their
high speed and a smoke
screen to effect an escape.
28th
Joined HMS ONSLOW with HMS
OBEDIENT in Lyme Bay to search for survivors
from US landing craft sunk
during E-Boat attack. Bodies recovered were
landed at
Portland.
(For details see
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, JUNE 1944 (HMSO).)
May
Took passage from Plymouth with
HMS ONSLOW, HMS OFFA and HMS OBEDIENT
to resume Home Fleet
duties.
(Note: Home Fleet ships
carried out attacks on coastal shipping
off
Norway and
some ships
of Flotilla were deployed for screening
duties.)
26th
Took passage from Scapa Flow with
HMS ONSLOW and HMS OBEDIENT for further
service in Channel to
support allied landings in Normandy (Operation
NEPTUNE) .
(For details of naval
activities prior to and during allied assault
landings see
OPERATION NEPTUNE by K
Edwards and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY (HMSO)
June
NEPTUNE support duties in
continuation.
6th
Based at Dover and deployed in
eastern approaches to English Channel
to provide
defence against any
attacks by German surface ships or
submarines on convoys and
landing operations
(Operation NEPTUNE).
July
Continued service in Channel
and North Sea for patrol and convoy
defence based at
to
Dover.
August
September
Resumed Home Fleet duties with Flotilla
at Scapa Flow.
15th
Escorted HM Cruiser JAMAICA with
HMS OBEDIENT for passage to Spitzbergen
for the replenishment of
garrison (Operation GEARBOX Series).
October
22nd
Part of main escort for Russian Convoy
JW61 with HM Cruiser DUX) and ships of
the 17th Flotilla
(OBEDIENT, OFFA, ONSLOW, OPPORTUNE and ORIBI).
28th
Detached on arrival at Kola Inlet
after successful passage without losses.
November
2nd
Part of escort for returning Convoy
RA61 which was supplemented by 6
frigates
of
Western Approaches
Command.
9th Resumed
Flotilla duties at
Scapa Flow.
28th
Involved in collision with HM Tug
VOLATILE at Scapa Flow without major damage.
29th Took
passage to Iceland for
Russian convoy escort.
December
1st Joined
escort for Russian Convoy
JW62 with HM Cruiser BELLONA, BM Escort
Carriers CAMPANIA and
NAIRANA, ships of D17, OBEDIENT, OFFA,
ONSLAUGHT,
ONSLOW, ORIBI, and
other Home Fleet destroyers.
7th
Arrived in Kola Inlet without
loss despite recent increase in
available number
enemy
torpedo carrying aircraft.
10th
Joined escort for return Convoy
RA62 with same ships as JW62.
19th
Resumed Flotilla duties at Scapa
Flow.
20th
Took part in Home Fleet shipping strike
operation off Norway
(Operation FRETSAW).
23rd
Returned to Scapa
Flow with Fleet units after unsuccessful
search.
28th
Deployed with HM Destroyers
OBEDIENT and ZEPHYR for anti-submarine
operations
in NW Approaches.
31st
Took HMS ZEPHYR in tow after damage by
Homing torpedo during
operations.
Returned to Scapa
Flow with HMS ZEPHYR.
(See HITLER'S U-BOAT
WAR Volume 2 by C Blair.)
1
9 4 5
January
10th
Joined Force 1
with HMS ONSLOW and HMS OBEDIENT
to escort HM Cruisers
NORFOLK and BELLONA
during shipping strike off Norway
(Operation
SPELLBINDER).
11th
In action against convoy off
Egersund.
12th
Returned to Scapa
with Force 1.
February
6th
Escorted Russian Convoy JW6M with
HM Cruiser BELLONA, HM Escort Carriers
NAIRANA,
H M Destroyers
ONSLOW, ONSLAUGHT, OPPORTUNE, SERAPIS,
ZAMBESI, ZEALOUS,
ZEST and SIOUX (RCN).
(Note: Western
Approaches Command Sloops and other escorts
were also deployed.)
15th
Arrived with Convoy at Kola Inlet
after series of attacks by torpedo bombers and
by 11 U-Boats.
17th
Joined returning Convoy RA64 with
HMS BELLONA and same Home Fleet
destroyers.
(Note: For details of
U-Boat attacks during assembly see above
references.)
27th
Detached with HMS BELLONA, the two
Escort Carriers and same Home Fleet
destroyers.
(Note:
This convoy was dispersed due to
extreme weather conditions and
also to
air
attacks.)
Took passage to
Immingham.
March
1st
Taken in hand for conversion.
10th
Carried out minelay
with HM Destroyers OPPORTUNE and OBEDIENT
in
NW
Approaches (Operation
CH Field T3)
(Note: This replaced
a minelay in North Russia for which Russian
permission had
not been
obtained. The details in ARCTIC DESTROYERS are
at variance with
the
Naval Staff History (MINING) which is assumed
to be correct.)
12th
Joined escort for Russian Convoy
JW64 with HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort
Aircraft Carriers
CAMPANIA, HM Destroyer ONSLOW, OPPORTUNE,
SCORPION,
ZAMBESI and
SIOUX (RCN).
(Note: Ships from
Western Approaches were also deployed as Close
Escort.)
21st
Detached on arrival of JW65 at Kola
Inlet.
23rd
Joined escort for return Convoy RA65
with HMS DIADEM, HM Escort Carriers
CAMPANIA and
TRUMPETER, HM Destroyers MYNGS, OPPORTUNE,
SAVAGE,
SCORPION, SCOURGE,
ZAMBESI, SIOUX (RCN) and Norwegian STORD.
30th
Detached from RA65 with Home Fleet
ships and returned to Scapa Flow.
April
Deployed with Flotilla at
Scapa Flow.
17th
Detached for minelay
with HM Minelaying Cruiser APOLLO, HM
Destroyers
OBEDIENT and
OPPORTUNE as Force 5 (Operation TRAMMEL).
21st
Delayed fuelling at Kola Inlet and
embarked Russian observers.
22nd
Laid A/S Trap minefield and returned
to refuel at Kola Inlet.
23rd
Sailed for Scapa
Flow with Force 5. Passage speed had to be
reduced to 15
knots
because of structural
damage to Hull.
On completion of
temporary repair resumed Flotilla duties.
May
3rd
Part of escort for HM Cruisers
NORFOLK and DIADEM, H M Escort Carriers
SEARCHER, QUEEN and
TRUMPETER with Hone Fleet destroyers during
shipping
strike west of
Narvik.
Deployed for air sea
rescue duties during air strikes.
(Note: Depot Ship
BLACK WATCH, submarine U711 and a trawler were
sunk.)
4th
Escorted Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tanker
BLUE RANGER with HMS OBEDIENT to
carry out refuelling
of the escorts to returning Convoy RA66. .
5th
Joined escort for return convoy on
completion.
8th
Detached from RA66 on arrival in
Clyde.
Took passage to
Chatham for permanent repair to hull
structure.
10th
Taken in hand by HM
Dockyard, Chatham.
June
2nd
Returned to Scapa
Flow on completion to resume Flotilla duties.
5th
Escorted HM Cruiser NORFOLK with HMS
ONSLOW, HMS OBDURATE and HM
Norwegian
Destroyer STORD from
Rosyth for the return of HM King Haakon to
Oslo from Rosyth.
(Operation INDESTRUCTIBLE).
7th
Arrived in Oslo to tumultuous
reception.
13th
Returned to Rosyth
with HMS NORFOLK and HMS OBDURATE.
July
Deployed with Home Fleet
for visits programme and support of
re-occupation forces.
to
August
P
o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS
ORWELL
remained in commission after VJ Day and
continued Home Fleet duties. She
took part in Operation
DEADLIGHT, the destruction of surrendered
U-Boats in NW Approaches. She then
joined the Portsmouth
Local Flotilla for local duties including
until 1947. Placed in Reserve at
Harwich the ship was transferred
to Chatham after a refit during 1949. The ship
was selected for conversion to a Type 16
A/S Frigate
by HM Dockyard Rosyth in 1952 and on
completion briefly used as a target ship
for the Submarine in the Clyde.
Later transferred to the Local Squadron at
Devonport until 1958 when she had a
refit prior to being placed in Reserve
at Chatham. Following a
refit at Rosyth this destroyer re commissioned
for trials and again
paid-off at Rosyth. Transferred to Portsmouth
in 1961 she remained there until
1965 when sold for
breaking up by J Cashmere in 1965. The ship
arrived at Newport, in tow on 28th
June
that year for demolition.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS ORWELL
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
23/11/42
|
30/11/42
|
QP
015
|
17/11/42
|
30/11/42
|
25/12/42
|
03/01/43
|
JW
051B
|
22/12/42
|
04/01/43
|
19/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
JW
053
|
15/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
01/03/43
|
10/03/43
|
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
|
29/09/43
|
05/10/43
|
ONS
019
|
26/09/43
|
14/10/43
|
06/10/43
|
09/10/43
|
SC
143
|
28/09/43
|
12/10/43
|
18/11/43
|
24/11/43
|
JW
054A
|
15/11/43
|
24/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
05/12/43
|
RA
054B
|
26/11/43
|
09/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
29/12/43
|
JW
055B
|
20/12/43
|
30/12/43
|
31/12/43
|
07/01/44
|
RA
055B
|
31/12/43
|
08/01/44
|
29/03/44
|
04/04/44
|
JW
058
|
27/03/44
|
04/04/44
|
07/04/44
|
13/04/44
|
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
|
06/02/45
|
13/02/45
|
JW
064
|
03/02/45
|
15/02/45
|
17/02/45
|
27/02/45
|
RA
064
|
17/02/45
|
28/02/45
|
14/03/45
|
21/03/45
|
JW
065
|
11/03/45
|
21/03/45
|
23/03/45
|
30/03/45
|
RA
065
|
23/03/45
|
01/04/45
|
05/05/45
|
08/05/45
|
RA
066
|
29/04/45
|
08/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)