HMS Odzani (K356)

HMS Odzani (K356) was a River-class frigate that served in the Royal Navy.

Odzani in August 1943
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Odzani
Builder:	Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees
Laid down:	18 November 1942
Launched:	19 May 1943
Commissioned:	2 September 1943
Fate:	Scrapped June 1957
General characteristics
Class and type:	River-class frigate
Displacement:	1,370 long tons (1,390 t) 1,830 long tons (1,860 t) (deep load)
Length:	283 ft (86.26 m) p/p 301.25 ft (91.82 m)o/a
Beam:	36.5 ft (11.13 m)
Draught:	9 ft (2.74 m); 13 ft (3.96 m) (deep load)
Propulsion:	2 x Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts, reciprocating vertical triple expansion, 5,500 ihp (4,100 kW)
Speed:	20 knots (37.0 km/h)
Range:	646 long tons (656 t) oil fuel; 7,500 nautical miles (13,890 km) at 15 knots (27.8 km/h)
Complement:	140
Armament:	2 × QF 4 in (102 mm) /40 Mk.XIX, single mounts CP Mk.XXIII up to 10 x QF 20 mm Oerlikon A/A on twin mounts Mk.V and single mounts Mk.III 1 × Hedgehog 24 spigot A/S projector up to 150 depth charges

Construction and design

Odzani was one of three River-class frigates ordered by the British Admiralty on 15 July 1942.[1] She was named after a river in Mashonaland (then part of Southern Rhodesia, now part of Zimbabwe) following the loss of the destroyer Mashona in 1941.[2] The ship was laid down at Smith Dock's Middlesbrough shipyard on 18 November 1942, was launched on 19 May 1943 and completed on 2 September that year.[1]

The River-class ships were 301 feet 4 inches (91.85 m) long overall and 283 feet 0 inches (86.26 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 36 feet 6 inches (11.13 m) and a draught of 11 feet 10 inches (3.61 m). Displacement was 1,397 long tons (1,419 t) standard and 1,925 long tons (1,956 t) deep load.[3]

References

1. Friedman 2008, p. 334
2. Manning & Walker 1959, p. 323
3. Friedman 2008, p. 321

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Critchley, Mike (1992). British Warships Since 1945: Part 5: Frigates. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Press. ISBN 0-907771-13-0.
• Elliot, Peter (1977). Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A complete survey. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-356-08401-9.
• Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.
• Hobbs, David (2017). The British Pacific Fleet: The Royal Navy's Most Powerful Strike Force. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-0283-8.
• Manning, T. D.; Walker, C. F. (1959). British Warship Names. London: Putnam.

• "HMS Odzani (K 356)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 14 April 2009.