HMS Pathfinder (G10)

HMS Pathfinder was a P-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She was damaged while serving in the Far East, and was scrapped after the end of the war.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Pathfinder.

History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Pathfinder
Ordered: 2 October 1939
Builder: Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Newcastle upon Tyne
Laid down: 5 March 1940
Launched: 10 April 1941
Commissioned: 13 April 1942
Identification: Pennant number: G10
Fate: Scrapped in 1948
Notes: Badge: On a Field per Pale wavy and White a bloodhound Proper.
General characteristics
Class and type: P-class destroyer
Displacement:
  • 1,640 long tons (1,666 t) standard
  • 2,250 long tons (2,286 t) full
Length: 345 ft (105 m) o/a
Beam: 35 ft (11 m)
Draught: 12 ft 3 in (3.73 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 shafts; 2 × steam turbines
Speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 3,850 nautical miles (7,130 km; 4,430 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement: 176
Armament:

Description

The P-class destroyers were repeats of the preceding O class, except that they were armed with 4-inch (102 mm) anti-aircraft guns. They displaced 1,640 long tons (1,670 t) at standard load and 2,250 long tons (2,290 t) at deep load. The ships had an overall length of 345 feet (105.2 m), a beam of 35 feet (10.7 m) and a deep draught of 12 feet 3 inches (3.7 m). They were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). The ships carried a maximum of 500 long tons (510 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 3,850 nautical miles (7,130 km; 4,430 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). The ships' complement was 176 officers and men.[1]

Pathfinder was armed with four QF 4-inch Mark V guns in single mounts, two pairs [superfiring] fore and aft. Her light anti-aircraft suite was composed of one quadruple mount for 2-pounder "pom-pom" guns and four single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The ship was fitted with two above-water quadruple mount for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.[2] The ship was fitted with four depth charge throwers and two racks for 70 depth charges.[1]

Construction and career

The ship was built by Hawthorn Leslie & Co, and was launched on 10 April 1941, and commissioned in April 1942. During the war, Pathfinder was active in a number of theatres, and helped to sink several enemy submarines.

Pathfinder was commanded by Commander Edward Albert Gibbs from January 1942 to November 1943, during which time she assisted the destroyer Ithuriel in sinking the Italian submarine Cobalto, assisted the destroyers Vimy and Quentin to sink the German submarine U-162, assisted in the rescue of nearly 5,000 survivors from the troopship Strathallan after it was torpedoed off Oran, Algeria. She also sank the German submarine U-203 with assistance from Swordfish aircraft flying off the aircraft carrier Biter.

On 11 February 1945, Pathfinder was hit by an Imperial Japanese army fighter-bomber Ki-43 off Ramree, and was taken out of service. She sailed back to the UK using her starboard engine. On arrival at Devonport she was placed in reserve. She was then sold to the ship breakers Howells and scrapped in November 1948 at Milford Haven.[3]

Notes
  1. Lenton, p. 172
  2. Whitley, pp. 124–25
  3. Critchley, Mike, "British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers", Maritime Books: Liskeard, UK, 1982. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2, page 22

References
  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • 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.
  • Crabb, Brian James (1998). In Harm's Way: The Story of HMS Kenya: A Second World War Cruiser. Stamford, UK: Paul Watkins. ISBN 1-900289-02-4.
  • Crabb, Brian James (2014). Operation Pedestal: The Story of Convoy WS21S in August 1942. Donington, UK: Shaun Tyas. ISBN 978-1-907730-19-1.
  • English, John (2001). Obdurate to Daring: British Fleet Destroyers 1941–45. Windsor, UK: World Ship Society. ISBN 978-0-9560769-0-8.
  • Friedman, Norman (2006). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-86176-137-6.
  • Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
  • Raven, Alan & Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
  • Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.
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