PATHFINDER HMS 1941
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 3:56 pm
Built as a destroyer by Hawthorn Leslie & Co., Hebburn-on-Tyne for the Royal Navy.
05 March 1940 laid down.
10 April 1941 launched as HMS ONSLAUGHT.
Displacement 1.540 ton, dim 345 x 35 x 12.2ft. (draught)
Powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines 40.000 hp., speed 36.75 knots maximum, twin screws.
Armament 4 – 4.7 inch guns, 4 Oerlikon guns, 1 multibarrel Pom-Pom. 4 torpedo tubes, 100 depth charges.
Crew 176.
August 1941 renamed in HMS PATHFINDER (G10) one of the P Class destroyers.
13 April 1942 commissioned.
First serving in the European and Mediterranean waters.
12 August 1942 together with HMS ITHURIEL during ‘Operation Pedestal’, she sank the Italian submarine COBALTO off Bizerta, Tunisia.
After this she sailed back to the U.K. for a short refit by Barclay Curle shipyard at Govan, before she was used as an escort in ‘Operation Torch’ the Allied landings in North Africa.
03 September 1942 together with HMS QUENTIN and VIMY she sank the German submarine U-162 about 50 miles northeast of Tobago on a voyage to Port of Spain.
When on 21st December 1942 the P&O liner STRATHALLAN in use as a troopship was torpedoed off Oran, the PATHFINDER took part in the rescue of troops, nurses and crew.
During 1943 used as a leader of a screen of three destroyers to escort the aircraft carrier HMS BITTER to fill the mid North Atlantic gap in air cover for the convoy. (the URL depict a wrong BITTER)
25 April, a Swordfish aircraft from the BITTER spotted a U-boat south of Cape Farewell, Greenland, by depth charges of the plane and from the PATHFINDER the U-203 was sunk in a position of 55 05N 42 25W. PATHFINDER rescued the Captain and about 41 men of the U-162.
She made one crossing to New Foundland with this group in both ways, before she was ordered back to the Mediterranean to take part in the invasion of Sicily, and she escorted the units of the Italian Navy to Malta after their surrender in Taranto.
Then she joined the landing at Salerno. Thereafter took part in the liberation of the Aegean area, before she was based at Alexandria.
12 January 1944 passed she the Suez Canal for service in the East. Arrived 04 March Colombo.
On a voyage from India to South Africa she made a call on 04 April 1944 at Diego Garcia.
03 July at Capetown before she headed back to the Indian Ocean, sailing via Mombassa and the Seychelles to India.
01 November 1944 was she at Massawa, Eritrea before heading to Burma.
January 1945 took part in the landing at Ramree Island as escort of the battleship HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, during this landing she was bombed by Japanese aircraft on 11 February and damaged.
After temporarily repairs, sailed to Colombo Dockyard for repair.
After more repairs there she sailed to the U.K on her starboard engine.
After arrival at Devonport she was put in reserve in June 1945.
During the years 1947-48 used as a target trials ship.
November 1948 arrived at Howells, Milford Haven for breaking up.
British Indian Ocean Territory 2005 26p sg?, scott?
Source: Ships of the Royal Navy by J.J.Colledge. http://www.pathfinderg10.gq.nu/pathfinder.html
05 March 1940 laid down.
10 April 1941 launched as HMS ONSLAUGHT.
Displacement 1.540 ton, dim 345 x 35 x 12.2ft. (draught)
Powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines 40.000 hp., speed 36.75 knots maximum, twin screws.
Armament 4 – 4.7 inch guns, 4 Oerlikon guns, 1 multibarrel Pom-Pom. 4 torpedo tubes, 100 depth charges.
Crew 176.
August 1941 renamed in HMS PATHFINDER (G10) one of the P Class destroyers.
13 April 1942 commissioned.
First serving in the European and Mediterranean waters.
12 August 1942 together with HMS ITHURIEL during ‘Operation Pedestal’, she sank the Italian submarine COBALTO off Bizerta, Tunisia.
After this she sailed back to the U.K. for a short refit by Barclay Curle shipyard at Govan, before she was used as an escort in ‘Operation Torch’ the Allied landings in North Africa.
03 September 1942 together with HMS QUENTIN and VIMY she sank the German submarine U-162 about 50 miles northeast of Tobago on a voyage to Port of Spain.
When on 21st December 1942 the P&O liner STRATHALLAN in use as a troopship was torpedoed off Oran, the PATHFINDER took part in the rescue of troops, nurses and crew.
During 1943 used as a leader of a screen of three destroyers to escort the aircraft carrier HMS BITTER to fill the mid North Atlantic gap in air cover for the convoy. (the URL depict a wrong BITTER)
25 April, a Swordfish aircraft from the BITTER spotted a U-boat south of Cape Farewell, Greenland, by depth charges of the plane and from the PATHFINDER the U-203 was sunk in a position of 55 05N 42 25W. PATHFINDER rescued the Captain and about 41 men of the U-162.
She made one crossing to New Foundland with this group in both ways, before she was ordered back to the Mediterranean to take part in the invasion of Sicily, and she escorted the units of the Italian Navy to Malta after their surrender in Taranto.
Then she joined the landing at Salerno. Thereafter took part in the liberation of the Aegean area, before she was based at Alexandria.
12 January 1944 passed she the Suez Canal for service in the East. Arrived 04 March Colombo.
On a voyage from India to South Africa she made a call on 04 April 1944 at Diego Garcia.
03 July at Capetown before she headed back to the Indian Ocean, sailing via Mombassa and the Seychelles to India.
01 November 1944 was she at Massawa, Eritrea before heading to Burma.
January 1945 took part in the landing at Ramree Island as escort of the battleship HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, during this landing she was bombed by Japanese aircraft on 11 February and damaged.
After temporarily repairs, sailed to Colombo Dockyard for repair.
After more repairs there she sailed to the U.K on her starboard engine.
After arrival at Devonport she was put in reserve in June 1945.
During the years 1947-48 used as a target trials ship.
November 1948 arrived at Howells, Milford Haven for breaking up.
British Indian Ocean Territory 2005 26p sg?, scott?
Source: Ships of the Royal Navy by J.J.Colledge. http://www.pathfinderg10.gq.nu/pathfinder.html