O and P-class destroyer


The O and P class was a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy. Ordered in 1939, they were the first ships in the War Emergency Programme, also known as the 1st and 2nd Emergency Flotilla, respectively. They served as convoy escorts in World War II, and some were subsequently converted to fast second-rate anti-submarine frigates in the 1950s.

Design

The O and P class were based on the hull and machinery of the preceding J class, but with more sheer forward to counter the poor riding qualities of the Js. These ships used the Fuze Keeping Clock HA Fire Control Computer.

O class

The O-class ships were built in two groups of four. The first group had 4.7 in guns. They were in low-angle mounts which could elevate to only 40 degrees, and were additionally fitted with a 4 in anti-aircraft gun in place of one set of torpedo tubes. The second group had guns in high-angle mounts and were fitted to act as minelayers; they could be recognised by the flat "beaver tail" stern over which the mines were dropped.
When carrying mines they had to land Y gun, their torpedo tubes and depth charges. The designed anti-aircraft armament was one quadruple QF 2-pounder "pom pom" and a pair of quadruple 0.5-inch Vickers A/A machine guns. The latter proved to be outdated, and were replaced by 20 mm Oerlikon guns as they became available, with a total of six single mounts eventually being carried.

P class

The P class were repeats of the O class, armed entirely with 4 in guns, in high-angle mounts fitted with a new tall design of shield which did not require the ships to lose a set of torpedo tubes to take on further AA guns.

Ships

O class

All ships survived the war. Five of them were involved in the Battle of the Barents Sea, Onslow being badly damaged. After the battle, the ships were refitted with tall lattice masts instead of the normal mast.
* = flotilla leader

† = fitted for minelaying

P class

They served mainly in the Mediterranean, where four ships were lost.
NamePennant
number		BuilderLaid downLaunchedCompletedFate
*
G06Hawthorn Leslie6 February 194028 January 19414 February 1942Disabled by gunfire from Italian Navy torpedo boats and off Marsala 1943-04-16, abandoned and scuttled by sister ship HMS Paladin
G69John Brown22 July 194011 June 1941December 1941Converted to Type 16 frigate 1954, sold for scrap in 1962
G41Fairfield15 July 194028 May 194112 December 1941Bombed and sunk by German Junkers Ju 87 'Stuka' aircraft in Scarpanto Strait on 10 September 1943.
G30Fairfield3 June 19405 August 194122 February 1942Torpedoed by German Submarine U-565 off Oran, 18 December 1942.
G10Hawthorn Leslie5 March 194010 April 194113 April 1942On 11 February 1945, Pathfinder was hit by a Japanese bomber off Ramree, and was taken out of service. She was used as an aircraft target, sold for scrap in 1948.
G77Vickers Armstrongs26 December 193912 February 194110 February 1942Sold for scrap - 1949.
G56Vickers Armstrongs26 December 193927 March 194115 June 1942Converted to Type 16 frigate, sold for scrap 1967.
G93Vickers Armstrongs26 December 193910 June 194131 August 1942Torpedoed by German submarine in the Mediterranean on 9 December 1942 which broke her in two; she was never repaired, but hulked as Pork and Pine, sold for scrap – 1947.

* = flotilla leader