M-Class destroyer ordered from Fairfield at Govan with the 1939 Programme on 7th July 1939 with HMS MUSKETEER of the same Class. Both ships were laid down on 7th December 1939. This ship was launched on 2nd March 1942 as the 6th RN ship to carry the name which was first introduced in 1781 for a 6th Rate. It  was last used in 1899 for a “B” Class (30 Knotter) destroyer  by a mine in the Channel on 23rd March 1917. This ship was transferred to the Polish Navy after launching and renamed ORP ORKAN. She was commissioned for service in late 1942 and had been adopted by the civil community of St Helens, Lancashire after a successful  WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

BELGIAN COAST 1914-17 - ATLANTIC 1941

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field Red, the head of a Greek soldier, helmet

embossed with an ant on a roundel, all Gold.

Explanation   Myrmidon a warlike race created from ants to be subject

Achilles in the Trojan War.

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

O .  R .  P .  O R K A N

(Under Polish Command)

 

1 9 4 2

 

November

            18th          Commissioned as ORP ORKAN for service with Home Fleet.

 

December            Contractors trials and commissioning

             5th           Build completion date and commenced acceptance trials

                             On completion of storing, weapon trials and shakedown took passage to Scapa Flow

                             to work-up for operational service with ships of the Home Fleet.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                Joined HM Destroyers OBDURATE, OBEDIENT, ONSLOW, OPPORTUNE, ORIBI

                             and ORWELL in 17th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet on completion of work-up.

            23rd          Deployed with HM Destroyers ECHO, ECLIPSE, FAULKNOR, INGLEFIELD,

                             MONTROSE, QUEENBOROUGH and RAIDER  as screen for HM Battleship

                             ANSON and HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD during provision of Distant Cover for the

                             passage of Russian Convoy JW52 during pass from Iceland to Kola Inlet.

                             (Note : For details of all Russian convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by

                                         R Ruegg, THE ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman, RUSSIAN CONVOYS by

                                         B Schoefield, CONVOY! by P Kemp, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY

                                         by C Barnett and the Naval Staff History.)

             24th         Detached with Distant Cover force and remained with screen for Home Fleet ships.

             30th         Deployed with HM Destroyers INGLEFIELD, ORIBI and OBEDIENT as screen for HMS

                             ANSON and HMS SHEFFIELD providing Distant Cover during passage of return Convoy

                             RA52 from Kola Inlet to UK.RA52

 

February               Home Fleet screening duty in continuation.

               2nd         Remained as screen when Home Fleet ships detached from RA52

               21st          Deployed with HM Destroyers ECLIPSE, FURY, IMPULSIVE and INTREPID to

                                reinforce escort for Russian Convoy JW53 during passage to Kola Inlet from Loch Ewe.

               27th          Detached from RA53 with HMS SCYLLA and screen after arrival of Local Escort.

 

March

                1st           Joined HMS SCYLLA, HM Destroyers INTREPID, OBDURATE, OBEDIENT

                                BOADICEA, ECLIPSE, FAULKNOR, IMPULSIVE, INGLEFIELD, FURY,

                                OPPORTUNE, MILNE and ORWELL as escort for return Convoy RA53 during passage

                                from Kola Inlet to Loch Ewe

                10th         Detached with HMS MILNE and HMS ORWELL before arrival of JW53 at Loch Ewe.

                                (Note : This passage was made in heavy weather and, on 8th March was threatened with

                                             possible attack by German battleship SCHARHORST, after which further cover

                                             cover was provided by ships of Home Fleet. See above references.)

                 12th        Resumed Flotilla duties with ships of Home Fleet.

                 16th        Deployed as part of escort for HM King George VI during passage to Scapa Flow

                                for visit to Home Fleet.

                 17th        Took part in demonstration for Royal visitor by ships of Home Fleet.

 

April                        Detached for service in Western Approaches for support of Atlantic convoy defence.

to May                     (Note : Destroyers of Home Fleet were detached for service in Support Groups deployed

                                             to reinforce escorts of Atlantic convoys subject to heavy attacks by U Boat Groups.

 

June                         Home Fleet deployment in continuation. 

                                (Note : During this period Home Fleet ships carried out Operation FH to reinforce the

                                            garrison at Spitzbergen.)

                                Nominated for detached service in Bay of Biscay in support of joint operations with

                                RAF Coastal Command aircraft again U-Boats in transit to and from bases in France.)

              23rd           Took part in offensive anti-submarine search operations in Bay of Biscay.

                                Deployed with HM Canadian Destroyers ATHABASKAN and IROQUOIS for support

                                of anti-submarine operations in Bay of Biscay (Operations SEASLUG and MUSKETRY)

                                (Note : Other Support Groups including B1 and B5 were also used with HM Cruiser

                                            BERMUDA to provide cover against surface opposition and HM Escort Aircraft

                                            Carrier BITER for provision of air support.

              24th           Rescued survivors from U459 which had been sunk by WELLINGTON aircraft “Q”

                                of 172 Squadron RAF in position 45,53N  10.38W, NW of Cape Ortegal..

                                (Note :The aircraft was shot down during its attacks.. See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR

                                            by C Blair and U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)

 

July                         Diverted from Bay of Biscay operations to collect body of General Sikorski for transport

                                to UK after his death in an air crash at Gibraltar on 4th July.

                                Resumed Home Fleet duties with Flotilla after completion of this duty.

                                Nominated for refit and took passage to Humber.

              30th           Taken in hand for refit at Brigham and Cowan shipyard in Hull.

 

August

              25th           Carried out post refit trials on completion of dockyard work.

                                Passage to Scapa Flow to resume Home Fleet Flotilla duties

 

September               (Note : During this period Home Fleet ships escorted rms QUEEN MARY during return

                                             passage after QUADRANT conference.)

                                Transferred for detached service in West Approaches Command for support of defence

                                of Atlantic convoys from U-Boat attacks. Deployed as Support Group 3 with HM Destroyers

                                MUSKETEER, ORIBI and ORWELL.

                                (Note : One source records the identity as being 10th Support Group.)

                  28th       Deployed with Group to reinforce escort of outward Convoy ONS19 by 10th Escort Group

                                on passage in NW Approaches and under threat of attack by ROSSBACH U-Boat Group.

                  30th       Detached from ONS`19 after convoy diverted northwards to avoid enemy threat.

 

October                   Support deployment in continuation.

                   7th        Joined escort for Convoy SC143 with Group to re-inforce defence against U-Boats

                                of ROSSBACH Group.

                                (Note : Group was deliberately deployed towards German patrol line See HITLERS

                                            U-BOAT WAR.

                                Following interception of radio transmissions from U378 by HMS MUSKETEER the

                                position of the submarine was obtained and an attack on Support Group using acoustic

                                T5 torpedo failed to hit HMS MUSKETEER.

                   8th        Under attack by U378 and hit by acoustic torpedo in position 56.30N  26.25W, SW of

                                Iceland.

                                Ship sank within five minutes with heavy loss of life as only 44 of the ship’s

                                company were rescued by the other ships of SG3. For details see the above

                                references. Commanding Officer was Commander S. Hryniewiecki who was

                                Senior Officer of 3rd British Support Group.

                                (Note : U378 was sunk on 20th October 1943 by an aircraft from the US Escort

                                            Aircraft Carrier USS CARD.

                                            HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR quotes Group as SG10 but other reliable

                                            sources confirm SG3.)

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e

 

The Royal Navy identity HMS MYRMIDON had been carried forward later during WW2 when an ALGERINE Class Minesweeper built in Canada was launched in October 1944. This warship was completed on 7th July 1945 but did not enter operational service until after VJ Day. She was deployed for mine clearance operations before being reduced to Reserve status in February 1948. Placed on the Disposal List in 1958 and sold to BISCO she arrived in tow at Briton Ferry for demolition by TW Ward on 2nd December 1958.

---

 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of ORP ORKAN

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

 

Date convoy         Joined convoy         Convoy No.          Left convoy           Date convoy

sailed                    as escort                                                                              arrived

 

23/01/43                  24/01/43                 JW 052                  17/01/43                 27/01/43

01/02/43                  02/02/43                 RA 052                  29/01/43                 09/03/43

21/02/43                  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

15/04/43                  16/04/43                 MKS 011               10/04/43                 16/04/43

28/04/43                  29/04/43                 MKF 013               24/04/43                 02/05/43

29/09/43                  05/10/43                 ONS 019                26/09/43                 14/10/43

06/10/43                  08/10/43                 SC 143                   28/09/43                 12/10/43

 

(Note on Convoys)