HMS Petard (G56)

HMS "Petard" (G56) was a P-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II.

She was built by Vickers Armstrong and launched 27 March 1941.

"Petard" had the distinction of sinking a submarine from the three Axis navies: the German "U-559", Japanese "I-27" and the Italian "Uarsciek".

On 30 October 1942 she was involved in the sinking of "U-559" and the consequent recovery of materials assisted the decoding of the German Enigma cypher.

HMS "Petard" (Lt Cdr M. Thornton) and the Greek destroyer "Vasilissa Olga" sank the Italian submarine "Uarsciek" south of Malta on 15 December 1942.

While escorting Convoy KR-8 on 12 February 1944, "Petard" (Cdr Rupert Egan) destroyed the Japanese B1 type submarine "I-27" after it had sunk "SS Khedive Ismail" with the loss of 1,297 people.

She was later converted to a Type 16 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F56.

"Petard" was broken up in 1967 at Bo'ness.

References

CONNELL, G.G. "Fighting Destroyer: The Story of HMS Petard". (1994) ISBN 0947554408

ee also