Allied Warships

HMS Orwell (G 98)

Destroyer of the O class

Navy	The Royal Navy
Type	Destroyer
Class	O
Pennant	G 98
Built by	Thornycroft (Southampton, U.K.)
Ordered	3 Sep 1939
Laid down	20 May 1940
Launched	2 Apr 1942
Commissioned	17 Oct 1942
End service
History	Scrapped in June 1965.

Commands listed for HMS Orwell (G 98)

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	Commander	From	To
1	Lt.Cdr. Nigel Hubert George Austen, DSO, RN	18 Aug 1942	Jan 1943
2	Lt.Cdr. John Michael Hodges, DSO, RN	Jan 1943	15 Jul 1944
3	Lt.Cdr. John Ronald Gower, RN	15 Jul 1944	16 Oct 1945

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Notable events involving Orwell include:

30 Dec 1942
On 30 December 1942 the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper attacked convoy JW.51B and was held at bay by the British destroyers HMS Onslow, HMS Obedient, HMS Obdurate and HMS Orwell. When renewing her attack she was engaged by the British cruisers HMS Sheffield and HMS Jamaica and was badly damaged them. The only success of the operation was the sinking of the destroyer HMS Achates and the minesweeper HMS Bramble, the destroyers HMS Onslow, HMS Obedient, HMS Obdurate and HMS Orwell were damaged in the action.

22 Jul 1943
The battleship HMS Malaya (Capt. G.E.M. O’Donnell, DSO, RN) and the aircraft carrier HMS Unicorn (Capt. Q.D. Graham, CBE, DSO, RN) departed Greenock for Scapa Flow.

They were escorted by HMS Oribi (Lt.Cdr. J.C.A. Ingram, DSC, RN), HMS Obedient (Lt.Cdr. H. Unwin, DSC and Bar, RN) and HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Hodges, DSO, RN).

They arrived at Scapa Flow on 23 July 1943. (1)

23 Sep 1943
HMS H 33 (Lt. D.G. Kent, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Musketeer (Cdr. E.N.V. Currey, DSC, RN), HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Hodges, DSO, RN), HMS Oribi (Lt.Cdr. J.C.A. Ingram, DSC and Bar, RN) and ORP Orkan (Cdr. S. Hryniewiecki, ORP). (2)

5 Nov 1943
HMS Spiteful (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Sherwood, DSC, RCNVR) conducted A/S exercises at Scapa Flow with HMIS Cauvery (A/Cdr. A.W. Beeton, RIN), HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Hodges, DSO, RN) and another vessel. (3)

6 Nov 1943
HMS Spiteful (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Sherwood, DSC, RCNVR) conducted A/S exercises at Scapa Flow with HMS Oribi (Lt.Cdr. J.C.A. Ingram, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Urchin (Lt.Cdr. J.T.B. Birch, DSO, DSC, RN), HMCS Iroquois (Cdr. J.C. Hibbard DSC, RCN) and HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Hodges, DSO, RN). (3)

18 Dec 1943
HMS Vampire (Lt. C.W. Taylor, RNR) conducted A/S exercises at/off Scapa Flow with HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Hodges, DSO, RN). (4)

19 May 1944
HMS Voracious (Lt. F.D.G. Challis, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises at/off Scapa Flow with HMS Nubian (Lt.Cdr. T.A. Pack-Beresford, RN), HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Hodges, DSO, RN), HMS Whelp (Cdr. G.A.F. Norfolk, RN) and HMS Wizard (Lt.Cdr. D.T. McBarnet, DSC, RN). (5)

28 Nov 1944
HMS Volatile (Lt. F.R. Lawrence, RN) participated in A/S exercises at/off Scapa Flow.

During these exercises Volatile collided with HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.R. Gower, RN). Volatile sustained damage to her conning tower. The port side of the bridge was caved in. These was also heavy damage to both periscope. One of which was completely carried away. (6)

12 Jan 1945
The British heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk (Capt. J.G.Y. Loveband, RN with Rear-Admiral R.R. McGrigor, CB, DSO, RN aboard) and the light cruiser HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, DSO, RN) escorted by the destroyers HMS Onslow (Capt. H.W.S. Browning, OBE, RN), HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.R. Gower, DSC, RN) and HMS Onslaught (Cdr. the Hon. A. Pleydell-Bouverie, RN) attack a German convoy of Egersund, Norway. Two German merchants, the Bahia Camarones (8551 GRT) and the Charlotte (4404 GRT) and the minelayer M 273 were sunk.

21 Jan 1945
HMS Votary (Lt. P.M. Staveley, RN) conducted A/S exercises at Scapa Flow with HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.R. Gower, DSC, RN). (7)

20 Mar 1945
HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.R. Gower, DSC, RN) picks up 65 survivors (of which one died aboard the destroyer) from the American merchant Horace Bushnell that was torpedoed and damaged by German U-boat U-995 about 25 nautical miles east of North Kilden Light in position 69°23'N, 35°17'E.