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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

 

HMS OSIRIS (67 P) - O-class Submarine

HM S/M Osiris (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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O-Class Patrol submarine ordered on 2nd December 1926 from Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow and laid down on 12th May 1927 This submarine was launched on 19th May 1928 and her name was introduced for a 1915 destroyer scrapped  in 1931 and used for the second time when given to this submarine. Build was completed on 25th January 1929 and the boat commissioned for service with the 4th Submarine Flotilla on the China Station. She returned to UK in 1931 and before the outbreak of was in 1939 re-commissioned for service on the East Indies Station with the 8th Submarine Flotilla where she was serving in September 1939. Following a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Ilkley, Yorkshire.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

MEDITERRANEAN 1940 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941 - SICILY 1943

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field Black, the head of OSIRIS with a head dress Blue and Gold

together with crook and flail also Gold.

 

M o t t o

 Resurgam : 'I shall rise again'

 

1 9 3 9

 

August                  Deployed on the China Station with 4th Flotilla.

                                Nominated for service on East Indies Station.

 

S u m m a r y   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

September             Passage to join 8th Flotilla at Colombo.

 

October                  Deployed for Flotilla duties in Indian Ocean based at Colombo.

to                            (Note: Other submarines transferred to Colombo were::

December              HM Submarines ODIN, ORPHEUS, OTUS and OLYMPUS.)

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Nominated for transfer to Mediterranean Fleet.

to                            Joined 1st Submarine Flotilla based at Alexandria

May                        Deployed for interception patrols and took part in Fleet exercises, especially after the

                                threat of war with Italy.)

                                (Note: HM Submarine OSWALD of this Class was also deployed in this Flotilla.

                                Commanding Officer Lieut Cdr Harvey RN)

June                        Deployed for interception patrol off Dodecanese with HM Submarines PROTEUS,

                                PHOENIX, OSWALD and PANDORA.

 

July                         Carried out patrols for interception of warships on passage to interfere with to

                                Mediterranean Fleet deployments.

 

August

                16th        Sank a supply ship of 1,694 tons off Durrazzo,

 

September             Carried out attack on convoy in Otranto Strait and sank Italian torpedo boat PALESTRO

                                one of the escorts.

 

October                  Mediterranean deployment with Flotilla based at Alexandria for patrol duties in

to                            continuation (Note : Other submarines in Flotilla were :

December              HM Submarines TRUANT, TRIUMPH, TAKU, TETRARCH, TORBAY, REGENT,

                                ROVER, OTUS, RORQUAL, CACHALOT, PARTHIAN, PERSEUS, and PANDORA

                                with four Greek submarines.

 

1 9 4 1

 

                                Flotilla duties based at Alexandria in continuation

                                (Note : Patrol in September was unsuccessful.)

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Flotilla duties based at Alexandria in continuation in Mediterranean

to                            Nominated for support of planned allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY)

June

 

July                         Deployed for interception patrol to prevent Italian warships interfering with HUSKY.

                                (For details see BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser and Naval Staff History.)

                                Nominated for transfer for non-operational duties in Eastern Fleet for training of anti-

                                submarine escorts on release from HUSKY.

 

August                  Passage to Colombo to join Eastern Fleet.

 

September             Deployed for training duties with Eastern Fleet.

to

December

 

1 9 4 3

 

                                Eastern Fleet deployment in continuation.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Eastern Fleet duties in continuation

to

October

 

November              Transferred to East Indies Fleet on formation

                                Training duties based at Trincomalee in continuation.

 

December              East Indies Fleet training in continuation

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Deployed in Indian Ocean for training duties.

to

August

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS OSIRIS was paid-off after VJ Day and laid-up on station until September 1946 when placed on the Disposal List. This submarine was the sold to an East Africa ship breaker for demolition and arrived in tow at Port Reitz later that year. This name was re-introduced in 1949 for use by an RN Depot in Egypt until 1954 and used again in 1962 when given to a new submarine in 1962.

 

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