View source for HMS Pathfinder (G10)

{{other ships|HMS Pathfinder}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Pathfinder WWII IWM ADNO 8722.jpg
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Pathfinder''
|Ship ordered=2 October 1939
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Hawthorn Leslie and Company]], [[Newcastle upon Tyne]]
|Ship laid down=5 March 1940
|Ship launched=10 April 1941
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=13 April 1942
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship captured=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate=Scrapped in 1948
|Ship homeport=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: G10
|Ship honours=
|Ship notes=Badge: On a Field per Pale wavy and White a bloodhound Proper.
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[O and P-class destroyer|P-class destroyer]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1640|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} standard
*{{convert|2250|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} full
|Ship length={{convert|345|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|35|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|12|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*{{convert|40,000|shp|lk=in|abbr=on}}
*2 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
|Ship propulsion=2 shafts; 2 × [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|3850|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|20|kn}}
|Ship complement=176
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=* 4 × single [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF 4&nbsp;in Mk.V (102 mm)]]
* 1 × quadruple [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|QF 2 pdr Mk.VIII]] (40 mm)
* 4 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|QF 20&nbsp;mm Oerlikon]]
* 2 × quadruple mounts for [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|adj=on|0}} torpedoes]]
* 4 × throwers and 2 × racks for 70 [[depth charge]]s
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Pathfinder''''' was a [[O and P-class destroyer|P-class destroyer]] built for the [[Royal Navy during the Second World War]]. She was damaged while serving in the [[Far East]], and was scrapped after the end of the war.

==Description==
The P-class destroyers were repeats of the preceding O class, except that they were armed with 4-inch (102&nbsp;mm) [[anti-aircraft gun]]s. They displaced {{convert|1640|LT|t}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load and {{convert|2250|LT|t}} at [[deep load]]. The ships had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|345|ft|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|35|ft|m|1}} and a deep [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|12|ft|3|in|m|1}}. They were powered by two [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]], using steam provided by two [[Admiralty three-drum boiler]]s. The turbines developed a total of {{convert|40000|shp|lk=in}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}. The ships carried a maximum of {{convert|500|LT|t}} of [[fuel oil]] that gave them a range of {{convert|3850|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|20|kn}}. The ships' complement was 176 officers and men.<ref name=l7>Lenton, p. 172</ref>

''Pathfinder'' was armed with four [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF 4-inch Mark V guns]] in single mounts, two pairs [superfiring] fore and aft. Her light anti-aircraft suite was composed of one quadruple mount for [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|2-pounder "pom-pom" guns]] and four single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]. The ship was fitted with two above-water quadruple mount for [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|adj=on|0}} torpedoes]].<ref name=w78>Whitley, pp. 124–25</ref> The ship was fitted with four [[depth charge]] throwers and two racks for 70 depth charges.<ref name=l7/>

==Construction and career==
The ship was built by [[Hawthorn Leslie and Company|Hawthorn Leslie & Co]], and was launched on 10 April 1941, and commissioned in April 1942. During the war, ''Pathfinder'' was active in a number of theatres, and helped to sink several enemy submarines.

''Pathfinder'' was commanded by Commander [[Edward Albert Gibbs]] from January 1942 to November 1943, during which time she assisted the destroyer {{HMS|Ithuriel|H05|2}} in sinking the {{ship|Italian submarine|Cobalto||6}}, assisted the destroyers {{HMS|Vimy||2}} and {{HMS|Quentin|G78|2}} to sink the {{GS|U-162|1941|6}}, assisted in the rescue of nearly 5,000 survivors from the troopship {{ship|SS|Strathallan||2}} after it was torpedoed off [[Oran]], Algeria. She also sank the {{GS|U-203||6}} with assistance from [[Fairey Swordfish|Swordfish aircraft]] flying off the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Biter|D97|2}}.

On 11 February 1945, ''Pathfinder'' was hit by an [[Imperial Japanese army]] [[fighter-bomber]] [[Ki-43]] off [[Ramree]], and was taken out of service. She sailed back to the UK using her starboard engine. On arrival at Devonport she was placed in reserve. She was then sold to the ship breakers Howells and scrapped in November 1948 at [[Milford Haven]].<ref>Critchley, Mike, "British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers", Maritime Books: Liskeard, UK, 1982. {{ISBN|0-9506323-9-2}}, page 22</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|last=Crabb|first=Brian James|title=In Harm's Way: The Story of HMS Kenya: A Second World War Cruiser|publisher=Paul Watkins|location=Stamford, UK|date=1998|isbn=1-900289-02-4}}
* {{cite book|last=Crabb|first=Brian James|title=Operation Pedestal: The Story of Convoy WS21S in August 1942|publisher=Shaun Tyas|location=Donington, UK|date=2014|isbn=978-1-907730-19-1}}
* {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Obdurate to Daring: British Fleet Destroyers 1941–45|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Windsor, UK|year=2001|isbn=978-0-9560769-0-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|date=2006|isbn=1-86176-137-6|author-link=Norman Friedman}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|authorlink=Henry Trevor Lenton|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Raven|first=Alan|last2=Roberts|first2=John |title=War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes|publisher=Bivouac Books|location=London|year=1978|isbn=0-85680-010-4|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

== External links ==
*[http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4493.html uboat.net on HMS "Pathfinder"]

{{O and P class destroyer}}
{{February 1945 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pathfinder}}
[[Category:O and P-class destroyers]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tyne]]
[[Category:1941 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in February 1945]]