Orkan
Info History Operational History Technical Data

The destroyer ORP Orkan (type M) was built in 1940-1942 in the dockyard in Glasgow. She began the service under polish ensign on 18 November 1942. Commanding officer was cmdr. Stanislaw Hryniewski, temporally (April - May 1943) cmdr. Wojciech Francki. From January till March 1943 Orkan took part in operational patrols between Iceland and Norway and escorted convoys to Russia.
Orkan in 1943
In the end of March the destroyer began actions from the Plymouth base against German ships that tried to break blockade. In March 1943 Orkan escorted the ship with HM George VI on the bard during his visit in Scapa Flow. In June 1943 the destroyer escorted HM George VI journey from England to Gibraltar and back. In July 1943 Orkan carried the body of the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, General Wladysław Sikorski, from Gibraltar to Britain after his tragic death on 4 July 1943. In this time the British Admiralty discussed the matter of taking over Orkan by the Polish Navy as a present to pay a tribute to General Sikorski's Memory, but the prime minister W. Churchill opposed it. In the second half of July 1943 Orkan fought in the bay of Biscay against German submarines and blockade runners. She rescued 41 castaways from the German submarine U 439.

[On 22.VII.1943 Orkan sunk Spanish fishing boat Mascote tactical number 1.827-3 with skipper Aureliano García Pillado - ASB]

On 22 September in Londonderry she became a part of the 10th Support Group consisted of 4 destroyers: HMS Musketeer (S. O.), ORP Orkan, HMS Orbi and HMS Orwell. On 6 October the Group joined the escort of S.C. 143 convoy. After a heavy fight against German submarines (high estimated by the British Admiralty) Orkan was sunk on 8th of October 1943 by U 378 torpedo in position 56°08' N and 27°05' W. From the ship's crew (~250 persons) about 200 were killed (inclouding 178 Poles). Forty-three hands were rescued by HMS Musketeer (40 Poles and 3 British). During about 11 months service Orkan traveled a distance of 54 000 Mm, took part in 18 operational patrols, 15 fights against submarines and 18 fights against aircraft. She escorted 20 convoys.

from "Destroyer ORP Orkan" T. Kondracki