HMS Pathfinder (G10)

The P-class destroyers were repeats of the preceding O class, except that they were armed with 4-inch (102 mm) anti-aircraft guns. They displaced {{convert|1640|LT|t}} at standard load and {{convert|2250|LT|t}} at deep load. The ships had an overall length of {{convert|345|ft|m|1}}, a beam of {{convert|35|ft|m|1}} and a deep draught of {{convert|12|ft|3|in|m|1}}. They were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. 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.Lenton, p. 172

Pathfinder was armed with four 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 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.Whitley, pp. 124–25 The ship was fitted with four depth charge throwers and two racks for 70 depth charges.

The ship was built by 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 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.Critchley, Mike, "British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers", Maritime Books: Liskeard, UK, 1982. {{ISBN|0-9506323-9-2}}, page 22

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{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}}
• Forbes, Donald, Two Small Ships, Hutchinson, London 1957. Memoir of an officer who served in HMS Pathfinder.
• {{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}}

• [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