Name HMS Orchis Laid down 18 June 1940 Commissioned 29 November 1940 Construction started 18 June 1940 Length 62 m Draft 3.51 m | Yard number 1075 Completed 29 November 1940 Launched 15 October 1940 Weight 939.8 tons Builder Harland and Wolff | |
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HMS Orchis was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Navy during World War II.
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North Atlantic Trade Convoy Escort
In March 1941, Orchis was the first ship fitted with the very successful 10-cm wavelength Type 271 radar enabling detection of a surfaced submarine at 5000 yards or a submarine periscope at 1300 yards. Orchis was assigned first to the 4th Escort Group based at Greenock and then to Escort Group B3 of the Mid-Ocean Escort Force through early 1944. Orchis escorted convoy ONS-18 during the battle of Convoys ONS-18/ON-202.
English Channel
Orchis was then assigned to patrol the English Channel, and sank German submarine U-741 on 15 August 1944. U-741 torpedoed LST-404 of convoy FTM-69 while Orchis was escorting nearby convoy FTC-68. Orchis gained and held sonar contact on U-741 and flooded the forward part of the U-boat with two Hedgehog attacks and two depth charge attacks. Leo Leuwer escaped from the aft torpedo-room hatch of the sunken U-boat, and was rescued by Orchis.
On 21 August 1944, Orchis struck a mine that destroyed the bow back to the 4-inch gun. The damaged ship was beached on Juno Beach and declared a total loss.