View source for HMS Onslow (G17)

{{short description|Destroyer}}
{{Other ships|HMS Onslow}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
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|Ship image=HMS Onslow.jpg
|Ship caption=''Onslow'' in 1943
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name= ''Onslow ''
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|Ship ordered=3 September 1939
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|Ship builder= [[John Brown & Company]], [[Clydebank]]
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|Ship laid down= 1 July 1940
|Ship launched= 31 March 1941
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|Ship commissioned=8 October 1941
|Ship decommissioned=April 1947
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|Ship fate= Transferred to Pakistan, 1949
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=Pakistan
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Pakistan|naval}}
|Ship name= PNS ''Tippu Sultan''
|Ship namesake=[[Tippu Sultan]]
|Ship acquired= 
|Ship commissioned= 1949
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|Ship out of service= 1957
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|Ship reinstated= 1960
|Ship decommissioned=1979
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|Ship fate= Scrapped, 1980
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class= [[O and P-class destroyer|O-class destroyer]]
|Ship displacement= {{convert|1610|LT|t|0|lk=on}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
|Ship length= {{convert|345|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} ([[Length overall|o/a]])
|Ship beam= {{convert|35|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship draught= {{convert|13|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship power=*2 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{convert|40000|shp|kW|lk=on|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 × shafts; 2 × geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed= {{convert|37|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range= {{cvt|3850|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|20|kn}}
|Ship complement= 176+
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*4 × single [[4.7 inch QF Mark IX|QF {{cvt|4.7|in}} guns]]
*1 × single [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF {{cvt|4|in|0}}]] [[AA gun]]
*1 × quad [[QF 2 pounder naval gun#QF 2-pounder Mark VIII|2&nbsp;pdr ({{cvt|40|mm|in|1}})]] AA gun
*4 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{cvt|20|mm|1}}]] AA guns
*1 × quadruple [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{cvt|21|in|mm|0}}]] [[torpedo tube]]s
*4 × throwers and 2 × racks for 70 [[depth charge]]s
|Ship notes=
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'''HMS ''Onslow''''' was an [[O and P-class destroyer|O-class]] [[destroyer]] of the [[Royal Navy]]. The O-class were intermediate destroyers, designed before the outbreak of the [[Second World War]] to meet likely demands for large number of destroyers. They had a main gun armament of four 4.7 in (120 mm) guns, and had a design speed of {{convert|36|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}. ''Onslow'' was ordered on 2 October 1939 and was built by [[John Brown & Company]] at their  [[Clydebank]], [[Glasgow]] shipyard, launching on 31 March 1941 and completing on 8 October 1941.

''Onslow'' served with the [[Home Fleet]] during the war, with a major activity being escorting [[Arctic Convoy]]s to the [[Soviet Union]]. She sank the German submarine {{GS|U-589||2}} in September 1942 and in December that year took part in the [[Battle of the Barents Sea]] in 1942, while escorting [[Convoy JW 51B]] to Russia. The convoy escorts held off attacks from the powerful {{ship|German cruiser|Admiral Hipper||2|up=yes}}, with ''Onslow'' being heavily damaged and her captain, [[Robert Sherbrooke]], severely injured. She also saw detached service in the [[Mediterranean]], covering the [[Malta Convoy]] [[Operation Harpoon (1942)|Operation Harpoon]] in June 1942, and protected invasion shipping in the [[English Channel]] from German attack before and after the [[Normandy landings]] in mid-1944.

The ship was sold to the [[Pakistan Navy]] in 1948, and was renamed '''''Tippu Sultan'''''. ''Tippu Sultan'' was converted to a [[Type 16 frigate|Type 16]] anti-submarine frigate from 1957 to 1959, and took part in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|1965]] and [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|1971 wars with India]], remaining in service until 1980.

==Design==
The O-class (and the following P-class) were designed prior to the outbreak of the [[Second World War]] to meet the Royal navy's need for large numbers of destroyers in the event of war occurring. They were an intermediate between the large destroyers designed for fleet operations (such as the [[Tribal-class destroyer (1936)|Tribal-class]]) and the smaller and slower [[Hunt-class destroyer|Hunt-class]] escort destroyers.<ref name="whitp124">{{Harvnb|Whitley|2000|p=124}}</ref><ref name="lenv2p3">{{Harvnb|Lenton|1970|p=3}}</ref>

''Onslow'' was {{convert|345|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} [[length overall|long overall]], {{convert|337|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} [[Waterline length|at the waterline]] and {{convert|328|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}} [[length between perpendiculars|between perpendiculars]], with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|35|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} and a [[Draft (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|9|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} mean and {{convert|13|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} full load. [[Displacement (ship)|Displacement]] was {{convert|1610|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} standard and {{convert|2200|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} full load.<ref name="whitp124"/><ref name="lenv2p5">{{Harvnb|Lenton|1970|p=5}}</ref> Two [[Three-drum boiler#Admiralty boiler|Admiralty three-drum boiler]]s fed steam at {{convert|300|psi|kPa|abbr=on}} and {{convert|620|F|C|abbr=on}} to two sets of [[C. A. Parsons and Company|Parsons]] single-reduction geared [[steam turbine]]s which drove two propeller shafts. The machinery was rated at {{convert|40000|shp|kW|abbr=on}} giving a maximum speed of {{convert|36.75|kn|mph km/h|1|abbr=on}}, corresponding to {{convert|33|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}} at deep load {{convert|500|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} of oil was carried, giving a radius of {{convert|3850|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|20|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name="lenv2p5"/> ''Onslow'' was configured as a leader for a destroyer flotilla, and as such had a crew of 217 officers and men.<ref name="whitp124"/>

''Onslow'' had a main gun armament of four 45-[[caliber (artillery)|calibre]] [[4.7 inch QF Mark XII|4.7-inch (120&nbsp;mm) Mark IX guns]] in single mounts. The ship was designed to carry two quadruple [[British 21-inch torpedo|21-inch (533 mm) torpedo]] tubes, but early experience of the vulnerability of destroyers to air attack off Norway and during the evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940 resulted in the armament of the O-class being revised during construction, with the aft set of torpedo-tubes removed and replaced by a single 4 in (102&nbsp;mm) QF Mark V anti-aircraft gun,<ref name="Lenv3,5">{{Harvnb|Lenton|1970|pp=3, 5}}</ref><ref name="friedp547,94">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|pp=54–55, 57, 94}}</ref> although the 4-inch gun was later removed and the second bank of torpedo tubes re-instated.<ref name="friedp57">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|p=57}}</ref> ''Onslow'' was completed with a close-in anti-aircraft armament of one quadruple [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|2-pounder "pom-pom"]] mount together with four single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]], with two on the bridge wings and two further aft abreast the searchlight platform.<ref name="lenv2p5"/><ref name="engp13">{{Harvnb|English|2008|p=13}}</ref> After April 1943, the single Oerlikon mounts abreast the searchlights were replaced by twin mounts.<ref name="friedp57"/> Four depth charge throwers were fitted, with 60 depth charges carried.<ref name="lenv2p5"/>{{#tag:ref|70 depth charges according to Conway's.<ref name="conways22p42">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Chesneau|1980|p=42}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}}

''Onslow'' was refitted and rearmed in 1948 as part of her sale to Pakistan. More modern fire control equipment was fitted and the Oerlikon guns were replaced by single [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm]] anti-aircraft guns, with a twin Bofors 40&nbsp;mm mount replacing the quadruple pom-pom.<ref name="engp18,2">{{Harvnb|English|2008|pp=18, 22}}</ref> Between 1957 and 1959, the ship was refitted as a [[Type 16 frigate]], which resulted in a completely revised armament being fitted. A twin [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|4 inch gun]] was mounted forward with a close-in anti-aircraft armament of five [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm]] guns (one twin and three singles). Anti-submarine armament consisted of two [[Squid (weapon)|Squid]] anti-submarine mortars, while a quadruple set of 21-inch torpedo tubes were fitted.<ref name="engp15">{{Harvnb|English|2008|p=15}}</ref><ref name="jfs71p251">{{Harvnb|Blackman|1971|p=251}}</ref>

==Service history==
The ship was ordered as part of the Second Emergency Flotilla as ''Packenham'' on 2 October 1939,<ref name="engp10">{{Harvnb|English|2008|p=10}}</ref> at a contract price of £416,770 (excluding government provided equipment such as armament),<ref name="engp11">{{Harvnb|English|2008|p=11}}</ref> and was [[Keel laying|laid down]] at [[John Brown & Company]]'s [[Clydebank]] shipyard on 1 July 1940.<ref name="Friedp327">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|p=327}}</ref><ref name="engp206">{{Harvnb|English|2008|p=206}}</ref> In early 1941, the ship swapped names with the destroyer ''Onslow'', also under construction, and was launched as ''Onslow'' on 31 March 1941.<ref name="Friedp327"/><ref name="engp206"/>{{#tag:ref|It was decided to complete eight of the sixteen destroyers of the First and Second Emergency Flotilla with an armament of 4 inch (102 mm) guns rather than 4.7 inch (120 mm) guns. The 4.7 inch armed ships became the O-class and the 4-inch armed ships became the P-class, with several ships, including ''Onslow'' being renamed as a result.<ref name="engp11-2">{{Harvnb|English|2008|pp=11–12}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} ''Onslow'' was damaged by a bomb during an air raid on 3 June 1941,<ref name="engp21">{{Harvnb|English|2008|p=21}}</ref> delaying completion by about a month.<ref name="friedp57"/> ''Onslow'' commissioned on 23 September 1941,<ref name="engp21"/> with construction completing on 8 October 1941.<ref name="Friedp327"/><ref name="engp206"/>

===1941===
Attached to the [[Home Fleet]], ''Onslow'' served mostly as an escort to [[Arctic convoys of World War II|Arctic convoys]].<ref name="whitp125">{{Harvnb|Whitley|2000|p=125}}</ref> After work-up, ''Onslow'' joined the 17 Destroyer Flotilla as leader.<ref name="engp21"/> On 24 November 1941, ''Onslow'', together with [[sister ship]] {{HMS|Offa|G29|2}} and the cruiser {{HMS|Berwick|65|2}}, joined [[Arctic convoy]] [[Convoy PQ 4]], escorting the convoy until being relieved by locally based ships on 27 November. The convoy continued on to [[Arkhangelsk]], while ''Berwick'', ''Onslow'' and ''Offa'' proceeded to the naval base at [[Murmansk]]. They were attacked by German bombers on entering the [[Kola Inlet]] on 28 November, and ''Onslow'' was slightly damaged by a near miss.<ref name="engp21"/><ref name="russp23">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|p=23}}</ref>

On 24 December,{{#tag:ref|26 December according to Sebag-Montefiore.<ref name="enp192">{{Harvnb|Sebag-Montefiore|2000|p=192}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} ''Onslow'' set out from [[Scapa Flow]] together with the cruiser {{HMS|Kenya|14|2}}, the destroyers ''Offa'', and {{HMS|Oribi|G66|2}} and {{HMS|Chiddingfold|L31|2}} and two landing ships as part of [[Operation Archery]], a [[Combined Operations]] raid on the German-occupied Norwegian islands of [[Vågsøy (island)|Vågsøy]] and [[Moldøen|Måløy]]. The force arrived at its destination on 27 December, and while Commandos landed on the islands, ''Onslow'' and ''Oribi'' attacked a coastal convoy, sinking driving aground four merchant ships ({{SS|Reimar Edward Fritzen||2}}, {{SS|Norma|1911|2}}, {{SS|Eismeer||2}} and {{SS|Anita M Russ||2}}) and boarding the ''Vorpostenboot''  (an armed trawler) [[German trawler V 5108 Föhn|''Föhn'']], capturing coding wheels and bigram tables for the [[Enigma machine|Enigma cypher machine]], before sinking ''Föhn''. More codebreaking material was captured later that day when ''Offa'' and ''Chiddingfold'' boarded and sunk the armed trawler [[German trawler V 5102 Donner|''Donner'']] while sinking the cargo ship {{SS|Anhalt|1922|2}}.<ref name="rohp110-1">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=110–111}}</ref><ref name="enp191-6">{{Harvnb|Sebag-Montefiore|2000|pp=191–196}}</ref>

===1942===
On 1 January 1942, ''Onslow'' rescued 23 survivors from the British merchant ship {{MV|Cardita||2}}, torpedoed the previous day by the German submarine {{GS|U-87|1941|2}}.<ref name="naval-history.net">{{Cite web |last=Mason |first= Geoffrey B |title=HMS Onslow (G 17) - O-class Flotilla Leader: including Convoy Escort Movements |work= Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2 |publisher=naval-history.net |date=7 August 2011 |url= http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-46O-Onslow.htm  |access-date=27 July 2010 }}</ref> In early March 1942, ''Onslow'' sailed with the main body Home Fleet as part of the distant escort to the Arctic Convoys [[Convoy QP 8|QP 8]] and [[Convoy PQ 12|PQ 12]]. The {{Ship|German battleship|Tirpitz||2}} sortied in an attempt to intercept one of the convoys, while the distant escort, including ''Onslow'', searched for ''Tirpitz''. Poor weather ensured that ''Tirpitz'' failed to find the convoy and the Home Fleet forces failed to find ''Tirpitz'' although the German battleship was later unsuccessfully attacked by aircraft from the carrier {{HMS|Victorious|R38|2}}.<ref name="engp21"/><ref name="russp27-9">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=27–29}}</ref><ref name="rohp128">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=128}}</ref> Later that month ''Onslow'' took part in similar distant escort operations for the Arctic Convoys [[Convoy PQ 13|PQ 13]] and [[Convoy PQ 14|PQ 14]].<ref name="russp29,1">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=29, 31}}</ref> On 21 May, the Arctic Convoy PQ 16 of 35 Merchant ships left [[Reykjavík]] in [[Iceland]]. It has an ocean escort of six destroyers and four corvettes, with a close covering force of three cruiser and the destroyers ''Onslow'', ''Offa'' and ''Oribi'' joining on 23 May. The cruiser force, including ''Onslow'' left PQ 16 on 26 May to cover the westbound convoy [[Convoy QP 12|QP 12]]. In total PQ 16 lost seven merchant ships before it reached Russian ports, while QP 12 was unharmed.<ref name="russp37-9">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=37–39}}</ref><ref name="rohp141">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=141}}</ref>

In June 1942, much of the Home Fleet was detached to the [[Mediterranean]] to take part in [[Operation Harpoon (1942)|Operation Harpoon]], an attempt to run one supply convoy to [[Malta]] from the west, while a second convoy headed to Malta from [[Egypt]] ([[Operation Vigorous]]). ''Onslow'' was part of Force W, the covering force which also included the battleship {{HMS|Malaya||2}}, the aircraft carriers {{HMS|Argus|I49|2}} and {{HMS|Eagle|1918|2}} and three cruisers. Force W joined the Harpoon convoy shortly after it entered the Mediterranean on 12 June, and remained with it until turning back, as planned, as the convoy reached the [[Strait of Sicily]] on the evening of 14 June.<ref name="rohp145-6">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=145–146}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Barnett|2000|pp=505–509}}</ref> After her return to British waters, ''Onslow'' formed part of the distant escort for Arctic convoy [[Convoy PQ 17|PQ 17]] and the return convoy [[Convoy QP 13|QP 13]]. PQ 17 was ordered to be scattered and its close escort withdrawn based on mistaken intelligence that the ''Tirpitz'' was about to attack the convoy, which resulted in extremely heavy losses to the unprotected merchant ships, with 24 of the 25 merchant ships being sunk by German submarines and aircraft.<ref name="russp39-1">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=39–41}}</ref><ref name="rohp147-8">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=147–148}}</ref> In August 1942, ''Onslow'' was employed in escorting units of the Home Fleet returning to British waters from Gibraltar after another Malta Convoy, [[Operation Pedestal]].<ref name="naval-history.net"/>

September 1942 saw the running of the next Arctic Convoy, [[Convoy PQ 18|PQ 18]]. The events of PQ 17 resulted in the decision to give the convoy a very strong escort. As well as the normal close escort, for most of the convoy's route it would be accompanied by the Escort carrier {{HMS|Avenger|D14|2}}, and by a "Fighting Destroyer Escort" consisting of 16 destroyers led by the light cruiser {{HMS|Scylla|98|2}}. This force was backed up by a cruiser covering force, with more distant cover provided by the battleships of the Home Fleet.<ref name="rosv2p280">{{Harvnb|Roskill|1956|p=280}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Barnett|2000|pp=723–725}}</ref> ''Onslow'' formed part of the Fighting Destroyer Escort, which joined the convoy on 9 September.<ref name="russp43">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|p=43}}</ref> The convoy came under heavy attack by German submarine and aircraft from 13 September,<ref name="rohp163">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=163}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Barnett|2000|pp=726–727}}</ref> and on 14 September a [[Fairey Swordfish|Swordfish]] aircraft from ''Avenger'' spotted the German submarine {{GS|U-589||2}} on the surface. ''Onslow'' was despatched against the submarine and carried out a series of depth charge attacks over three hours, sinking the submarine.<ref>{{Harvnb|Kemp|1997|pp=89–90}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |title=U-589 |publisher=uboat.net |url=https://uboat.net/boats/u589.htm |access-date=18 January 2020}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Some sources credit ''U-589''{{'}}s sinking to {{HMS|Faulknor|H62|2}} and say that ''Onslow'' sank {{GS|U-88|1941|2}} on 12 September.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blair|2000|p=20}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} The carrier and Fighting Destroyer Escort remained with PQ 18 until 16 September, when it transferred to the westbound [[Convoy QP 14]] to escort it through the area of most danger, with ''Onslow'' leaving QP 14 on 25 September.<ref name="russp44-5">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=44–45}}</ref> In total, 13 ships out of 40 from PQ 18 were sunk, with the escort sinking three U-boats and claiming 41 German aircraft shot down. Three more merchant ships and a fleet oiler were lost from QP 14.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barnett|2000|pp=727–728}}</ref>

On 8 November 1942, the British and Americans landed in French North Africa in [[Operation Torch]],<ref name="rohp174-5">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=174–175}}</ref> with ''Onslow'' being employed in escorting follow-up convoys following the initial assault.<ref>{{Harvnb|Winser|2002|pp=67, 70}}</ref>

[[File:Battle of the Barents Sea.jpg|right|thumb|Battle of the Barents Sea]]
In December 1942, ''Onslow'' took part in Arctic [[Convoy JW 51B]], joining the convoy on 25 December,<ref name="russp48">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|p=48}}</ref> with [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] [[Robert Sherbrooke]] taking charge of the convoy's close escort of six destroyers, two corvettes, one minesweeper and two trawlers.<ref name="rosv2p291">{{Harvnb|Roskill|1956|p=291}}</ref><ref name="russp48"/>{{#tag:ref|Destroyers: ''Onslow'', {{HMS|Obedient|G48|2}}, {{HMS|Obdurate|G39|2}}, {{HMS|Oribi|G66|2}}, {{HMS|Orwell|G98|2}} and {{HMS|Achates|H12|2}}, Corvettes: {{HMS|Rhododendron|K78|2}} and {{HMS|Hyderabad|K212|2}}, Minesweeper: {{HMS|Bramble|J11|2}}, Trawlers: {{HMT|Vizalma|FY286|2}} and {{ship|HMT|Northern Gem||2}}.<ref name="russp48"/>|group=lower-alpha}} Five merchant ships, together with the destroyer ''Oribi'' and one of the trawlers, were separated from the convoy by bad weather shortly afterwards.<ref name="russp48"/> On 30 December, the convoy was spotted by the German submarine {{GS|U-354||2}}, and in response a German force consisting of the heavy cruisers ''[[German cruiser Deutschland|Lützow]]'' and {{Ship|German cruiser|Admiral Hipper||2}} and six destroyers set out from [[Altafjord]] to intercept the convoy.<ref name="russp48"/><ref name="rohp184">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=184}}</ref> The German force split into two, with ''Hipper'' and three destroyers attacking from the northwest and ''Lutzow'' and the other three destroyers from the south, with the intention that the escort would be drawn off to the first attacker, leaving the convoy unprotected. The Germans attacked on 31 December, in the [[Battle of the Barents Sea]]. Sherbrooke in ''Onslow'' led the other destroyers in dummy torpedo attacks against ''Hipper'' in order to force the cruiser to keep from closing, while laying a smoke-screen to protect the convoy. After about 40 minutes, ''Onslow'' was hit by three shells from ''Hipper'' and near missed by a fourth, and badly damaged. Two guns were put out of action{{#tag:ref|While ''H.M. Ships Damaged or Sunk by Enemy Action'' and Roskill say that two guns were knocked out,<ref name="damp225">{{Harvnb|''H.M. Ships Damaged or Sunk by Enemy Action''|1952|p=225}}</ref><ref name="rosv2p295">{{Harvnb|Roskill|1956|p=295}}</ref> English says that one gun ('B' mount) was knocked out and one ('A' mount) could only be fired under local control.<ref name="engp22">{{Harvnb|English|2008|p=22}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} and a serious fire started, while 17 members of ''Onslow''{{'}}s crew were killed, and 23 wounded, including Sherbrooke.<ref name="rosv2p292-5">{{Harvnb|Roskill|1956|pp=292–295}}</ref> Later, ''Achates'' sank after being hit by ''Hipper'', and ''Obedient'' damaged, before the arrival of the British cruisers {{HMS|Sheffield|C24|2}} and {{HMS|Jamaica||2}} changed the course of the battle, damaging ''Hipper'' and sinking the destroyer ''[[German destroyer Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt|Friedrich Eckoldt]]'' before the Germans withdrew. The convoy had been saved, for the cost of the loss of ''Achates'' and the minesweeper ''Bramble''. Sherbrooke was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his actions in the battle.<ref name="rosv2p295-8">{{Harvnb|Roskill|1956|pp=295–298}}</ref><ref name="russp49">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|p=49}}</ref><ref name=VCref>{{London Gazette |issue=35859|date=8 January 1943|pages=283–284|supp= y}}</ref>

===1943–45===
After temporary repairs at [[Murmansk]], ''Onslow'' returned to Britain as part of [[Convoy RA 52]] at the end of January 1943,<ref name="russp52">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|p=52}}</ref> then was repaired at a commercial shipyard in [[Kingston upon Hull]], rejoining the fleet at the end of April that year.<ref name="naval-history.net"/><ref name="engp22"/> In early November 1943, ''Onslow'' formed part of the distant escort for [[Convoy RA 54A]] on its return from Russia, and then took part in the close escort of [[Convoy JW 54A]] from 18 to 24 November and in the close escort of the return [[Convoy RA 54B]] from 28 November to 5 December, with none of the convoys being attacked by German forces.<ref name="russp55-7">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=55–57}}</ref> From 22 to 29 December, ''Onslow'' formed part of the escort for [[Convoy JW 55B]]. An attempt by the {{Ship|German battleship|Scharnhorst}} to attack the convoy resulted in the [[Battle of the North Cape]] on 26 December, when ''Scharnhorst'' was sunk by the battleship {{HMS|Duke of York|17|2}}. The convoy itself was not affected.<ref name="russp57-8">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=57–58}}</ref> ''Onslow'' returned to Britain as part of the escort of Convoy RA 55B from 1 January to 7 January 1944.<ref name="russp59">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|p=59}}</ref>

''Onslow'' was refitted on the [[River Tyne|Tyne]] from 18 January to 22 February 1944.<ref name="engp22"/> In March, she carried out operations in the [[English Channel]] before returning to the Home Fleet to form part of the very strong escort for the Arctic [[Convoy JW 58]] from 29 March to 4 April, and for the return convoy RA 58 from 7 to 13 April.<ref name="russp63-4">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=63–64}}</ref> She was then again deployed to the Channel for patrol and escort duties in preparation for the upcoming invasion of France.<ref name="naval-history.net"/> On the night of 27–28 April 1944, nine German [[E-boat|S-boats]] (motor torpedo boats) attacked [[Exercise Tiger|a convoy of American landing craft]] on exercise in [[Lyme Bay]], sinking two and damaging another. ''Onslow'', on patrol in the Channel, was diverted in an unsuccessful attempt to search for the German boats, followed by searching for survivors and bodies in Lyme Bay.<ref name="rohp270">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=270}}</ref><ref name="naval-history.net"/> On 14 and 15 May 1944, ''Onslow'' formed part of the escort for the two aircraft carriers {{HMS|Emperor|D98|2}} and {{HMS|Striker|D12|2}} as they launched attacks against shipping in the ports of [[Rørvik]] and [[Stadlandet]] in German-occupied Norway, as part of a series of strikes by British aircraft carriers against Norway with the intention of distracting German attention from Northern France, as well as stopping German coastal shipping.<ref name="rohp274">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=274}}</ref><ref name="rosv31p278-9">{{Harvnb|Roskill|1960|pp=278–279}}</ref>

The [[Invasion of Normandy]] on 6 June 1944, saw ''Onslow'' deployed in screening the invasion force as part of [[Operation Neptune]].<ref name="ddayp106">{{Harvnb|Winser|1994|p=106}}</ref><ref name="rohp281">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=281}}</ref> On the night of 6/7 June, ''Onslow'' was near missed by a bomb, causing slight damage,<ref name="ddayp106"/><ref>{{harvnb|''H.M. Ships Damaged or Sunk by Enemy Action''|1952|p=256}}</ref> while on the night of 11/12 June, she was on patrol with {{HMS|Onslaught|G04|2}}, ''Offa'' and ''Oribi'' when they clashed with a group of six German S-boats attempting to attack invasion shipping.<ref name="engp22"/><ref name="rohp281"/>{{#tag:ref|This engagement took part on the night of 12/13 June according to Winser.<ref name="ddayp106"/>|group=lower-alpha}} On 18 June, ''Onslow'' was hit by a German air-dropped torpedo which failed to explode, again causing slight damage, with the ship being under repair (from both this damage and that of 6/7 June) for 5 days.<ref name="ddayp106"/><ref>{{harvnb|''H.M. Ships Damaged or Sunk by Enemy Action''|1952|p=258}}</ref> On 12 August, ''Onslow'', together with the cruiser {{HMS|Diadem|84|2}} and the destroyer {{Ship|ORP|Piorun|G65|2}} sank the German auxiliary minesweeper [[Sperrbrecher 7 Sauerland|''Sperrbrecher 7'']] near [[La Rochelle]].<ref name="rohp295">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=295}}</ref>

In September 1944, ''Onslow'' returned to duty with the Home Fleet, including continued duty on Arctic convoys.<ref name="naval-history.net"/><ref name="engp22"/> From 22 October to 28 October, ''Onslow'' formed part of the escort of [[Convoy JW 61]], and from 2 November to 7 November, part of the escort for the return convoy RA 61.<ref name="russp67-9">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=67–69}}</ref><ref name="rohp312-3">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=312–313}}</ref> In December 1944, ''Onslow'' formed part of the escort for Convoy JW 62 and the return convoy RA 62.<ref name="russp69-0">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=69–70}}</ref><ref name="rohp318">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=318}}</ref>

January 1945 gave a break from convoy duties, when on the night of 11/12 January, the cruisers {{HMS|Norfolk|78|2}} and {{HMS|Bellona|63|2}}, accompanied by the destroyers ''Onslow'', {{HMS|Orwell|G98|2}} and ''Onslaught'' carried out a sweep through Norwegian coastal waters. They attacked a German convoy off [[Egersund]], sinking the minesweeper {{ship|German minesweeper|M-273||2}} and shelling the merchant ships {{SS|Bahia Camarones||2}} and ''Charlotte'', which were abandoned and sank.<ref name="rohp328">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=328}}</ref> In February 1945, ''Onslow'' was part of the escort for Convoy JW 64, which came under heavy air and submarine attack, with 12 German bombers being lost in exchange for the corvette {{HMS|Denbigh Castle|K696|2}}, which was torpedoed by {{GS|U-992||2}}. The return convoy RA 64 was attacked by German submarines on leaving the [[Kola Inlet]] on 17 February, with the sloop {{HMS|Lark|U11|2}} and the freighter {{SS|Thomas Scott||2}} torpedoed and sunk by {{GS|U-968||2}}, and the corvette {{HMS|Bluebell|K80|2}} by {{GS|U-711||2}}. ''Onslow'' rescued one man from ''Bluebell'', the only survivor from the sinking.<ref name="russp73-4">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=73–74}}</ref><ref name="rohp333-4">{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=333–334}}</ref><ref name="naval-history.net"/>

===Post-War activities===
On 12 May 1945, ''Onslow'' sailed as part of Convoy JW 67 to Russia, and on the return Convoy RA 67 which left the Kola Inlet on 23 May. Although the war in Europe had ended on 8 May, these last Arctic convoys were still provided with a substantial escort to guard against attacks from submarines that did not obey the German order to surrender.<ref name="russp78-9">{{Harvnb|Ruegg|Hague|1993|pp=78–79}}</ref> On 5–7 June 1945, ''Onslow'' escorted the cruiser ''Norfolk'', carrying King [[Haakon VII of Norway]] back from exile to [[Oslo]].<ref name="naval-history.net"/> In August 1945, ''Onslow'' attended the first British Navy week in a foreign port, in Rotterdam. Also there were the cruiser [[HMS Bellona (63)|HMS ''Bellona'']], and the destroyer [[HMS Garth (L20)|''Garth'']] as well as the submarine [[HMS Tuna (N94)|''Tuna'']]. Foreign vessels included two of the [[Dutch Navy]] submarines of the T-class, [[HMS Taurus (P399)|''Dolfijn'']] and [[HMS Tapir (P335)|''Zeehond'']].<ref>{{cite news|title=British Navy Week in Rotterdam|issue=50223|page=6|newspaper=The Times|date=17 August 1945}}</ref>

In November–December 1945 she was the headquarter ship for [[Operation Deadlight]], supervising the movement U-boats from [[Loch Ryan]] for scuttling off the coast of Ireland.<ref>{{Harvnb|Critchley|1982|p=14}}</ref> She was placed into Care and Maintenance status at [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport]] in January 1946, with it being planned to use her as a target ship.<ref name="engp22"/>

==Pakistan service==

{{other ships|PNS Tippu Sultan}}

In 1948, the newly established [[Pakistan Navy]] sought to acquire two 4.7-inch gunned destroyers from Britain, and purchased ''Onslow'' and ''Offa'' for a total price of £605,000 for the two ships. ''Onslow'' was transferred to Pakistan on 30 September 1948 at Plymouth, becoming ''Tippu Sultan''.<ref name="engp18,2"/>{{#tag:ref|In fact she remained HMS ''Tippu Sultan'' for some years, prior to renaming later in 1952-53. See documents and photograph of Mr A. Salim Khan, [[Pakistan]]'s First [[Charge d'Affaires]] to [[Japan]], and his voyage on this ship from the United States to [[Yokohama]], in the [[Begum Mahmooda Salim Khan]] Collection/Papers, Accession Ref.No. 224-BMS, at the National Archives of Pakistan, [[Islamabad]], website for further information http://www.nap.gov.pk {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805020243/http://www.nap.gov.pk/ |date=5 August 2017 }}|group=lower-alpha}} In 1954 she underwent a refit at Malta.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} Between 1957 and 1959 she underwent conversion to a [[Type 16 frigate]] by [[Grayson Rollo and Clover Docks]] at [[Birkenhead]], England, with the conversion paid for by the US under the [[Mutual Defense Assistance Act]].<ref name="engp22"/><ref name="jfs71p251"/>

''Tippu Sultan'' was active during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|1965 war with India]], which broke out in September, taking part in a bombardment by the cruiser [[HMS Diadem (84)|''Babur'']] and six destroyers of the Indian city of [[Dwarka]] on 8 September. She carried out patrols during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|1971 war]]. ''Tippu Sultan'' was stricken from the Pakistan Navy until 1980, after which her hull was used as a [[Hulk (ship type)|Hulk]].<ref name="engp22"/>

==Pennant numbers==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" style="width:250px"
!Pennant number ||From||To
|-
! colspan=3 align="center" | Royal Navy
|-
|G17<ref name="Friedp327"/>||1941||1948
|-
! colspan=3 align="center" | Pakistan Navy
|-
|D47<ref name="jfs71p251"/>||1949||1957
|-
|F249<ref name="jfs71p251"/>||1959||1963
|-
|F260<ref name="jfs71p251"/>||1963|| -
|}

==See also==
* [[Alan Ross]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==Citations==

{{Reflist}}

==References==

* {{cite book |last=Barnett |first=Correlli |title=Engage the Enemy More Closely |year=2000 |publisher=Classic Penguin |isbn=0-141-39008-5 }}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Blackman |editor-first=Raymond V. B. |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72 |year=1971 |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd. |location=London |isbn=0-354-00096-9 }}
* {{cite book |last=Blair |first=Clay |title=Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1942–1945 |year=2000 |location=New York |publisher=Modern Library |isbn=0-679-64033-9 }}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book |last=Critchley |first=Mike |title=British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers |year=1982 |publisher=Maritime Books |location=Liskeard, UK |isbn=0-9506323-9-2 }}
* {{cite book |last=English |first=John |title=Obdurate to Daring: British Fleet Destroyers 1941–1945 |publisher=World Ship Society |location=Windsor, UK |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-9560769-0-8 }}
* {{cite book |last=Friedman |first=Norman |author-link=Norman Friedman |title=British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After |date=2008 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |location=Barnsley, UK |isbn=978-1-84832-015-4 }}
* {{cite book |editor1-last= Gardiner |editor1-first= Robert |editor2-last=Chesneau |editor2-first=Roger |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 |year=1980 |location=London |publisher= Conway Maritime Press |isbn = 0-85177-146-7 }}
* {{cite book|title=H.M. Ships Damaged or Sunk by Enemy Action: 3rd. SEPT. 1939 to 2nd. SEPT. 1945|year=1952|publisher=Admiralty|url=https://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/hm-ships-damaged-or-sunk-enemy-action-wwii|ref={{harvid|''H.M. Ships Damaged or Sunk by Enemy Action''|1952}}|access-date=21 January 2019}}
* {{cite book |last=Kemp |first=Paul |title=U-Boats Destroyed: German Submarine Losses in the World Wars |year=1997 |location=London |publisher=Arms & Armour Press |isbn=1-85409-321-5 }}
* {{cite book |last=Lenton |first=H. T. |title=Navies of the Second World War: British Fleet and Escort Destroyers: Volume Two |year=1970 |location=London |isbn=0-356-03122-5 }}
* {{cite book |last=Lenton |first=H. T. |author-link=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 |last1=Rohwer |first1=Jürgen |author-link1=Jürgen Rohwer |last2=Hümmelchen |first2=Gerhard |title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945 |year=1992 |publisher=Greenhill Books |location=London |isbn=1-85367-117-7 }}
* {{cite book |last=Roskill |first=S. W. |title=The War at Sea 1939–1945: Volume II: The Period of Balance |series=History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series |year=1956 |location=London |publisher=HMSO |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-RN-II/index.html#preface |via=Hyperwar }}
* {{cite book |last=Roskill |first=S. W. |title=The War at Sea 1939–1945: Volume III: The Offensive Part I, 1st June 1943–31st May 1944 |series=History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series |year=1960 |location=London |publisher=HMSO }}
* {{cite book |last=Roskill |first=S. W. |title=The War at Sea 1939–1945: Volume III: The Offensive Part II, 1st June 1944–14th August 1945 |series=History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series |year=1961 |location=London |publisher=HMSO }}
* {{cite book |last1=Ruegg |first1=Bob |last2=Hague |first2=Arnold |title=Convoys to Russia: 1941–1945 |year=1993 |publisher=World Ship Society |location=Kendal, UK |isbn=0-905617-66-5 }}
* {{cite book |last=Sebag-Montefiore |first=Hugh |author-link=Hugh Sebag-Montefiore |title=Enigma: The Battle for the Code |year=2000 |publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson |location=London |isbn=0-297-84251-X |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/enigmabattleforc0000seba }}
* {{cite book |last=Whitley |first=M. J. |author-link=Michael J. Whitley |title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia |year=2000 |publisher=Cassell & Co. |location=London |isbn=1-85409-521-8 }}
* {{cite book |last=Winser |first=John de S. |title=British Invasion Fleets: The Mediterranean and beyond 1942–1945 |year=2002 |location=Gravesend, UK |publisher=World Ship Society |isbn=0-9543310-0-1 }}
* {{cite book |last=Winser |first=John de S. |title=The D-Day Ships |year=1994 |location=Kendal, UK |publisher=World Ship Society |isbn=0-905617-75-4 }}
==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last1=Connell|first1=G. G.|title=Arctic Destroyers: The 17th Flotilla|year=1982|publisher=William Kimber|location=London|isbn=0-7183-0428-4}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|HMS Onslow (G17)}}

{{O and P class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Onslow (G17)}}
[[Category:O and P-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Clyde]]
[[Category:1941 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:O-class destroyers of the Pakistan Navy]]