90 years ago, ORP Grom was launched in a British shipyard

Today, July 20th, marks the 90th anniversary of the ORP launch Thunder, the first of two modern destroyers built in the British shipyard J. Samuel White & Co. in Cowes for the Navy II of the Republic of Poland.

The godmother of the ship was Wanda Poznańska, wife of Karol Poznański, Consul General of Poland in London. The ceremony took place at noon on the grounds of the shipyard located on the Isle of Wight. During the launch of the regiment's orchestra from Hampshire played the anthem of Poland.

Destroyers ordered for the United States Navy II

Since the early 1930s, the Navy's leadership has been seeking more destroyers, then referred to as countertorpedics. Ships they were to protect the Polish coast and maritime transports with supplies, while at the same time having the weapons to fight a stronger opponent.

However, these intentions were not immediately translated into specific orders. The first tenders addressed to the French and Swedish shipyards did not bring a decision. In the following proceedings, the British shipyard's design John Thornycroft & Co. was the highest, but its offer proved too expensive. In the end, Poland chose J. Samuel White & Co. from Cowes to offer a more affordable offer.

The agreement to build two destroyers was signed on 29 March 1935. At the request of the Polish website, the project was modified. One of the most important changes was the strengthening of artillery weapons. The price of building one ship was 388 233 pounds, without weapons, fire control systems and parts of equipment supplied by the Polish side. The second of the ordered destroyers was the ORP Lightning.

On July 17, 1935, a keel was solemnly laid at J. Samuel White & Co. shipyard in Cowes under the ORP Thunder. The destroyer received a shipbuilding construction number of 1800, and its launching took place on July 20, 1936.

One of the fastest destroyers of his class

The destroyer was 114 metres long, 11.2 metres wide and standard displacement of 2011 tons. The ship received seven 120 mm guns, four 40 mm anti-aircraft cannons and two triple torpedo launchers. He could also have taken mines and deep-sea bombs.

The 54,000 hp gym allowed to reach a speed of nearly 40 knots. During sea trials ORP Thunder developed a 39.49 knot. He was at that time one of the fastest and strongest armed destroyers in the Baltic.

The arming of the ship came from several countries. The 120 and 40 mm caliber guns were purchased at the Swedish Bofors, torpedoes and mines in France, while the torpedo launchers were supplied by the British company Whitehead. Polish companies have performed, among others, shipboats, electrical and radio equipment, anchor equipment and part of fire control equipment.

May 11, 1937 on a ship The Navy flag was raised. The first commander of the destroyer was Lieutenant Stanislaw Hryniewecki. The unit then went out into the sea and took a direction to Gdynia, along the way the ship wrapped up in Gothenburg, where he downloaded ammunition into Bofors' department. He reached Poland on 16 May, and was formally incorporated into the fleet on 28 May 1937.

The history of the destroyer and the plan "Peking"

August 30, 1939 ORP Thunder, ORP Lightning and ORP Storm They left Gdynia, implementing the "Peking" plan. The most valuable Polish destroyers were directed to the United Kingdom so that they would not be destroyed or blocked in the Baltic after the start of the war.

After reaching the British Isles of the ORP Thunder He began serving alongside the Royal Navy. He led patrols and protected convoys in the North Sea and waters around Britain. During his military service, he travelled about 15,000 nautical miles, participating in 20 patrols escorting 11 convoys.

ORP sinking Thunder under Narvik

April 19, 1940 ORP Thunder He left the base at Scapa Flow and headed for Norway. Four days later, he began operations in the Narvik area, where he patrolled coastal waters and fired on German positions and communication lines. The effective fire of the Polish destroyer made the Germans call it "the cursed Pole".

3 May ORP Thunder was fired on by a German 88 mm gun. One of the missiles damaged boiler number three, which is why the ship temporarily left the scene. After repairs, however, he returned to Rombakken's fjord and re-fired German positions. On that day, the artillerymen of our destroyer used about 500 120 mm rounds.

The next day around 8.30 ORP Thunder was attacked by German bomber Heinkel He 111. The machine dropped six bombs, where two hit the ship, causing extensive damage to the hull. The destroyer sank within minutes. 59 crew members were killed, and surviving sailors took up British ships nearby.

Orp wreck Thunder lies at a depth of about 115 m, on a gently descending slope forming an underwater ridge. The hull is broken into two parts. The beak lies to the bottom, while the stern part lies several meters further on the keel, almost parallel to the fore part. The Polish destroyer remains one of the most important symbols of the participation of Polish sailors in the Norwegian campaign during World War II.