HMS Petard (G56)

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HMS Petard (G56) was a Royal Navy P-class destroyer. Built by Vickers-Armstrongs, she was laid down in December 1939, launched in March 1941 and completed in June 1942. One of only three P-class ships to survive World War II, Petard served in many theatres and earned a distinguished reputation for tenacity and bravery. She was originally intended to be named HMS Persistent.

Early wartime service and the Enigma rescue
Petard began operations in 1942 after joining the Middle East convoy runs. Her first major action came in October 1942, when she helped sink the German submarine U-559 north of the Nile delta. After U-559 was forced to the surface, the ship’s crew, including First Lieutenant Anthony Fasson and Able Seaman Colin Grazier, swam to the submarine’s hulk and recovered a new Enigma cypher machine and code books—crucial intelligence for Allied code-breakers. Fasson and Grazier were killed in the process, and a young NAAFI canteen assistant, Tommy Brown, survived. The Enigma material greatly aided Ultra’s code-breaking work.

Recognition for other war actions followed
In December 1942 Petard helped sink the Italian submarine Uarsciek. In the aftermath of several North African and Mediterranean operations, Petard’s crews faced intense air attacks, minefields, and harsh conditions as they escorted convoys and supported Allied advances around Egypt, Tobruk and the Sicilian coast.

Turning points in the Mediterranean and beyond
In early 1943 Petard supported operations around the Sicilian invasion, escorting capital ships and taking part in bombardments. She came under fire during these engagements, suffering casualties when a shell from a newer anti-aircraft fight damaged a seaman’s mess deck.

The intense battles around Leros and the Aegean
Petard spent significant time in the Aegean in 1943, supporting the exhausting fighting in the Dodecanese. She escorted troops and stores to Leros and other islands, often under heavy air attack and into mined waters. On October 22–23, 1943, her flotilla entered a dangerous minefield near Kalymnos; the destroyer Eclipse was sunk, but Petard rescued survivors and pressed on with her missions.

Operations against Japan and the East Indies
In January 1944 Petard joined a force pushing east toward the Indian Ocean. She participated in operations that helped guard and escort important ships, including the escort for the aircraft carrier and other capital ships moving toward the Pacific theatre. On February 12, 1944, Petard played a key role in the destruction of the Japanese submarine I-27 after it had torpedoed the troop ship Khedive Ismail. I-27 was forced to surface, and Petard, with Paladin, attacked with depth charges and gunfire. Paladin briefly rammed the submarine, causing damage to both ships; Petard continued attacks and then transferred survivors and towed Paladin for repair. During the action, Leading Seaman Douglas Vowles recovered I-27’s logbook, containing valuable information about Japanese activities in the Pacific.

Return to Europe and the end of the war
Petard later supported operations in the Red Sea, Aden, and the Indian Ocean, including involvement in preparations for the planned invasion of Malaya. After returning to Europe, she carried Eisenhower and his staff to the Italian beaches during the Sicily campaign and then moved back to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic for further escort and bombardment duties. In 1945 she returned to the United Kingdom, underwent repairs, and prepared for further duty abroad as the war in Europe ended.

Postwar life and conversion
Petard was placed in reserve in 1946 and later moved to Chatham in 1951. In 1953 she was selected for conversion to a Type 16 fast anti-submarine frigate and was given the new pennant number F26. The conversion took place at Belfast, completing in 1955. After a period as a Sea Training Ship for junior sailors, she was put up for disposal in 1964.

End of service
Petard was decommissioned and broken up in 1967 at Bo’ness.

Summary
HMS Petard served with distinction in World War II, earning praise for her perseverance in dangerous conditions across the Mediterranean, the Aegean, and the Indian Ocean. She is remembered for the Enigma capture from U-559, the destruction of I-27, and her continued role as a versatile escort and bombardment ship through the later stages of the war. After the war, she was converted into a Type 16 frigate and remained in service until 1967.