Ydra class Destroyer (1931)

Built 1930-32: Condouriotis, Psara, Spetsai, Ydra

The Greek Navy ordered four destroyers from Italy in 1929, to a modified design, as the Ydra or Kountouriotis class depending on publications. The main difference was the adoption of four single 120 mm Ansaldo Model 1926 instead of twin turrets and modifications of the bridge for a more conventional arrangement. Their wartime career was short: Ydra was Sunk by German aviation in Piraeus on 22 April 1941, like Psara. Spetsai served on the allied side and was decommissioned in 1946. Kountouriotis also served with the allies in WW2 and was decommissioned and scrapped in 1946. They were under RN supervision in the Eastern Mediterranean fleet (Free Greek Navy) until late 1943 but ended static at Port Said, used as spare part reserve for co-belligerent Italian destroyers, the crews needed on British ships. Their stability issues are also a reason.

Development

Psara D-98 (creative commons)

The Ydra or Hydra, or Kontouriotis class were the first modern Greek destroyers, they succeeded to fourteen WWI and prewar destroyers of the Niki (1906), Thyella (1906), Aetos (1911), and Keravnos class (1912). In the interwar most were scrapped due to their age, but two of the Niki class were still around in 1941, and two of the Thyella class. The Aetos class (also four vessels) were completely rebuilt at Cowes, UK, in 1924-25 as minelayer destroyers and will be treated as a standalone post in the future. So until decision was made to order four new destroyers in 1929, this was for the planned replacement of four of these oldest destroyers.

In 1925 priority was given to submarines, with the order in France of two Katsonis and later four Proteus class. The Ydra class were ordered in Italy in October 1929, at Odero, Sestri Ponente shipyard, as a modified version of the Freccia class destroyer, not out of thin air, but because Turkey also just ordered four Italian destroyers at Ansaldo, Genoa and CT Riva Trigoso as modified Sella/Freccia class but with superfiring guns fire and aft, not adopting the Italian twin mount. Greece decided of the same arrangement. The class in many publications is alternatively called “Kondouriotis” due to habits of first launch versus first commissioned dates. The main source about their origin is the RUSI Journal notes. The cost was about £500,000. They were laid down at an unknown date in 1930 and 1931, possibly by pairs, meaning once the first were launched, the second pair followed. The first were acccepted in November 1932 and last pair was completed and commissioned in May 1933.

Design of the class

The Ydra/Kountouriotis class were thus originally designed as modified Dardo Types. The latter was the alternative class name for the Freccia. This was literrally a copy-paste of the Dardo and Folfore, but with deep design changes, notably due to the choice of Turkey to alter their own ships to have four superfiring guns instead of the original paired guns.

Hull and general design

The end result of these changes was also different from the Turkish ships, which had a different boiler arrangement resulting in their twin funnels. Like the Dardo, the Greek class maintained that single funnel profile. But the relocation of the superfiring “B” turret in place of where the bridge was located led to a relocation of the latter further aft, and tall enough to see above the shield. It was peculiar, with its three-faceted appearance. The forward lower structure continued past the forecastle, below the raked main funnel.

The ships had also two masts to support wireless radio cables, one main mast aft of the bridge with a lookout post, and a smaller flag bearer mast with the radio room. The small quartedeck house supported “X” mount, but “Y” was on deck. The ship had two service boats as usual under davits either side oif the funnel, and the three AA guns were located on superfiring posts aft of the funnel, which somewhat reduced their angle of fire. A 40mm/39 Vickers-Terni 1915/1917 was located just aft of the funnel on a raised platform on top of the structure whereas the other two 40mm AA were located either sides on a lower gun platform. There was a fire control system on top of the bridge and a main searchlight on a platform between the torpedo tubes. The crew amounted to 156 officers and ratings.

They displaced 1,389 tons standard and 2,050 tons fully loaded, which was comparable to the Dardo (1,225 t standard, 2,150 t full load), but were shorter at 94.3 m (302 ft) overall, 92.4 meters between perpendiculars (versus 96 meters) for a slightly reduced beam of 9.5 m (31 ft) but greater draft of 3.65 m (12 ft) versus 3.3 m. Engineering perspective here sees requirements for extra speed, so the only solution was to reduce the hull in lenght and slightly in beam whereas the draught was also augmented to compensate, keeping a reasonable metacentic height and keep enough stability. Indeed the glaring issue there was the top weight caused by the higher artillery and tall bridge.

Powerplant

They were powered essentially like the Dardo class, with an installed power comprising a set of two Parsons geared steam turbines fed in turn by three Yarrow boilers for an output of 44,000 shp (33,000 kW). Service top speed was 38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph), but on trials they managed to reach much more, Spetsai managed to make 41.5kts at 52,000hp on force heat and light load. Realistically in service this was down to 36 knots on average. The endurance was said to be 5,800 nautical miles at 20 knots, based on a fuel tank combining 640 tonnes.

Armament

It varied between ships: All four had the same four 120mm/50 Ansaldo modello 1926 in four superfiring positions, as well as three single 40mm/39 Vickers-Terni 1915/1917, and the same two triple 533 mm or 21 inches torpedo banks, but only the first pair, Kountouriotis and Ydra received rails on their aft deck for 40 mines. There is some confusion about a 75 mm gun also mounted, but this was a WW2 alteration for surviving destroyers under RN service.

120mm/50 Ansaldo M1926

These horizontal sliding breech block guns in 20-tonne common-cradle twin mountings with maximum elevation of 45°. They existed on twin mounts on the Navigatori, Freccia and Folgore-class as well.

Specs Ansaldo M1926:

Mount: 5.1 tons (5,552 kg), 252.0 in (6.400 m) Shell: Separate, 23 kg AP, HE 51.8 lbs. (23.15 kg). Propellant: 21.4 lbs. (9.7 kg) Muzzle Velocity: 3,117 fps (950 mps) Later reduced to 3,018 fps (920 mps) Range: 19,600 m Rate of fire: 6-7 rounds per minute The Navigatori were provided 182 rounds per gun so 1092 total. Standard outfit was 408 AP, 672 HE, 120 incendiary and 100 star shells, plus an unspecified number of ready rounds.

40mm/39 Vickers-Terni 1915/1917

The anti-aircraft armament initially comprised the same three Vickers-Terni 1915 40mm/39 machine guns as the Dardo, placed on raised platforms, three postions aft of the funnel.

Specs Vickers-Terni 1915:

Weight 550 lbs. (249 kg) including cooling water Overall lenght 96 in (2.438 m), bore 62 in (1.575 m), 200 rpm cyclical, 50-75 rpm practical Fired the HE or CP rounds of 2.95 lbs. (1.34 kg) at 2,000 fps (610 mps). Maximum Effective Range: 1,200 yards (1,100 m)

Torpedoes

Same model, 533 mm San Giorgio type triple mount. They were placed in the axis, behind the funnel structure and with a searchlight between them. There was an aiming system, as they were electrically controlled by a Fire Direction system with two stations: One for daytime launching and one for night launching on the bridge. The most likely torpedo model was the 53.3 cm (21″) Si 270/533.4 x 7.2 “M” manufactured in Naples (Silurificio Italiano). No reloads.

Specs:

Weight; 3,748 lbs. (1,700 kg)
Overall Length: 23 ft. 7 in. (7.200 m)
Warhead: 595 lbs. (270 kg)
Powered by Wet-heater.
Range/Speed settings:
-4,400 yards (4,000 m)/46 kts
-8,750 yards (8,000 m)/35 kts
-13,100 yards (12,000 m)/29 kts
Later versions went to 48/38/30 knots on the same ranges settings.

Mines

Vickers-Elia Mines on the destroyer Vivaldi, colorized.

Likely 40 Vickers-Elia mines (760 kg) or Bollo mines (590 kg), the latter being smaller (so perhaps 60).

ASW

It seems they had ASW grenades racks but no or launchers but no data on these. The two structures seen aft are rather small for racks and could be smoke dispensers. Their armament was used apparently for ASW patrols in 1940-41 and for the two surviving ships, considerably reinforced after their refit at Calcutta in 1942 (see below).

Modifications

Later in the interwar they seemingly had received four 13.2 mm (0.52 in) Breda AA guns, likely single. But the biggest change was in WW2, for the surviving destroyers Kountouriotis and Spetsai. Under RN supervision after the fall of Greece in 1941, they had a major overhaul in the spring 1942 at Bombay DYd for Indian Ocean escort work. One 120mm/50 main gun was removed as well as one triple 533mm or 21-inches TT, replaced by a single 76mm or 3-inches/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I/II/V (in place of the TT), and two 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV (Unknown Gun position, likely “B”) as well as eight depht charge throwers and two racks, plus a type 128 sonar for ASW work.

⚙ specifications
Displacement	1,389 tons Standard, 2,050 tons Full load
Dimensions	92 x 9.5 x 3.65m (302 x 31 x 12 ft)
Propulsion	2 shafts GS turbines, 3× Yarrow boilers: 44,000 shp (33,000 kW)
Speed	38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph)
Range	5,800 nautical miles at 20 knots
Armament	4× 4.7 in, 1x 75mm AA, 3× 40 mm AA, 2×3 533mm TTs, 54 mines
Crew	156

Career of the Ydra class

Ydra (1931)

Ydra in 1938. Src. history navy mil.

Ydra was built by Odero, Sestri Ponente, launched 21 October 1931 and commissioned November 1932. Her interwar records are in reserach. Her sinking started with an Italian attack in 1941, when half the fleet combat-ready. The Italian after the 1940 invasion of Greece, had more success at sea. They roamed the Adriatic, cutting off supplies to Albania. The four Greek destroyer were sent to escort convoys that transport supplies, protecting ports, also deployed in the Ionian Sea. They saw action in the Saronic and Aegean Seas. Things became nasty with the German attack on Greece, with an heavy bombardment of Piraeus on 6/4/1941. The CiC ordered all active ships to sail from the naval base and be anchored in groups in neighboring bays like Elefsina-Megara and Argolida, while others mutiplied patrols or participating in joint allied escort operations at the occasion.

Luftwaffe attacks were frequent and after the Germans entered Athens (27/4/41) 55 air raids, so an average of 2-3 per day wrecked all the fleet facilities, sank already the battleships of the Kilkis class in Piraeus, unable to move, and older vessels. Psara was sunk in the Gulf of Megara on Easter Day and the minesweeper Aliakmon on 21/4, destroyer Hydra and torpedo boat Tyella on 22/4, torpedo boats Kios, Doris and Alkynoi on 23/4, battleship Kilkis, destroyer Vasileus Georgios, torpedo boat Aegli and minesweeper Strymon on 24/4. On April 22, 1941, only four ships had survived in in the wider Saronic Gulf area, the old destroyers Olga, Hydra, Panther and Hierax, trying to hide from the German pilots and supplied at night by fuel and food at Skala ton Megara.

One of these survivors was the destroyer YDRA, ordered to sail from the Isthmus of Corinth area, where she was located, towards Vleve, and meet at 7pm the merchant ship Marimesk loaded with ammunition. Ydra, together with the submarine Papanikolis, had to then escort her to Souda Bay, and form then, try to reach Alexandria to continue the fight with the Greek government in exile. During the first leg of this voyage, the destroyer was spotted by day, and approximately 70 Junkers 87 Stuka attacked her for almost an hour. Her captain pushed her machinery to the limit, trying to doedge all bombs, but eventually she was hit and sank in Lagouses, with 42 of the 156 crew members killed. Four officers, commander Th. Pezopoulos, lieutenant L. Vlachavas, the doctor and a staff officer as well eleven non-commissioned officers and twenty-seven sailors were part of the dead.

Commander of the destroyer squadron, Captain Grigorios Mezeviris, was aboard Hydra from April 21:

“Since morning we had changed positions many times, but nowhere did we manage to remain invisible. I then asked the Governor of HYDRA, Lieutenant Commander Th. Pezopoulos, if he had any inspiration, until the time came for us to sail towards the designated meeting point. He, with the phlegm that distinguished him, replied to me “Mr. Commander, what is destined to happen will happen. I suggest that we sail at low speed towards Vleves”. I accepted his opinion, as I could find no other solution. Around 17.30, while we were sailing north of Aegina next to the islet of Lagosa, an enemy reconnaissance plane appeared. In order to mislead it, I ordered us to take a course towards Methana. When it disappeared, we resumed our original course. After about twenty minutes, a large number of aircraft appeared to the north, about seventy, heading south on a course intersecting with our ship at a distance of a few miles. When they reached the height of HYDRA, about 35 of them separated from the rest and headed towards it.

Being on the upper bridge, I ordered the development of maximum speed and sailing with maneuvers and then opening fire on the first swarm that was within shooting distance. The planes attacked with a vertical They launched a charge, dropped bombs from a low height and at the same time machine-gunned, aiming especially at the bridge. At that moment, the ship’s Captain, as usual, climbed up from the lower bridge, without a hat, and took his place next to the bridge’s forward parapet. Almost immediately I saw him slip and sit on the floor. His eyes were closed, a slight smile was visible on his lips and his entire face was permeated with the serenity of a man who had fulfilled his duty until the last moment. I had no doubt that Lieutenant Commander Th. Pezopoulos, this brave soldier and valuable comrade, had been the first to pay the price of blood on his ship. A machine-gun bullet had hit him squarely in the head. The bombs were raining down around the ship and jets of water covered it, up to the upper bridge. The connivances of the two machine gunners were almost immediately put out of action, while the third was jammed. Within a few minutes of the beginning of the attack, only the Hotchkiss light portable machine guns on the lower bridge were still able to fire. The ship’s engines initially developed a speed of 30 miles, but after a while one engine stalled and then the other.

The ship, unarmed and immobilized, remained at the enemy’s disposal. No fighter planes appeared from anywhere, although the Athens radio had informed us shortly before the attack that two fighter planes were flying over Athens! No bombs fell on the ship, but many fell very close and caused many cracks in the hull. The ship was taking on water from all sides and the draft was increasing rapidly, especially at the stern. Many of the deck plates had taken on a wavy shape. The deck, the The floors of the gun emplacements and the decks were strewn with dead and seriously wounded men who had been hit by the machine gun fire and especially by the fragments of the bombs that fell near the ship. The commander, Lieutenant Commander Vlachavas, had been horribly mutilated and a similar fate was that of Lieutenant Commander Arliotis and Doctor Maniarezis. I myself had been wounded by fragments. The aircraft, when they were convinced that the ship was sinking, stopped their attacks and for some time flew over the ship. When I realized that there was no hope of saving the ship, I ordered my chief lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander Neophytos, the oldest of the survivors, to abandon ship. The boats had been destroyed, except for a small one that was used to board the crippled. The rest of us swam a few hundred meters, to the Lagos islet. The ship’s officers made sure that the seriously injured put on life jackets and fell.

The deck was difficult to cross, as we stepped over mutilated corpses at every step. Some men remained on the stern, although the deck was only slightly above the surface of the sea, perhaps because they had not understood the order that had been given and were hesitant to abandon ship. I ordered them to fall into the sea and then descended the starboard ladder, the top step of which had reached the surface of the sea. Only thirty hours earlier I had climbed the same ladder to take over the command of my new commander. A few minutes after the last of the survivors had abandoned ship, the stern sank, tilted vertically and disappeared under the water, dragging the heroic dead to its wet grave. Only 14 minutes had passed from the beginning of the attack to the sinking. At the moment when the water covered the ship, a voice was heard from the sea, repeated by dozens of mouths, “LONG LIVE HYDRA”. As the Naval Commander of Milos reported, a German airman from among those who took part in the attack told him during the occupation of the island that he had been impressed by the heroic attitude of the HYDRA crew, who waved their hats and cheered as the ship was being bombed and sunk. We remained on the small rocky island of Lagosa for about an hour, waiting for help to arrive.

During this time, I was given the opportunity to understand even better the mental qualities of the men. During the attack, I had already appreciated their excellent conduct and their absolute composure. Around me, many seriously wounded were lying down and here and there screams of pain could be heard that were difficult to suppress. But not a single voice of complaint escaped anyone’s lips. Those who retained their senses anxiously sought information about their Governor, whom they literally adored and called “our Theodorakis”. A sailor with a severed leg who was lying next to me kept asking me “how are you feeling, Mr. Commander”? The sinking of the HYDRA was watched by many from Athens, Salamis and Aegina and many vessels arrived to collect the shipwrecked. The wounded were taken to the hospitals of Aegina and Athens. That same night, the ship “QUEEN OLGA” sailed for Souda, transporting members of the Government, the ship “IERAX” and the ship “PANTHIR”. The submarine “PAPANIKOLIS” did not meet the submarine “HYDRA” at Vleves and continued its voyage, as did the “MARIMESK” which arrived safely at Souda. These were the last warships to leave the waters of the Saronic Gulf to continue the fight outside the borders of Greece. From the “Evangelismos” hospital, where I was being treated, I heard in the calm of the night of April 26, 1941 the passage of the enemy’s motorized columns. The next morning the flag of the conqueror was waving on the sacred rock of the Acropolis.”

Spetsai (1932)

Spetsai was ordered in October 1929 at Odero, Sestri Ponente, laid down in 1931, launched in 1932 and commissioned in May 1933. After the outbreak of the Greco-Italian War, she took part in Adriatic operations, also performing the third naval raid against Italian shipping in the Strait of Otranto on 4–5 January 1941. After the German invasion of Greece, she was ordered to take refuge in a nearby bay and escaped Luftwaffe eyes. She then managed to flee to Alexandria via Sicily underway. See uboat.net for full operational records. After repairs and modernization in Calcutta in the spring of 1942, modernized and rearmed, she returned to escort duties in the Mediterranean under british service and thus with the British pennant H 38. She returned to Greece after the liberation in October 1944 and was decommissioned in 1946, Scrapped in 1947.

Psara (1932)

Psara (D98) creative commons

Psara was built by Odero, Sestri Ponente, launched in 1932 and commissioned on 1st May 1933. Her career mirroed that of her sister Ydra. After the start of the Greco-Italian War, she took part in the three naval raids against Italian shipping, in the Strait of Otranto on 14–15 November 1940, 15–16 December 1940, and 4–5 January 1941 while having significant anti-submarine activity. During the German invasion of Greece, she was attacked by German bomber aircraft on April 20, 1941, and sunk in the Saronic Gulf near Megara, with 37 members of her crew as casualties.

Kontouriotis (1931)

Kontouriotis in 1939; src History navy mil.

Named after the famous admiral, she was ordered in October 1929, laid down at Cantieri Odero in 1930 (first pair), launched on August 29, 1931 and commissioned in November 1932. After the outbreak of the Greco-Italian War, she took part in combined naval operations like her sisters, notably the second and third naval raids against Italian shipping, in the Strait of Otranto but December 15–16, 1940, and 4–5 January 1941. With the German invasion of Greece in April 1941, she stayed hidden in protected bays and escaped Luftwaffe patrols, managing to flee to Alexandria. She had a major overhaul and modernization in Bombay from June 1941 to April 1942 under British supervision, a full rearmament, but upgrades did not comprised a radar. She was back for escort work in the Mediterranean to and from Alexandria, under the British pennant number H07. These activites ended by November 15, 1943, when like her sister Spetsai she was placed in active reserve. She was decommissioned in 1946.

Kontouriotis in 1943. Note the camouflage. src History navy mil.

Spetsai and Kountouriotis were indeed under RN supervision as part of the Eastern Mediterranean fleet (The “Free Greek Navy” was not independent but assigned to RN unit and under RN command for the remainder of the war, albeit they were allowed to fly the Hellenic flag). Their combat operations, post refit, ended by late 1943 as they were based in Port Said, Egypt, for escort work on both sides of the canal. It seems only Spetsai remained active, Kontouriotis remained laid up in Alexandria to provide surviving Italian destroyers (co-belligerence ships) spare parts, in reserve status, and her crew left, needed for new British ships. One possible reason, other than age and worn-out machinery, was their doutbful stability issue, probably worse than the Freccia class due to their superfiring artillery and taller bridge which explains this posting and early retirement.