HMS Petard (G56)

HMS Petard (G56)

HMS Petard was a "P"-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. She was one of only three "P" class ships, out of the original eight, to survive the war in a serviceable condition.

Members of the ships crew recovered a new, four-wheel Enigma cypher machine and the books to go with it, albeit at the cost of the lives of her First Lieutenant and an Able Seaman, both of whom were drowned when the U-boat they were searching sank with them inside.

Originally to have been named HMS Persistent, Petard was launched in March 1941. She initially carried the pennant number G56, which was changed after the war to F56.

Petard had the distinction of sinking a submarine from each of the three Axis navies: the German U-559, the Italian Uarsciek and the Japanese I-27.

Read more about HMS Petard (G56):  The Early Years, The Mediterranean, Part One, The Far East, Part One, Home and More Repairs, The Far East, Part Two, Post-war