HMS Orford (1916)

Laid down at their shipyard in Sunderland, Orford was launched by William Doxford & Sons on 19 April 1916 and completed during December that year.^[3] The destroyer was the seventh Royal Navy ship to have the name. The ship recalled Admiral Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford, who fought at the Battles of Barfleur and La Hougue.^[6] The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla at Scapa Flow.^[7]

The destroyer was active in anti-submarine warfare, both independently and as part of an escort for convoys. The destroyer often patrolled as far as the coast of Cornwall.^[8] On 1 February 1917, Orford spotted the German submarine U-55, which had just attacked the Norwegian freighter SS Ramsholm]. Before the submarine could sink the already evacuated ship, Orford opened fire and drove the submarine under the surface. The destroyer then dropped a pattern of four depth charges, but the submarine escaped.^[9] On 6 March, Orford formed part of the escort for convoys sailing between the UK and France.^[10] Sometimes escorting and patrolling duties were combined. For example, on 9 July 1917, the destroyer, along with the Acacia-class sloop Primrose, escorted two oil tankers from Buncrana in Ireland to a position in the Atlantic Ocean, where they then split off to undertake a patrol of the area.^[11] By this point, Orford had been detached from the Flotilla and was serving with the Southern Division of the Coast of Ireland Station.^[12][13] The destroyer rejoined the flotilla, however, soon afterwards.^[14] On 17 October, the destroyer formed part of the shield for the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron during the Action off Lerwick, but took no active part in the action.^[15] Orford subsequently took part in the Royal Navy's engagement with one of the final sorties of the German High Seas Fleet during the First World War, on 24 April 1918, although the two fleets did not actually meet and the destroyer returned unharmed.^[16]

After the armistice, the Grand Fleet was disbanded and Orford was placed in reserve at the Nore on 17 October 1919.^[17] However, the harsh conditions of wartime service, exacerbated by the fact that the hull was not galvanised and operations often required high speed in high seas, meant that the destroyer was worn out and ready for retirement.^[18] Orford was decommissioned, sold to W & A.T. Burden on 31 October 1921 to be broken up.^[19]

• Bush, Steve; Warlow, Ben (2021). Pendant Numbers of the Royal Navy: A Complete History of the Allocation of Pendant Numbers to Royal Navy Warships & Auxiliaries. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-526793-78-2.
• Colledge, J.J.; Warlow, Ben (2006). Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy. London: Chatham Press. ISBN 978-1-93514-907-1.
• Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 978-0-71100-380-4.
• Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the First World War. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
• Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.
• Manning, Thomas Davys; Walker, Charles Frederick (1959). British Warship Names. London: Putnam. OCLC 780274698.
• McBride, Keith (1991). "British 'M' Class Destroyers of 1913–14". In Gardiner, Robert (ed.). Warship 1991. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 34–49. ISBN 978-0-85177-582-1.
• Monograph No. 34: Home Waters Part VIII: December 1916 to April 1917 (PDF). Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). Vol. XVIII. Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1933.
• Monograph No. 35: Home Waters Part IX: 1st May 1917 to 31st July 1917 (PDF). Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). Vol. XIX. Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1939.
• Newbolt, Henry (1928). Naval Operations: Volume IV. History of the Great War. London: Longmans, Green and Co. OCLC 1049894132.
• Newbolt, Henry (1931). Naval Operations: Volume V. History of the Great War. London: Longmans, Green and Co. OCLC 220475309.
• Parkes, Oscar; Prendergast, Maurice (1969). Jane's Fighting Ships 1919. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. OCLC 907574860.