HMS OBDURATE - The story of a hastily built destroyer that had an arduous and proud war record and served Nore Command and Chatham well.

Last change: 5 August 2004 - Link to new page added

(The 'blob' on the cap tally is ships side grey paint AND on a gold wire tally - they must have paid us too much!)

HMS Obdurate (D139) was, during my time in her (1955-56), what we affectionately called the 'Chatham Canteen Boat' I think the official term was 'Chatham Local Unit'. They rarely allowed us to lock into No.3 Basin preferring instead to keep us at 'H' Berth - a pair of buoys just outside. They said it was to keep us at instant readiness but we all knew it was to put obstacles, like 'liberty boats' in the way of our rush to Gillingham Station.

On The Mole at Zeebrugge - 1955

She was one of the many Wartime Emergency Programme ships built in the early 1940's. Laid down on the 25th of April 1940 at Denny's Dumbarton she was completed on the 30th of September 1942 and saw war service in the Arctic and Atlantic which is described on the next page.

The War Service page is now complete -with some first hand accounts - but this lead page is 'in development'. Please do come back later and IF you have any yarns, information or pictures regarding the ship I would be pleased to hear from you.