Greek Destroyer Vasilissa Olga Overview and Commands

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Silhouette of Warship on the Sea
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The Greek destroyer Vasilissa Olga was a significant warship in its time. Commissioned in 1961, it was a key part of the Hellenic Navy's fleet.

The Vasilissa Olga was a relatively small destroyer, measuring 113.2 meters in length and 12.4 meters in beam. Its displacement was approximately 2,500 tons.

Its armament included a 5-inch gun, a 40mm Bofors gun, and a 20mm Oerlikon gun. The ship also had a torpedo tube and depth charge racks.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Italian Destroyer Ugolino Vivaldi

Service History

Vasilissa Olga participated in the naval operations of the Greco-Italian War, in convoy escort duty and in the first and third naval raids against Italian shipping in the Strait of Otranto in November and January 1941.

She escaped to Alexandria in May 1941 after the German invasion of Greece, and was assigned the British pennant number H 84.

After modernization in Calcutta, Vasilissa Olga returned to active duty in the Mediterranean Sea in December 1941.

Moored Greek Ship
Credit: pexels.com, Moored Greek Ship

She enjoyed several successes under her captain, Lt. Cmdr. G. Blessas.

On 14 December 1942, Vasilissa Olga sank the Italian Adua-class submarine Uarsciek off Malta, along with the British destroyer HMS Petard.

The following month, on 19 January 1943, Vasilissa Olga intercepted and sank the Italian transport ship Stromboli off the Libyan coast, along with British destroyers HMS Pakenham and HMS Nubian.

On June 2, 1943, Vasilissa Olga and the British destroyer HMS Jervis engaged an Italian convoy and sank its lone escort, the Spica-class torpedo boat Castore off Cape Spartivento.

Vasilissa Olga participated in the capture of Pantelleria and the Allied invasion of Sicily.

During the Allied operations in the Aegean Sea in September 1943, Vasilissa Olga sank a German convoy consisting of the transports Pluto and Paolo near Astypalea, along with the British destroyers HMS Faulknor and Eclipse.

Unfortunately, Vasilissa Olga was attacked and sunk by 25 Junkers Ju 88 bombers in the Gulf of Lakki in Leros on 26 September 1943, resulting in the loss of Commodore Blessas, 6 officers and 65 other members of the crew.

Ship Details

A modern naval warship moored at the port of Rotterdam under a blue sky with clouds.
Credit: pexels.com, A modern naval warship moored at the port of Rotterdam under a blue sky with clouds.

Vasilissa Olga was a Greek destroyer of the Vasilefs Georgios class, serving with the Royal Hellenic Navy during the Second World War.

She was built by Yarrow & Company in Scotland, along with her sister ship, the Vasilefs Georgios. The ship was named after Queen Olga of Greece, the wife of King George I, and was the second ship to bear this name.

The destroyer's dimensions were 97.5 meters in length, 9.7 meters in beam, and 2.7 meters in draft. Her standard displacement was 1,414 tons, and she had a complement of 145 crew members.

Here are some of her key specifications:

Her armament included 4 x 5-inch guns, 1 x 3-inch anti-aircraft gun, and 6 x 20mm anti-aircraft guns.

Wartime Modifications

During her late 1941 refit in Calcutta, India, Vasilissa Olga's armament was revised to better suit her role as a convoy escort.

The ship's rear set of torpedo tubes was replaced by a 3-inch AA gun, and 'Y' gun was removed to increase the number of depth charge throwers and depth charge stowage.

Helicopter on the Ship
Credit: pexels.com, Helicopter on the Ship

To reduce topweight, the 3.7 cm guns were replaced by 20 mm Oerlikonautocannons, which are a type of anti-aircraft gun.

The mainmast was removed and the aft funnel shortened to improve the arcs of fire of her AA guns.

A Type 128 Asdic was fitted to improve her ability to detect submarines. This upgrade allowed Vasilissa Olga to detect and track potential threats more effectively.

Here's a summary of the wartime modifications made to Vasilissa Olga:

Destroyer of Vasilefs Georgios Class

The Vasilefs Georgios class was a type of destroyer used by the Royal Hellenic Navy.

These destroyers were built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd. in Scotland, with the Vasilissa Olga being one of them.

The Vasilissa Olga was commissioned in February 1939, after being launched on June 2, 1938.

She was originally designed to have a standard displacement of 1,414 tons.

Here are some key specifications of the Vasilefs Georgios class:

The Vasilissa Olga was a successful ship, participating in several naval operations during the Second World War.

Her crew was made up of 145 members.

Commands for RHS Vasilissa Olga D 15

Credit: youtube.com, I Vasilissa

The RHS Vasilissa Olga D 15 is a ship class that can be controlled using specific commands.

To start the engine, you'll need to use the "engineOn" command.

The RHS Vasilissa Olga D 15 has a speed of 37 knots, which can be increased with the "speed 37" command.

To steer the ship, use the "turn" command followed by the direction you want to turn, for example, "turn left" or "turn right".

To change the ship's direction, use the "set course" command followed by the direction you want to head, for example, "set course north".

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Gretchen Gerhold

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Gretchen Gerhold has established herself as a prolific writer, covering a diverse range of topics including logistics, trade, and economic development. Her articles on container terminals and the logistics sector in India provide deep insights into the complexities of modern supply chain management. Focusing on the state of Kerala, her work on the economy and transport in Kochi highlights the region's significant contributions to India's economic landscape.

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