One of four ships of the Kountouriotis class, modification of the Italian Dardo class of destroyers (the Greek ships substituting two dual-barrel turrets for four single mounts), Ydra was built during a period of peace between Italy and Greece. Ydra also witnessed some of the first hostilities between Italy and Greece in July of 1940, when she was attacked by Italian aircraft sent in response to the British warships operating in Greek waters. When war broke out, Ydra shelled several Italian harbours unopposed in the Straight of Otranto; the German intervention and the arrival of the Luftwaffe would see her demise. On her way to rendez-vous with the submarine Papanikolos and the cargo ship Marimesk, she was sunk by part of a passing flight of German bombers near the island of Legousa.
University Student— Lover of Plato, Aristotle, War At Sea, Palestrina, and Mozart