In 1918, Opal and a sister ship accompanied a light cruiser in a search for German vessels that might be laying mines near the Scottish coast. The destroyers displaced only a little over 1,000 tons fully loaded, and the cruiser captain ordered them home because of the weather. Near 21:30, a message reported that Opal had run aground, but conditions prevented ships from finding her for two days. Both destroyers were discovered wrecked, with very few survivors. Survivor testimony describes a slow course, frequent soundings and radio reports before the grounding. The navigation error was probably shared by the officers working on the ship's position, although responsibility remained with Opal's captain as the leader.
Chapter · 31:05-33:29
Opal's loss in severe weather and a navigation error
A patrol against possible minelayers ended with Opal and another destroyer wrecked while returning in severe weather.