GREYHOUND-Class
Flotilla
Leader ordered from Yarrow's of Scotstoun
under the 1933 Programme on
15th torch 1934. The ship was laid
down on 29th September that year and
launched on 15th August 1935 as the 3rd RN
warship to carry the name which dates from
1763 and last used for a Flotilla
Leader sold in 1931. The name commemorates
the name of the Admiral, Sir Richard
Grenville (1541 - 1591) and his famous
action off the Azores in 1591 in HMS
REVENGE. Build was completed on 1st July
1936 at a cost of £275,412, excluding
Admiralty supplied equipment such as guns,
ammunition and radio communications
equipment. She served in the Mediterranean
before the outbreak of war.
B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC
1939 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1943* -
NORMANDY 1944* - ADRIATIC 1944* -
OKINAWA 1945*
(*Awarded
to HM Destroyer GRENVILLE (ii) -
See Below)
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Black, a
Griffin Gold upon a Cap of Maintenance
Proper,
M
o t t o
Deo Patriae
Amicis: 'For God Country and
Friends'.
D
e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
(for more
ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search)
1
9 3 9
September
Deployed with 1st Destroyer Flotilla for
patrol and contraband control In the
Mediterranean.
October
Nominated for transfer with Flotilla for
anti-submarine duty in Home Waters.
22nd
Took passage with HM Destroyers GIPSY,
GRENADE and GRIFFIN.
November
Deployed on anti-submarine patrol in SW
Approaches.
2nd
Carried out unsuccessful search for U-Boat
of Start Point.
5th
Carried out unsuccessful search for U-Boat
off Ushant.
7th
Sustained structural damage in collision
with HMS GRENADE at
Plymouth.
Flooding in one of the Boiler Rooms
8th
Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard,
Devonport.
December
Transferred with Flotilla to Harwich.
1st
Post repair trials on completion.
3rd
Passage to Harwich to rejoin Flotilla for
patrol and convoy defence.
1
9 4 0
January
Patrol and convoy defence in continuation.
15th
Carried out patrol to intercept coastal
shipping between Holland and Germany.
(Operation ST1).
(Note: Severe weather conditions had
prevented use of inland waterways).
18th
Carried out further interception patrol
19th. During return passage detonated mine
in
position 51.39N 02.17E (23 miles east
of Kentish Knock
LV).
77 of the ship's company were killed.
Special Note
The
fourth ship to carry the name was HM
Destroyer GRENVILLE (ii) built by Swan
Hunter
in Newcastle and completed in 1943. This
ship served with distinction in Home
Waters and in the Mediterranean before
joining the British Pacific Fleet in
1945 .
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS GRENVILLE
by
Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been
cross-checked with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/09/39
|
13/09/39
|
RED
1
|
16/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
28/09/39
|
28/09/39
|
GREEN
3
|
03/10/39
|
07/10/39
|
22/10/39
|
22/10/39
|
HG
004
|
29/10/39
|
29/10/39
|
25/10/39
|
06/11/39
|
HX
006
|
06/11/39
|
06/11/39
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)