GREYHOUND-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from Alex. Stephen of Govan under the 1933 Programme in March 1934. The ship was laid down on 15th September that year and launched on 26th August 1935 as the 3rd RN warship to carry the name which dates from 11797 and was last used for a Gun Brig sold in 1815. Build was completed on 25th February 1936 at a cost of £252,920 (excluding Admiralty supplied equipment such as guns, ammunition and communications equipment. She served with in the Mediterranean before the outbreak of war. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942 this ship was 'adopted' by the civil community of Sevenoaks, Kent.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1939 - DUNKIRK  1940 - SPARTIVENTO 1940 - MEDITERRANEAN   1940-41 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Blue, a female head proper

crowned with scallops shells Gold.

 

M o t t o

Nobis Mare Patria:  'The sea is our Fatherland '.

 

 

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 Mediterranean.

 

October                  Transferred with Flotilla for duty in Hone Waters.

                22nd       Passage to UK with ships of D1 for escort duty in SW Approaches.

 

November              Boiler Cleaning at Devonport.

                6th          Carried out unsuccessful search for Blockade Runner in SW Approaches.

                11th        Re-deployed at Harwich with ships of Flotilla for convoy escort and patrol in North Sea.

 

December              North Sea deployment in continuation.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  North Sea deployment in continuation.

 

February

                1st           Transferred to Rosyth in continuation.

                2nd         During escort of Convoy FS84 stood by as BRITISH COUNCILLOR mined in position

                                53.48N 00.34E.

                3rd          Rescued crew of BRITISH COUNCILLOR when she sank and landed them at Rosyth.

                18th        Joined escort for Convoy HN12 as replacement for HM Destroyer DARING.

                25th        Rescued survivors from Swedish ship SANTOS in position 50 miles E. of Duncansby Head.

 

March

                20th        Provided A/S protection for HM Armed Merchant Cruisers CILICIA and CARINTHIA after they

                                had collided in North Sea in position 57.17N 00.42 W).

                28th        Taken in for refit at Southampton

 

April                       Under refit

 

May

                1st           Rejoined Flotilla at Harwich in continuation of North Sea duties.

                10th        Deployed with HM Destroyer BULLDOG to assist in defence of HM Destroyer KELLY

                                during return to Tyne after being damaged in action with E-Boats in North Sea.

                                Embarked crew of HMS KELLY not required for salvage and damage control.

                18th        Took part in rescue of survivors from HM Auxiliary Minelayer PRINCESS VICTORIA with HM

                                Destroyers GRAFTON and FORESIGHT in Humber Estuary.

                                (Note: HMS PRINCESS VICTORIA sank after detonating mine.

                                For details see The Naval Staff History (Mining).)

                25th        Detached for evacuation and support duties in Channel area.

                26th        Participated in evacuation of troops from Dunkirk (Operation DYNAMO).

                28th        Passage to Dunkirk and embarked troops for passage to Dover

                29th        Second trip to Beaches and embarked troops for passage to Dover

                                Sustained damage aft during dive barbing attacks whilst in company with HM Destroyers

                                GRENADE and JAGUAR.

                                Returned to Dover under own power.

                                (For details of DYNAMO see NINE DAYS OF DUNKIRK by A D Divine, BEF SHIPS by

                                J de Winser and Naval Staff History (HMSO – 2003).)

                                (Note: Total of 1,466 personnel were embarked on the two trips.).

                30th        Taken in hand for repair in Hull shipyard.

 

June                        Under repair

                5th          On completion nominated for escort of HM Auxiliary Minelayer TEVIOT BANK and HM

                                Coastal Minelayer PLOVER with HM Destroyer WALPOLE.

                                Deployed for escort during North Sea minelay in East Coast Barrier. (Operation BS11)

                10th        Escort duty for further minelay with HMS WALPOLE (Operation BS12)

                13th        Escort duty for further minelay with HMS WALPOLE (Operation BS14)

                                (Note: For details of minelaying operations see Naval Staff History (MINING).

                15th        Resumed North Sea escort and patrol duties.

                21st         Detached for duty with Home Fleet and took part in unsuccessful search for the German

                                warships SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU in NW Approaches by HM Battlecruisers

                                RENOWN and REPULSE.

 

July                         Nominated for service in Mediterranean and taken in hand for refit at Chatham.

                                3in Anti-Aircraft gun mounting fitted.

                24th        On completion of post refit trials took passage to Gibraltar to Join Force H.

                                Part of escort for HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS, HM Armed Merchant Cruiser MALOJA

                                and Middle East convoy with HM Destroyers GREYHOUND, ENCOUNTER and HOTSPUR.

                30th        Joined 13th Destroyer Flotilla for Fleet screening and patrol duties.

                31st         Joined HMS ARGUS as screen with HM Destroyers ENCOUNTER, GREYHOUND and

                                HOTSPUR during delivery of aircraft to Malta covered with ships of Force H.

                                (Operation HURRY - This was coincident with a diversionary attack on Cagliari by aircraft

                                from HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL (Operation CRUSH).

                                (For details of operations in Western Mediterranean see Naval Staff History (HMSO-2001),

                                THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre and ENGAGE THE ENEMY

                                MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).

 

August

                4th          Returned to Gibraltar after Malta aircraft delivery.

                30th        Joined HM Destroyers GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, HOTSPUR, NUBIAN, MOHAWK,

                                JANUS and HERO in Force A as screen for HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM

                                Battleship VALIANT, HM Cruisers COVENTRY and CALCUTTA (Force F) during passage

                                reinforce Fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean (Operation HATS).

 

September             Passage to Malta with Force A.

                13th        Resumed duty at Gibraltar with Flotilla.

 

October                  Gibraltar deployment in continuation.

                20th        Participated in sinking of Italian submarine LAFOLE with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN and

                                HOTSPUR east of Gibraltar in position 35.50N 02.53W

                31st         Part of screen for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN and H M Battleship BARHAM with HM

                                Destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FIREDRAKE, FORTUNE, GREYHOUND and

                                GRIFFIN during surveillance of Vichy French naval movements off Morocco.

 

November              Nominated for transfer to Mediterranean Fleet based at Alexandria.

                5th          Reinforced defence of Convoy HX84 under in Atlantic after it had been attacked by commerce

                                raider.

                7th          Joined HMS BARHAM, HM Cruiser BERWICK and HM Cruiser GLASGOW in Force F with

                                HM Destroyers GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN and ENCOUNTER as screen for passage to join

                                Fleet in Eastern Mediterranean covered by ships of Force H (Operation COAT).

                10th        Arrived in Malta with ships of Force F.

                23rd        Joined HM Destroyers GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, HOTSPUR and IMPERIAL in 14th Destroyer

                                Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet for screening duties.

24th        Part of Force D as screen for HMS RAMILLIES, HM Cruisers BERWICK, NEWCASTLE

                with HM Destroyers DIAMOND, DEFENDER, GREYHOUND and HEREWARD as escort

                during transit to Western Mediterranean.

                                (Note: HMS RAMILLIES was considered unsuitable for service in the Mediterranean and HMS

                                NEWCASTLE was returning to UK for repair)

                                (Operation COLLAR: - This also covered Convoy MG1 to Gibraltar and military convoy

                                to Alexandria as well as passage of HM Cruisers MANCHESTER, SOUTHAMPTON

                                and four corvettes to Join Fleet at Alexandria as reinforcements).

                27th        Took part in engagement with Italian Fleet units during which the enemy ships withdrew.

                                (Battle of Spartivento - Action of Admiral Sir James Somerville in failing to pursue the enemy

                                was criticised but he was later exonerated from any blame by a Board of Inquiry. See ENGAGE

                                THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).

                28th        Escorted supply ships from COLLAR convoy with same destroyers.

                29th        Arrived at Alexandria with COLLAR convoy.

 

December              Nominated for screening duties during cover by Mediterranean Fleet for passage of Malta

                                convoys, ME5 eastbound and MW5 westbound. (Operation MC2)

                16th        Deployed with HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Battleships WARSPITE, VALIANT,

                                HM Cruisers AJAX, GLOUCESTER, ORION, SYDNEY (RAN) and YORK with ten

                                destroyers to cover passage of convoys.

                24th        Returned to Alexandria with Fleet units.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

                7th          Joined HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS WARSPITE and HMS VALIANT with HM Destroyers

                                DAINTY, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK and NUBIAN as Force A to

                                cover passage of convoys in eastern Mediterranean (MW51, ME5l and ME6 (Operation MC4).

                9th          Deployed with same ships to cover the passage of military convoy from Gibraltar that was being

                                escorted and covered by ships of Force H.

                                (Operation EXCESS - For details see above references).

                10th        Mined in position 36.24N 12.10E SE of Pantellaria after meeting convoy.

                                Bow section separated and heavy loss of life.

                                65 killed with 15 injured.

                                Survivors rescued by HM Destroyer GRIFFIN.

                                Stern section towed to Malta by HM Destroyer MOHAWK.

                11th        Paid off Into Dockyard Control at Malta for repair.

 

February                Under repair in Malta.

to

December

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Under repair in Malta

to                            Completion date in June anticipated.

March

 

April

                5th          Extensively damaged by near miss and beached at Pinto Wharf.

                                Declared Constructive Total Loss and de-equipped.

 

Special   Note

 

In 1943 the hulk of this ship was used as a Blockship in St Pauls Bay. The wreck was broken up during 1953.

 

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS GALLANT

by Don Kindell

 

This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)