GREYHOUND-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from
John I Thornycroft at Woolston under the 1933 Build Programme on 5th March 1934 at a tender
price of £248,785. The ship was laid down on 15th August that year as Yard No.
1125 and launched on 22nd July 1935.She was the 3rcl RN warship to carry the
name dating from 1906 and previously used for a River Gunboat sold in 1928.
Build completion date was 22nd January 1936 and this destroyer served in the Mediterranean Fleet until
September 1939.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
WHITE SEA 1919 - ATLANTIC 1939 - NORWAY 1940
H e
r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Blue, a
lantern Black with rays issuing Silver
M o t t o
Ex tenebris lux: 'Out of darkness light'.
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 at Alexandria.
3rd Carried
out patrol for interception of mercantiles to reinforce blockade.
October Transferred
with Flotilla for duty in Western Approaches Command.
19th Passage
to UK with HM Destroyers GALLANT, GRAFTON and GREYHOUND of Flotilla for
escort and patrol duty.
22nd Arrived at
Plymouth and deployed in SW Approaches.
November Convoy escort
and Anti-submarine patrol based at Plymouth.
12th
Transferred to 22nd Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich for North Sea patrol and
escort duty.
December North Sea
deployment in continuation.
1 9 4 0
January North Sea
deployment in continuation.
February
22nd Hit by
Swedish ship REX when at anchor in fog off Outer Dowsing with significant
structural damage.
25th Taken in
hand for repair at commercial shipyard in Hull
.March Under
repair.
Transferred back to 1st Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet
20th On
completion took passage to rejoin Flotilla at Scapa Flow.
22nd Deployed
for screening of major Fleet units in North Sea and NW Approaches.
April Home
Fleet duties in continuation.
5th Part of
escort for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN with HM Destroyers GREYHOUND, HERO
and
HYPERION to provide cover for minelaying operation off Norway.
(Operation WILFRED)
(For
details of all minelaying operations see the Naval Staff History (Mining) and
for
movements prior to operations off Norway, see NARVIK by D MacIntyre, CARRIER
GLORIOUS by J Winton and Naval Staff History (HMSO, 2001).
6th Detached
to search for man lost overboard.
8th In
action with German cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER and two destroyers.
Carried out torpedo attack and sustained major damage from return fire.
Rammed HIPPER and sank soon afterwards in position 64.27N 06.28E.
111
of the ships company were killed and 39 were taken prisoner.
Her
captain, Lieutenant Commander B G Roope was subsequently awarded the
Victoria
Cross.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS GLOWWORM
by Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above
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Date convoy sailed
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Joined convoy as escort
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Convoy No.
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Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
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12/09/39
|
12/09/39
|
L 002
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19/09/39
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19/09/40
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05/09/39
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13/09/39
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RED 1
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16/09/39
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27/09/39
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20/09/39
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20/09/39
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BLUE 002
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30/09/39
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30/09/39
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28/09/39
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03/10/39
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RED 2
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09/10/39
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09/10/39
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04/10/39
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25/10/39
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KJ 003
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26/10/39
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28/10/39
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25/10/39
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06/11/39
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HX 006
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unknown
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06/11/39
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(Note on Convoys)