Greyhound
or G-Class
Fleet Destroyer ordered from
Vickers Armstrong, Newcastle under the 1933
Programme on 5th March 1934. The ship was
laid down as Yard Number 699 on
20th September that year with sister ship
HMS GRIFFIN in the same shipyard. Both ships
were launched on
15th August 1935. This destroyer was the
22nd RN warship to carry the name that dates
firm 1545 when used for a
15 gun ship. Build was completed on lst
February 1936 at a cost of
£248,788,excluding Admiralty supplied
equipment, such as guns, ammunition and
communications equipment. Before beginning
service with the 1st
Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean she
was deployed briefly in Home
waters. Her Mediterranean service included
escort duty during the Munich
crisis.
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
ARMADA 1588 -
DOVER 1652 - KENTISH KNOCK 1652 - FOUR
DAY'S BATTLE 1666 - BARFLEUR 1692 -
MARTINIQUE 1762 - OFF MARTINIQUE 1780 -
EGYPT 1801 - DOVER
PATROL 1915-16 - ATLANTIC 1939 - NORWAY
1940 - DUNKIRK 1940 - SPARTIVENTO 1940 -
MATAPAN 1941 - CRETE 1941 - LIBYA 1941-42 -
MALTA CONVOYS 1941 - MEDITERRANEAN 1941
H
e r l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a
Field Blue, on
a mount Green a Greyhound Silver.
M
o t t o
Carte ac
celeriter: 'Surely and swiftly'.
S
u m m a r y o f P r
e
– W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 3 6
January
Contractors trials
February
1st
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials
Commissioned for service in 1st Destroyer
Flotilla Mediterranean Fleet based in Malta.
On completion of trials and storing took
passage to Portland.
Worked up for operational service.
March
On completion deployed briefly in Home
waters with 20th Destroyer Flotilla
April
Deployed in Home waters
to
July
August
Passage to Malta to join Flotilla.
September
Deployed with Flotilla in Mediterranean.
to
(Note: Ships will have carried out Flotilla
and Fleet exercises in accordance with
December
the Exercises and
visits Programme for ships of Destroyer
Command.
1 9 3 7
Mediterranean Fleet service with Flotilla.
1 9 3 8
January
Flotilla duties in Mediterranean in
continuation.
to
(Note: During this period ships of the
Mediterranean Fleet were deployed for
April
protection of
British shipping during the Spanish Civil
War and some destroyers
carried out Non-Intervention patrols
under an international agreement. They also
evacuated British nationals to French
ports.
Nominated for return to
UK for routine docking and short refit.
May
Passage to Portsmouth
June
7th
Taken in hand for docking and refit at HM
Dockyard, Portsmouth.
July
23rd
On completion of dockyard work carried out
sea trials before sailing to resume
Flotilla duties in Malta
August
Deployed with Flotilla based in Malta
September
During Munich crisis prepared for war
service and deployed for escort duties
Escorted rms STRATHNAVER from Alexandria to
Malta.
October
Deployed in Red Sea s part of escort for HM Cruiser ARETHUSA during passage
to
Aden
November
Reverted to Fleet Programme of visits and
exercises.
to
December
1 9 3 9
January
Fleet and Flotilla duties in continuation.
to
July
August
War station allocated and took part in Fleet
exercises arranged in preparation for
anticipated hostilities with Italy
(Note: These had been arranged by CinC
Mediterranean.)
Took up war station.
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)
September
Deployed with lst Destroyer Flotilla for
Fleet screening, patrol and Contraband
Control in the Mediterranean.
October
Transferred with Flotilla for duty in Home
waters.
19th
Passage from Gibraltar for deployment in Western Approaches.
23rd
Deployed for anti-submarine patrol and
escort based at Plymouth.
November Transferred
to 22nd Destroyer Flotilla based at Harwich.
12th
Collided in fog with HM Destroyer GIPSY
during their passage to Harwich.
13th
Under repair by HM Dockyard, Sheerness.
16th
Joined Flotilla and deployed for Contraband
Control and escort duties in North
Sea and English Channel.
18th
Rescued survivors from ss SIMON BOLIVAR in
Thames Estuary.
19th
Rescued survivors from ss TORCHBEARER near
Shipwash LV.
December
5th
Rejoined reformed lst Destroyer Flotilla at
Harwich and deployed for convoy
defence.
1 9 4 0
January
North Sea and Channel deployment for convoy defence and Contraband Control
in continuation.
February
11th
Midshipman and six ratings lost when sea
boat capsized during boarding of
mercantile
for inspection.
16th
Taken in hand for refit commercial shipyard
at Hull.
March
Under refit.
18th
Rejoined Flotilla in continuation.
April
4th
Transferred with Flotilla for Home Fleet
screening and took passage to Scapa
Flow.
5th
Escorted HM Battlecruiser RENOWN with HM
Destroyers GLOWWORM, HERO
to provide cover for minelay off Norway
(Operation WILFRED).
9th
Took part in brief engagement with HMS
RENOWN against German battleships
GNEISENAU
and SCHARNHORST off Vestfjord, Norway.
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by
Corelli Barnett and the Naval
Staff History).
10th
Deployed with Flotilla in defence of fleet
units after the Battle of Narvik.
Remained in Norwegian waters for support of
military operations and escort
duties.
17th
Returned to Scapa Flow.
16th
Sustained damage in air attack.
22nd
Taken in hand for repair by Green and Silley
Weir at Gravesend
May
Under repair.
19th
On completion of repair took passage to
rejoin Flotilla at Dover.
20th
Deployed at Dover for Flotilla duties in
Channel and southern North Sea.
25th
Provided naval gunfire support with HM
Destroyer GRAFTON against German
forces which were attacking Calais.
27th
Transferred to Dover command to assist in
evacuation of troops from Dunkirk
(Operation DYNAMO).
Passage to Dover.
28th
Embarked 123 troops for passage to Dover.
29th
Embarked 720 troops for passage to Dover.
30th
Embarked 506 troops for passage to Dover.
(For details see Naval Staff History (HMSO
–2003 and NINE DAYS AT
DUNKIRK
by A Divine)
Damaged in air attack whilst returning to
Dover with several casualties to ship’s
company and
troops.
Taken in tow by Polish destroyer BLYSKAWICA
and tugs.
June
Passage to Chatham for repair by HM
Dockyard.
17th
On completion of repair rejoined Flotilla at
Dover.
(Note: Evacuation of troops and allied civil
personnel from French ports in
Channel
and Bay of Biscay were almost complete by
this time (Operations
AERIAL
and CYCLE)
Deployed in Channel and southern North Sea.
July
Deployed at Dover
Nominated for service at Gibraltar in 13th
Destroyer Flotilla.
Passage to Clyde.
24th
Deployed with HM Destroyers ENCOUNTER,
GALLANT and HOTSPUR as
escort for HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS,
mercantiles REINA DEL PACIFICO and
CLAN
FERGUSON during
passage in Atlantic.
(Note: HMS ARGUS was on passage to Gibraltar
with aircraft for delivery to
Malta in
Operation HURRY.)
The mercantiles were on passage to Middle
East.
All the destroyers were on passage to
Gibraltar to join 13th Flotilla.)
30th
Joined Flotilla at Gibraltar.
31st
Deployed with HM Destroyers ENCOUNTER,
GALLANT and HOTSPUR as
escort for HMS
ARGUS during Malta aircraft delivery
(Operation HURRY).
(For details of operations in western
Mediterranean see Naval Staff History
(HMSO –2002) and THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D
MacIntyre).
August
4th
Deployed for convoy defence at Gibraltar on completion of HURRY.
31st
Joined Force A with HM Destroyers GALLANT,
GRIFFIN and HOTSPUR for
screening duty
during passage of HM Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS, HM
Battleship VALIANT, HM Cruisers
COVENTRY and CALCUTTA during passage
to Malta (Operation HATS).
(Notes: These ships were in transit to
Alexandria to join the Fleet at Alexandria)
September
On arrival in Malta took return passage to
Gibraltar.
6th.
Escorted Fleet units to Dakar for attack on
French Fleet (Operation MENACE).
(For details see Naval Staff History and
MENACE by A Marder).
23rd
In action against French destroyer
L'AUDACIEUSE with HM Cruiser
AUSTRALIA
(RAN) and HM Destroyer FURY.
(Note: The French warship beached after
being set on fire but was later
refloated.)
Return passage to Gibraltar on release from
MENACE.
30th
Joined HM Destroyers FORTUNE and FORESTER
for escort of HM Aircraft
Carrier ARK
ROYAL during passage to Liverpool for
routine docking.
October
8th
Arrived in UK.
Return passage to Gibraltar.
31at
Deployed with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR,
FORESTER, GALLANT and
GRIFFIN for
screening of HMS RENOWN during patrol off
West African coast.
Shadowed Vichy French destroyers off coast
of Morocco.
November
4th
Attacked and damaged Italian submarine
BIANCA off the Azores.
Return passage from patrol to Gibraltar.
Nominated for duty with 14th Destroyer
Flotilla at Alexandria.
7th
Joined Force F with HM Destroyers GALLANT,
GRIFFIN and ENCOUNTER as
screen for HM Battleship BARHAM, HM Cruisers
BERWICK and GLASGOW
during passage to Alexandria
(Operation COAT - Transit of reinforcements
for Mediterranean Fleet at
Alexandria).
10th
Joined Mediterranean Fleet units west of
Pantalleria.
(Note: These included HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HM
Battleships MALAYA,
RAMILLIES,
VALIANT and WARSPITE with HM Cruisers
GLOUCESTER,
ORION
and SYDNEY screened by destroyers. HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS was later
detached
to carry out the attack on Italian Fleet at
Taranto).
14th
Joined Flotilla in Alexandria after passage
with Fleet units covering Convoy ME3.
24th
Deployed with HM Destroyers DEFENDER,
DIAMOND, GALLANT and
HEREWARD
as screen for HM Battleship RAMILLIES,
HM Cruisers BERWICK,
COVENTRY
and NEWCASTLE in Force D to cover passage of
Convoy MW4 to
Malta as
Force D. (Operation MB9).
26th
Force D ships joined HM Aircraft Carrier
EAGLE, HMS BARHAM, HMS
MALAYA
(Force C) to meet military convoy and HM
Cruisers SOUTHAMPTON
and
MANCHESTER joining Fleet in the east
Mediterranean (Operation COLLAR)
27th
Remained as escort for military convoy with
HMS COVENTRY, HM Destroyers
DEFENDER,
DIAMOND, GALLANT and HEREWARD when Italian
units were
sighted and later engaged in brief
action with major units of Mediterranean
(Battle of Cape Spartivento).
(For details see Naval Staff History and
above references).
December
1st
Returned to Alexandria with Fleet units
after covering passage of Convoy ME4.
Deployed for convoy defence based at
Alexandria with Flotilla.
1 9 4 1
January
Mediterranean Fleet deployment in
continuation.
7th
Joined HM Destroyers DAINTY, GALLANT,
GRIFFIN, JERVIS, JUNO,
MOHAWK,
NUBIAN as
screen for HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS WARSPITE and
HMS
VALIANT in Force A to provide Distant Cover
for passage of Convoys
MW5 from
Alexandria to Malta and ME6 from Malta
(Operation MC4)
10th
Part of screen for Fleet units during
passage to join military convoy on passage
from Gibraltar to Malta and Piraeus (Operation
EXCESS).
Met convoy south of Pantellaria.
Came under heavy and sustained attacks by
German Fliegerkorps 10, west of
Malta.
(Note: During these attacks HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
was badly damaged..
See above references).
11th
Came under further air attacks HMS
SOUTHAMPTON badly damaged and later
sunk by HMS
ORION.
15th
Returned with Fleet to Alexandria.
18th
Joined HMS JANUS, HMS JERVIS and HMS JUNO for passage to Malta to
escort
damaged HMS ILLUSTRIOUS.
19th
Sank Italian submarine NEGHELLI in Aegean
Sea.
23rd
Sailed with HMS ILLUSTRIOUS to Alexandria.
25th
Arrived at Alexandria.
February
Deployed for screening of Fleet units
covering passage of military convoy to
Malta
22nd
Escort duty south of Crete (Operation MC8)
24th
Returned to Alexandria.
March
6th
During escort of Convoy AS16 in Aegean sank
Italian submarine ANTIFRITE.
Rescued crew of 43.
28th
Escorted Fleet units during Battle of
Matapan and illuminated an enemy cruiser at
beginning of this night action.
Engaged and sank Italian destroyers VITTORIO
ALFIERI and GIOUSUE
CARDUCCI with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN, HAVOCK
and STUART (RAN).
April
Escorted Convoy AN15 to Pireaus from
Alexandria.
Carried out offensive sweeps against
shipping off North Africa with HM
Australian Destroyer
VENDETTA.
17th
Sank Italian sailing ship ROMAGNA off Appollonia.
May
6th Joined
Convoy MW7A from Alexandria for passage to
Malta as escort with HM Cruisers
PHOEBE, DIDO and CALCUTTA, HM Destroyers
DEFENDER and HASTY
(Operation MD4).
8th
Detached from MW7 merged convoy and Joined
Fleet units for escort and cover of the
passage
of military convoy bringing tanks for
8th Army from UK
(Operation TIGER).
12th
On release from TIGER convoy deployed for
support of operations in defence of
Crete.
22nd
During search for invasion craft off Crete
sank Caique in Anti Kithera Channel.
Came under heavy dive bombing attack off
Crete.
Sank in position 30.00N 24.40E after three
direct hits.
Captain and 79 of ship's company killed.
Four were taken prisoner.
Other survivors picked up by HM Destroyers
KANDAHAR and KINGSTON.
(Note: Casualty List was published on 7th
March 1942.)
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS GREYHOUND
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
12/09/39
|
12/09/39
|
L
002
|
19/09/39
|
19/09/40
|
05/09/39
|
13/09/39
|
RED
1
|
16/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
20/09/39
|
20/09/39
|
BLUE
002
|
30/09/39
|
30/09/39
|
28/09/39
|
03/10/39
|
RED
2
|
09/10/39
|
09/10/39
|
18/10/39
|
18/10/39
|
002
P 1
|
23/10/39
|
23/10/39
|
04/10/39
|
25/10/39
|
KJ
003
|
26/10/39
|
28/10/39
|
04/11/39
|
04/11/39
|
OA
030
|
06/11/39
|
07/11/39
|
08/02/40
|
09/02/40
|
FS
0091
|
09/02/40
|
10/02/40
|
20/02/41
|
20/02/41
|
AS
015/1
|
24/02/41
|
24/02/41
|
07/03/41
|
07/03/41
|
AN
018
|
11/03/41
|
11/03/41
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)