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
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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
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Date convoy arrived
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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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28/09/39
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28/09/39
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GREEN 3
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03/10/39
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07/10/39
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22/10/39
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22/10/39
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HG 004
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29/10/39
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29/10/39
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25/10/39
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06/11/39
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HX 006
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06/11/39
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06/11/39
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(Note on Convoys)