H . M
. S . G R E N A D E (H 8
6 )
Greyhound-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from Alex. Stephens, Govan under the 1933Programme during
March 1934. The ship was laid down on
3rd October that year and launched on 12th November 1935 as the 2nd RN warship
to carry the name, first used for a Paddle Steamer (Ex GRENADIER) hired during
WW1. Her build was completed on 28th March 1936 at a coat of £252.560 (excluding equipment supplied by Admiralty
such as guns, ammunition and communications equipment. She served in the 1st
Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet before the outbreak of war.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939 -
NORWAY 1940
-
DUNKIRK 1940
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Green,. a Grenade Black with flames issuant Gold.
M o t t
o
Semper paratus:
'Always ready'.
D e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
September Serving with
1st Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria.
Deployed for patrol and contraband control duty in Mediterranean.
October
Mediterranean Fleet duties in continuation.
Nominated for transfer to Home waters with Flotilla.
25th Passage
to UK. November
November
2nd Deployed
at Plymouth for convoy escort and anti-submarine patrol in SW Approaches
and
English Channel.
7th
Sustained damage In collision with m Destroyer GRENVILLE at
Plymouth.
Stem
twisted and fore-peak flooded.
8th Taken in
hand for repair at Falmouth.
December Under repair.
9th Rejoined
Flotilla now based at Harwich for convoy escort and contraband duty in Nore
Command.
1 9 4 0
January Deployed for
contraband control.
19th Rescued
117 survivors from HM Destroyer GRENVILLE with HM Destroyer
GRIFFIN.
(Note
: HMS GRENVILLE, Leader of 1st Flotilla, was mined 23 miles east of Kentish
Knock
LV).
27th Taken in
hand for refitting in commercial shipyard.
February Under refit.
27th Refit
work completed and took passage for trials.
Damaged in collision with rms ORION at Tilbury.
28th Taken in
hand for Temporary repair to allow passage to Harwich.
March Under
temporary repair
2nd Passage
to Harwich and permanent repair started.
April
3rd Passage
to Scapa to rejoin Flotilla for duty with Home Fleet
. 10th Escorted
tanker BRITISH LADY with HM Destroyer ENCOUNTER to
Skelfjord, Norway
to
supply fuel ships deployed off Norway in support of allied landings
(Operation RUPERT/R4).
14th Deployed
as escort for HM Battleship WARSPITE after 1st Battle of Narvik.
19th Carried
out anti-submarine patrol duty off Lofotens.
26th Escorted
HM Aircraft Carriers ARK ROYAL and GLORIOUS during Carrier Group flying
operations in support of Norwegian military operations and for Fleet protection.
(Operation DX).
27th Escorted
HMS GLORIOUS for passage to Scapa to refuel and replenish aircraft.
29th Passage
from Scapa Flow to Norwegian coast.
30th Deployed
at Namsos during evacuation of allied troops.
May Norwegian
support in continuation.
3rd Rescued
crew of French destroyer BISON damaged during air attacks at Namsos with HM
Destroyer IMPERIAL.
(Note
BISON later had to be scuttled.)
5th Returned
to Scapa Flow for Fleet screening duty.
13th Detached
for duty in English Channel based at Dover.
14th Sustained
damaged above waterline in collision with trawler CLAYTON WYKE in the
Straits of Dover.
15th Taken in
hand for repair by HM Dockyard, Sheerness.
25th On
completion resumed Channel deployment at Dover.
26th Deployed
with HM Destroyers CODRINGTON, JAVELIN and JAGUAR for cover of
evacuation from Dunkirk (Operation DYNAMO)
See
NINE DAYS OP DUNKIRK by AD Divine, BEF SHIPS by J de S Winser and Naval Staff
History (HMSO-2003)
Carried out patrol off beaches for Interception of enemy attacks by E-Boats and
submarines.
27th Patrol
duty and covering duties in continuation..
28th Rescued
survivors of ss ABUKIR with HM Destroyers CODRINGTON, ANTHONY and
JAVELIN after
this mercantile carrying troops had been torpedoed by an E-Boat.
Embarked 871 troops for passage to
Dover
29th Return passage to beaches from Dover with HM Destroyers GALLANT and
JAGUAR.
Under
air attacks without damage.
During evacuation from East Pier,
Dunkirk
came under further air attacks and hit
by three
bombs
that caused significant damage and started fires.
Attempt to tow ship clear was unsuccessful and ship was abandoned as fires could
not be
controlled.
When
fire reached magazines later the ship blew up.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS GRENADE
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
07/09/39 13/09/39 GREEN 1 18/09/39 18/09/39
28/09/39 28/09/39 GREEN 3 03/10/39 07/10/39
30/09/39 05/10/39 BLUE 003 08/10/39 11/10/39
08/10/39 13/10/39 GREEN 4 17/10/39 17/10/39
25/10/39 06/11/39 HX 006 06/11/39 06/11/39
04/03/40 04/03/40 FN 0111 06/03/40 06/03/40
25/03/40 25/03/40 FS 0129 27/03/40 27/03/40
05/04/40 05/04/40 ON 025/1 08/04/40 08/04/40
(Note on Convoys)