H . M . S
. G R I F F I
N ( H 3 1 )
Greyhound or
G-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from Vickers Armstrong, Newcastle under 1933 Programme in
March 1934. The ship was laid down on 30th September that year as Yard No 700.
The ship was launched on 15th August 1935.She was the 6th RN warship to carry
the name which dates from 1656 and had been used by 2 merchant ships which
fought against the Spanish Armada in 1588. Build was completed on 6 March 1936
at a cost of £248,528 (excluding Admiralty supplied equipment such as guns,
ammunition and communications equipment. Before beginning Fleet service with
the 1st Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean she was used to carry out
comparative trials using Admiralty design and commercial design propellers.
After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March
1942 this ship was adopted by the civil community of Oldbury,
then in Worcestershire. Yard No on build was 700.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ARMADA
1588 - BEACHY HEAD 1690 - BARFLEUR
1692 - VIGO 1702 -
VELEZ
MALAGA 1704 - CAPE
PASSARO 1718 - NORWAY 1940 - MEDITERRANEAN 1940-41 - MATAPAN
1941 - GREECE 1941 - CRETE
1941 - LIBYA 1942-42 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941-42
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Blue,
a Griffin Gold
M o t t
o
Dentibus ac rostro :
'With teeth and beak’
.D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
September Deployed with
1st Destroyer Flotilla D1 for patrol and contraband control In the
Mediterranean.
October Transferred
with Flotilla for duty in Home Waters.
22nd Took
passage to Plymouth from Gibraltar with HM Destroyers GRENADE, GRENVILLE and
GIPSY.
November Joined Western
Approaches Command and transferred to Harwich with Flotilla
16th Commenced
convoy defence and contraband control duties.
17th Damaged
at Harwich.
19th Taken in
hand for repair in London commercial shipyard.
21st Took
part in rescue of survivors from HM Destroyer GIPSY which sank in the entrance
to
Harwich after detonating a magnetic mine.
(Note: HM Destroyers KEITH and BOADICEA
also assisted in the rescue operations.
December
7th Resumed
duties at Harwich.
1 9 4 0
January Deployed on
North Sea patrol and contraband duties.
19th Took part
in search and rescue operation with HMS GRENADE for survivors from H M
Destroyer GRENVILLE
that had been mine and sunk 23 miles east of Kentish Knock
Light
Vessel
(Note
: 113 men were picked up by these two ships.)
February Patrol and
convoy defence duty based at Harwich in continuation.
2nd During
escort of East Coast southbound Convoy FS 84 with HMS GALLANT, stood by
tanker
BRITISH COUNCILLOR that had been torpedoed by Submarine.
Rejoined convoy.
(Note
: HMS GALLANT detached from escort and took survivors to Rosyth.)
March North Sea
convoy defence, patrol and contraband duties in continuation
(For
details of North Sea activities in 1940 see THREE CORVETTES by M Monsarrat) and
THE
BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST by J P Foynes.)
April
Transferred to Home Fleet at Scapa Flow prior to planned landings in Norway.
(Operation RUPERT/R4).
4th Deployed
in NW Approaches and North Sea.
14th Part of
screen for HM Battleship VALIANT and HM Repair Ship VINDICTIVE with HM
Destroyers CODRINGTON, ACASTA, ARDENT, FEARLESS and BRAZEN, to cover
passage of military convoy taking troops for landing at Narvik.
Convoy destination changed to Namsos.
(For
details of the disastrous naval operations off Norway see CARRIER GLORIOUS by J
Winton, NARVIK by D MacIntyre THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by Adams).
16th Deployed
with Fleet units off Norway.
24th
Intercepted and captured trawler POLARIS believed to be supporting U-Boats In
North Sea
May Deployment
off Norway In continuation.
2nd Took part
in evacuation at Namsos with HM Cruisers DEVONSHIRE, YORK, CARLISLE and
French cruiser MONTCALM, HM Destroyers AFRIDI, NUBIAN, MAORI, KELLY, HASTY,
IMPERIAL, GRENADE, French destroyer BISON and three troopships.
Home
Fleet duties in support of evacuation operations in continuation.
June
Transferred to English Channel in support of evacuation from French ports and
for convoy
defence duty.
July Channel
deployment in continuation.
19th In action
with aircraft off Dover.
24th
Transferred to 13th Destroyer Flotilla at Gibraltar.
Passage to Gibraltar.
August Deployed for
convoy defence and patrol duties.
30th Joined HM Destroyers
NUBIAN, MOHAWK, JANUS, HERO, GALLANT, HOTSPUR and
GREYHOUND in
Force A.
31st Screened
Force F which comprised (HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Battleship
VALIANT, HM Cruisers COVENTRY and CALCUTTA).
(Note
; These ships were on passage to Malta and were to reinforce Mediterranean Fleet
in
Alexandria (Operation HATS).
September
4th Returned
to Gibraltar with HM Destroyers GALLANT, GREYHOUND and HOTSPUR.
October Gibraltar
Flotilla duties in continuation.
22nd
Participated in the sinking of Italian submarine LAFOLE off
Gibraltar with HMS
GALLANT
and
HMS HOTSPUR.
31st Shadowed
movements of Vichy French destroyers off Moroccan coast.
November Transferred to
14th Destroyer Flotilla at Alexandria for duty with Fleet In the
Eastern
Mediterranean.
7th Joined
HM Battleship BARHAM, HM Cruisers BERWICK and
GLASGOW with HM
Destroyers GALLANT, GREYHOUND and ENCOUNTER in Force "F" for passage to Malta
to
reinforce Mediterranean Fleet.
(Note
: Cover for the transit to Malta was provided by Force H. (Operation COAT).
December Deployed with
Fleet in Eastern Mediterranean.
1 9 4 1
January
3rd Screened
HM Battleships WARSPITE, VALIANT and BARHAM during bombardment of
Bardia with HM
Destroyers HEX, GREYHOUND,
JUNO and JANUS.
7th Joined
HM Destroyers JERVIS, JUNO, JANUS,. NUBIAN, MOHAWK, GREYHOUND,
GALLANT and DAINTY as screen for HM Battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT as Force
A.
Covered passage of military convoy to Piraeus in Eastern Mediterranean after
transfer from
Force
H (Operation EXCESS/ MC4).
(Note
: Passage of convoys MW5(F), MW5(S) and ME6 between Malta and Egypt was also
covered by this Operation).
10th Rescued
survivors from HMS GALLANT which was mined 25 miles SE of Pantellaria.
(Note :Stem portion of HMS GALLANT was later
towed to Malta).
15th Re-deployed in Red Sea for convoy escort duty.
February
Provided support for military offensive in Italian Somaliland. (0peration
CANVAS).
March Rejoined
Mediterranean for Fleet duties.
Part
of escort for HMS WARSPITE, HMS VALIANT, HMS BARHAM and HM Aircraft
Carrier
FORMIDABLE, during offensive sweep in
Eastern Mediterranean.
19th Deployed
with HM Cruiser BONAVENTURE, HM Destroyers
GRIFFIN, HAVOCK and
HOTSPUR as
escort for Convoy MW6 for passage to
Malta.
Under
sustained air attacks during transit.
20th
Mercantile ss CLAN FERGUSON joined MW6 with HM Cruisers COVEN1RY,
CALCUTTA
and
COVENTRY.
On
arrival of MW6 in Malta
took passage to rejoin Fleet at Alexandria.
28th Present at Battle of
Matapan as part of screen for Fleet units.
Sank
Italian destroyers VITTORIO ALFIERI and GIOSUE CARDUCCI with HM Destroyers
GREYHOUND and
HAVOCK.
(See
Naval Staff History and MATAPAN by SW Pack).
29th Part of
screen for Fleet units covering passage of military convoys to
Piraeus.
(Operation LUSTRE).
April
Mediterranean Fleet deployment for support of military convoys to Greece in
continuation.
15th Bombarded
Sollum with HM Destroyer STUART (RAN) and HM River Gunboat GNAT
24th Escorted
Convoy AN29 with HM Destroyers DECOY, HASTY, WATERHEN (RAN) and
VENDETTA (RAN).
Detached to join HM Cruiser
COVENTRY and three other destroyers-as escort for ss
PENLAND and ss THIRLAND CASTLE to
evacuate troops from Megara
near
Corinth
(Operation DEMON).
Under
air attacks during which ss PENLAND was sunk.
Rescued survivors from PENLAND and detached to Suda Bay.
(For
details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History).
29th Towed HM
Store Carrier GLENEARN from Aida Bay.
(Note
: Yow was later transferred to HM Sloop
GRIMSBY)
Returned to Greek coast to assist in rescue of survivors.
30th Escorted
HM Netlayer PROTECTOR towing damaged submarine HMS ROVER from Suda
Bay
to
Alexandria
May
18th Deployed
with Fleet units in support of evacuation from Crete.
Embarked allied troops for passage from Suda Bay and Sphakia.
(For
details of Crete Campaign see THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History)
June On
completion of Crete evacuation deployed in support of military operations in
Syria against
to Vichy
French, based at Haifa (Operation EXPORTER)
July
Bombarded vehicles on road between
Haifa
and Beirut.
Part
of escort for cruisers during bombardment near Beirut.
(For
details see RELUCTANT ENEMIES by
W Tute).
August Transferred
to Alexandria for support of Tobruk garrison.
to
Deployed for escort of convoys and transport of mail, troops and supplies.
September Under air
attacks during passages.
Took
part in relief of Australian garrison and replacement by Polish and British
troops.
(See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History)
October Tobruk
support in continuation.
21st Took
part in rescue of personnel from HM River Gunboat GNAT north of Bardia with HM
Destroyer JAGUAR.
(Note
: HMS GNAT had been torpedoed by U99 and badly damaged).
Towed
HMS GNAT until arrival of tugs off Mersa Matruh.)
November Deployed with
2nd Destroyer Flotilla for screening of major Fleet units.
24th Part of
screen for HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, VALIANT and BARHAM with other
Fleet
destroyers during search for enemy supply convoys reported on passage to Bengazi.
25th Took part
in anti-submarine operation after HMS BARHAM had been sunk by U331.
(Note
: HMS BARHAM sank in less than 5 minutes with a loss of 862 lives.
December Deployed with
2nd Destroyer Flotilla for interception of enemy convoys and the
bombardment
of
enemy shore positions at Dena in support of 8th Army advance.
14th Took part
in rescue of 144 survivors from HM Cruiser GALATEA after she had been
torpedoed
by
U557-
(Note
:This cruiser sank almost immediately.)
18th Carried
out operations against human torpedoes at
Alexandria after HMS VALIANT and HMS
QUEEN
ELIZABETH were badly damaged by limpet mines in harbour. See above references.
1 9 4 2
January
16th Joined HM
Cruiser CARLISLE, HM Destroyers ARROW, HASTY and HERO as escort for
Convoy MW8A from Alexandria to Malta (Operation MF3)
(Note
: This convoy comprised supply ships AJAX and THERMOPYLAE).
18th After
escort for joint Convoy MW8A/B transferred to Force K returned to Alexandria.
Taken
in hand for refit
February On completion
resumed Flotilla duties.
13th Joined
Force B as screen for HM Cruisers DIDO, EURYALUS and NAIAD with HM
Destroyers HASTY,
ARROW, HAVOC, JAGUAR, JERVIS, KELVIN and KIPLING for
cover
of Convoy MW9 during passage to Malta and Convoy ME10 from Malta to Egypt.
(Operation MF5).
14th After
Convoy MW9A/B had been overwhelmed and sunk in air attacks returned with
Force B to
Alexandria as escort for Convoy ME10.
(For
details of this disastrous attempt to pass a relief convoy to Malta see above
references).
20th
Transferred with HM Destroyers DECOY, HAVOCK, HASTY, HOTSPUR and HERO of
Flotilla to Eastern Fleet based in Ceylon.
Took
passage to Trincomalee with call at Bombay.
Under
repair at Bombay before joining Eastern Fleet at Colombo.
March Joined Fleet
for screening duties and convoy defence.
28th Allocated
to Force B with HM Destroyers ARROW, DECOY,
NORMAN, FORTUNE,
VAMPIRE (RAN)
and SCOUT for screening of HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES, HM
Battleships RESOLUTION,
REVENGE, ROYAL SOVEREIGN and RAMILLIES, HM
Cruisers CALEDON and DRAGON.
30th Sailed
with Force B ships to intercept Japanese warships in the event of
an attack on
Ceylon
by
carrier aircraft operating in
Indian Ocean.
31st Took
part in unsuccessful search operation with ships of Force B in conjunction with Force A
April
2nd Resumed
search operation with Force B after refuelling at Addu Atoll.
to For
details see OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO)
8th
10th Passage
to Killindini with Force B.
(Note
: Force B ships were dispersed to
East Africa as it was recognised that RN strength in the
Indian Ocean was insufficient to prevent Japanese attack on
Ceylon).
May Deployed
on convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
Detached with HMS FORTUNE and HMS HOTSPUR to reinforce defence for Malta relief
convoy from
Alexandria.
Took
passage To Bombay.
Escorted HM Battleship CENTURION to
Alexandria.
(Note
: HMS CENTURION, launched in 1911, had been disguised to resemble a modem
KING
GEORGE V Class battleship and was to be deployed during Malta relief
convoy operation as a decoy
(See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY)
June Called at
Massawa on passage to Mediterranean with HMS CENTURION.
12th Joined HM
Cruisers CLEOPATRA, DIDO, HERMIONE, EURYALUS, ARETHUSA.,
COVENTRY, NEWCASTLE and BIRMINGHAM for defence of Convoy MW11 to Malta
Operation VIGOROUS).
HMS
CENTURION was deployed with convoy.
See
above references and MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman.
(Note : Other
destroyers in screen were HM Australian Destroyers NAPIER, NESTOR,
NORMAN, NIZAM, HM Destroyers JERVIS, KELVIN, JAVELIN, PAKENHAM,
PALADIN, INCONSTANT, SIKH, ZULU, HASTY and HERO, H M Destroyers
DULVERTON, EXMOOR, CROOME, ERIDGE, AIREDALE, BEAUFORT,
HURWORTH, TETCOTT, ALDENHAM, FORTUNE and HOTSPUR).
14th Under
series of air attacks which continued after nightfall.
15th Threat
from superior force of Italian warships was anticipated and convoy was ordered
to
reverse course.
As a
result of temporary confusion ships became a sitting target for waiting E-Boats which
resulted in sinking of HMS HASTY and damage to HMS NEWCASTLE.
Ships
again ordered to reverse course towards Malta.
After
dawn sustained air attacks were renewed which seriously depleted stocks of
ammunition
and
damaged Escort Destroyer HMS AIREDALE had to be sunk.
Operation was then abandoned.
During return to Alexandria HMS HERMIONE was sunk by U205 and HM Destroyer
NESTOR RAN),
previously damaged in the air attacks had to be scuttled.
For
details of this ill directed and ill conceived operation see THE BATTLE FOR
THE
MEDITERRANEAN, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, MALTA
CONVOYS and Naval Staff History.
July Passage
to rejoin Eastern Fleet at Kilindini.
Resumed convoy escort duty in
Indian Ocean..
August Deployed in
Indian Ocean for convoy defence and interception.
Nominated for refit and conversion for use as an A/S Escort Destroyer.
September Took part in
Eastern Fleet amphibious exercise at Zanzibar.
Passage to Freetown.
October Joined
escort for convoy to Bermuda at Freetown.
On
release from escort took passage to
Southampton.
November
2nd Taken in hand at
Southampton for refit and
conversion for Anti-Submarine escort duties.
(Note
: Work done included:
Two of the 4.7in gun mountings removed.
The forward mouinting was replaced by HEDGEHOG
Ahead Throwing A/S
mounting and additional Depth Charge facilities
were fitted in place of the
after gun.
Warning radar sets Type 286 and 271 were also
added as well as additional 20mm
Oerlikon guns for close range AA defence.
For details of development of A/S weapons and
radar see SEEK AND SRIKE by
W. Hackmann and RADAR AT SEA by D Howse).
December
Under refit
1 9 4 3
January Under refit
to February
March
1st
Transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy.
20th
Commissioned for service as HMCS GRIFFIN.
24th Refit
work completed.
April
10th Renamed
HM Canadian Destroyer OTTAWA, despite the objection of the captain.
(Note
: This name had been previously carried by a Canadian destroyer sunk in the
Atlantic by a U-Boat in September 1942.)
May Worked up
at Tobermory for service as Senior Officer's ship in the 5th Canadian
Escort Group based at St. John's.
Passage to Canada to join
Group for Mid-Ocean Escort duty.
27th Part of
escorted for Convoy HX240.
June Mid Ocean
escort duty in continuation.
10th Formally
handed over to Royal Canadian Navy as a gift.
July
Mid-Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Mid-Atlantic
convoy escort in continuation.
February
24th Escorted
Convoy SC153.
March Mid-Atlantic
convoy escort in continuation.
to
Nominated for duty in support of allied landings in Normandy.
April
(Operation NEPTUNE)
May
Transferred to 11th Canadian Escort Group as Senior Officer's ship.
Passage to Plymouth.
Joined HM Canadian Destroyers CHAUDIERE, GATINEAU, KOOTENAY and ST
LAURENT.
June Deployed
at Plymouth.
4th Carried
out anti-submarine operations with Group to prevent any
entry of U-Boats into
English Channel.
11th
Transferred to Portsmouth Command to improve protection available for convoys to
beach
heads
(For
details of naval activities prior to and during the invasion see
OPERATION
NEPTUNE
by K
Edwards and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY
June 1944 (HMSO)).
July Channel
anti-submarine deployment in continuation.
6th
Participated in sinking of U678 with HMCS KOOTENAY and HMS STATICE in position
50.32N 00.23W. There were no survivors.
See
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
August Re-deployed
in SW Approaches and Bay of Biscay for U-Boat interception.
18th
Participated in sinking of U621 with HMS KOOTENAY and HMCS CHAUDIERE in Bay of
Biscay in position 45.52N 0.26W). There were no survivors. See above reference.
20th
Participated in sinking of U984 with HMCS KOOTENAY and HMCS CHAUDIERE in
English Channel in position 48.16N 05.53W). There were no survivors. See above
reference.
September Deployment in
English Channel in continuation.
October On release
from RN control took passage to
Canada.
12th Taken in
hand for refit at St. John's.
November Under refit.
to December
1 9 4 5
January Under refit
February Rejoined 11th
Escort Group at St. John's for convoy defence off Canadian coast.
March Convoy
defence and support in continuation.
11th Sustained
structural damage in collision with HMCS STRATFORD during A/S sweep off
Halifax.
13th Taken in
hand for repair,
April Carried
out harbour trials
30th Resumed
convey defence duties.
May After VE
Day nominated for trooping duties.
June Deployed
to carry Canadian servicemen back to Canada from UK.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMCS OTTAWA (ii) was paid off
on 31st October 1945 at Sydney, NS on completion of trooping duties and placed
on the Disposal List. She was sold in August 1946 to the International Iron and
Metal Co. for breaking up after a particularly extensive and distinguished
record of operational service in WW2.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS GRIFFIN
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 16/09/39 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
23/10/39 08/11/39 SL 006 10/11/39 10/11/39
11/04/40 13/04/40 NP 001 15/04/40 15/04/40
10/08/40 11/08/40 ZA unknown 19/08/40
29/03/41 29/03/41 GA 008 31/03/41 31/03/41
29/12/41 29/12/41 TA 007/M 31/12/41 31/12/41
03/01/42 03/01/42 AT 011/M 07/01/42 07/01/42
11/01/42 11/01/42 AT 016/M 14/01/42 14/01/42
07/09/42 07/09/42 CF 005 10/09/42 10/09/42
30/09/42 02/10/42 CF 005B 03/10/42 14/10/42
(Note on Convoys)
