View source for HMS Grenville (R97)

{{short description|V-class destroyer converted to Type 15 frigate of the Royal Navy}}
{{Other ships|HMS Grenville}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = HMS Grenville 1943 IWM FL 003249.jpg
| Ship caption= ''Grenville'' on the River Tyne, May 1943
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header= 
| Ship country= United Kingdom
| Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
| Ship name= ''Grenville''
| Ship builder=[[Swan Hunter]], [[Tyne and Wear]], [[United Kingdom]]
| Ship yard number=
| Ship namesake= 
| Ship ordered = 
| Ship laid down= 1 November 1941
| Ship launched= 12 October 1942
| Ship commissioned= 27 May 1943
| Ship decommissioned= 
| Ship in service= 
| Ship out of service= 
| Ship struck= 
| Ship reinstated= 
| Ship honours= 
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]] F197
| Ship fate= [[ship breaking|Scrapped]], 1983
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header= 
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[U and V-class destroyer|V-class destroyer]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1777|LT|t|lk=on}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
*{{convert|2058|LT|t|0}} ([[full load]])
|Ship length={{convert|363|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|35|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*Geared steam turbines, {{convert|40000|shp|0|abbr=on}}
*2 shafts
|Ship power=
|Ship speed={{convert|37|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|4860|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|29|kn}}
|Ship complement= 180 (225 in flotilla leader)
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*''Original configuration'' :
*4 × [[QF 4.7-inch Mk IX & XII naval gun|QF 4.7-inch (120-mm) Mk XII guns]] in single mountings [[British ordnance terms#CP|CP]] Mk.XXII
*2 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|QF 40 mm Bofors]] guns in twin mount Mk.IV
*6 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|QF 20 mm Oerlikon]] guns; 2 × twin mounts Mk.V, 2 × single mounts Mk.III
*2 × quadruple tubes for [[British 21-inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} torpedo Mk.IX]]
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Header caption=Type 15 frigate
|Ship class=[[Type 15 frigate]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|2300|LT|t|0}} standard
|Ship length={{convert|358|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|37|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|14|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=*2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers,
*[[steam turbine]]s on 2 shafts,
*40,000&nbsp;shp
|Ship speed={{convert|31|kn}} (full load)
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=174
|Ship crew=
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=*Radar
* [[Type 293 radar|Type 293Q]] target indication (later Type 993)
* [[Type 277 radar|Type 277Q]] surface search
* Type 974 navigation
* [[List of World War II British naval radar#Type 262|Type 262]] fire control on director ''CRBF''
* Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF
*Sonar:
* Type 174 search
* Type 162 target classification
* Type 170 attack
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*1 × twin 4&nbsp;in gun Mark 19
*1 × twin [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40mm&nbsp;Bofors]] Mk.5;
*2 × [[Squid (weapon)|Squid A/S mortar]] or;
*2 × [[Limbo (weapon)|Limbo Mark 10 A/S mortar]]
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Grenville''''' was the second ship of this name to serve with the Royal Navy in the [[World War II|Second World War]]. ''Grenville'' and seven other [[U and V-class destroyer|U-class destroyer]]s were ordered as part of the Emergency Programme. She was launched at [[Swan Hunter]] and Wigham Richardson Ltd., Wallsend-on-Tyne on 12 October 1942 and commissioned on 27 May 1943.

The Royal Navy's practice had been to name all destroyers of a class with names starting with the class letter, in this "U". However, the Royal Navy had reverted to an earlier practice of naming the flotilla leader after a prominent historical seaman, in this case after Vice Admiral Sir [[Richard Grenville]], an [[Elizabethan era|Elizabethan]] soldier and sailor.

==Design and construction==
''Grenville'' was one of eight [[U and V-class destroyer|U-class]] destroyers ordered as the 7th Emergency Flotilla on 12 June 1941, and was fitted as [[Destroyer leader|leader]].<ref name="friedp90-1,328">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|pp=90–91, 328}}</ref> The U-class were [[War Emergency Programme destroyers]], intended for general duties, including use as anti-submarine escort, and were to be suitable for mass-production. They were based on the hull and machinery of the pre-war [[J-, K- and N-class destroyer|J-class]] destroyers, but with a lighter armament (effectively whatever armament was available) in order to speed production.<ref name="friedp53-5,86-7">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|pp=53–55, 86–87}}</ref><ref name="whitp124-7">{{Harvnb|Whitley|2000|pp=124–127}}</ref> The U-class were almost identical to the S-class ordered as the 5th Emergency Flotilla and the R-class ordered as the 6th Emergency Flotilla earlier in the year, but were not fitted for operations in Arctic waters.<ref name="whitp132">{{Harvnb|Whitley|2000|p=132}}</ref>

The U-class were {{convert|362|ft|9|in|m}} [[length overall|long overall]], {{convert|348|ft|0|in|m}} [[waterline length|at the waterline]] and {{convert|339|ft|6|in|m}} [[length between perpendiculars|between perpendiculars]], with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|35|ft|8|in|m}} and a [[Draft (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|10|ft|0|in|m}} mean and {{convert|14|ft|3|in|m}} full load.<ref name="whitp132"/><ref name="lenv2p27">{{Harvnb|Lenton|1970|p=27}}</ref> [[Displacement (ship)|Displacement]] was {{convert|1777|LT|t}} standard and {{convert|2528|LT|t}} full load.<ref name="lenv2p27"/> Two [[Three-drum boiler#Admiralty boiler|Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boilers]] supplied steam at {{convert|300|psi|kPa}} and {{convert|630|F|C}} to two sets of [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] single-reduction geared [[steam turbine]]s, which drove two propeller shafts. The machinery was rated at {{convert|40000|shp|kW}} giving a maximum speed of {{convert|36|kn|mph km/h}} and {{convert|32|kn|mph km/h}} at full load. 615 tons of oil were carried, giving a range of {{convert|4675|nmi|mi km}} at {{convert|20|kn|mph km/h}}.<ref name="lenv2p27"/>

The ship had a main gun armament of four [[QF 4.7-inch Mk IX & XII naval gun|4.7 inch (120 mm) QF Mk. IX]] guns, capable of elevating to an angle of 55 degrees, giving a degree of anti-aircraft capability.<ref name="conways22 p42-3">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Chesneau|1980|pp=42–43}}</ref><ref name="fried p94-5">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|pp=94–95}}</ref> The close-in anti-aircraft armament for the class was one Hazemayer stabilised twin mount for the [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm gun]] and four twin [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]s.<ref name="lenv2p27"/><ref name="friedp98-9">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|pp=98–99}}</ref>  This was modified in 1945, with 5 single 40mm Bofors guns added, with one manually-operated Mark III mount in the searchlight position and four power-operated "Boffin" mounts replacing the twin Oerlikon mounts.<ref name="friedp99">{{harvnb|Friedman|2008|p=99}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Raven|Roberts|1978|p=47}}</ref> Two quadruple mounts for [[British 21-inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm) torpedoes]] were fitted (these were actually spare quintuple mounts with the centre tube removed), while the ship had an depth charge outfit of four depth charge mortars and two racks, with a total of 70 charges carried.<ref name="lenv2p27"/>

''Grenville'' was fitted with a Type 291 air warning [[radar]] on the ship's tripod [[foremast]], together with a [[high-frequency direction finding]] (HF/DF) aerial,<ref name="lenv2p27"/><ref name="whitp132"/> with the tripod mast later replaced by a lattice mast.<ref name="lenv2p27"/> A Type 285 fire control radar integrated with the ship's high-angle gun director, while the Hazemayer mount had an integrated Type 282 radar.<ref name="lenv2p27"/> As leader, ''Grenville'' had a crew of 225 officers and other ranks.<ref name="lenv2p27"/>

''Grenville'' was [[keel laying|laid down]] at [[Swan Hunter]]'s [[Wallsend]] shipyard on 1 November 1941 and was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 12 October 1942. She was completed on 27 May 1943, and assigned the [[Pennant number]] R97.<ref name="friedp328">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|p=328}}</ref><ref name="Engp207">{{harvnb|English|2008|p=207}}</ref>

===Type 15 modification===
After the end of the Second World War and as the [[Cold War]] started, the Royal Navy found itself with a shortage of fast anti-submarine escorts capable of dealing with modern Soviet diesel-electric submarines, with existing sloops and frigates too slow. At the same time, the relatively recent War Emergency destroyers, with their low-angle guns and basic fire control systems, were considered unsuitable for modern warfare, so it was decided to convert these obsolete destroyers into fast escorts, acting as a stop-gap solution until new-build ships, such as the [[Whitby-class frigate|Type 12 frigate]]s could be built in sufficient numbers.<ref name="conways47p512-3">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Chumbley|1995|pp=512–513}}</ref><ref name="mard p39">{{Harvnb|Marriott|1989|p=39}}</ref> The [[Type 15 frigate]] was a rebuild of War Emergency destroyers into 'first-rate' anti-submarine ships, with similar anti-submarine equipment as the new frigates. The ships' superstructure and armament was removed, with the ships' [[forecastle]] extended rearwards and a new, low but full width superstructure fitted.<ref name="conways47p512-3"/><ref name="mard p39"/> The revised ships had a much reduced gun armament of one twin [[QF 4-inch naval gun Mk XVI|4-inch (102 mm)]] anti aircraft mount aft of the main superstructure and one twin Bofors mount, but anti-submarine equipment was as fitted to the Type 12s, with ''Grenville'' being fitted with two [[Limbo (weapon)|Limbo]] anti-submarine mortars, directed by Type 170 and 172 sonar.<ref name="conways47p512-3"/><ref name="fried p219-1">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2008|pp=219–221}}</ref><ref name="marf p34">{{Harvnb|Marriott|1983|p=34}}</ref>

==Service history==

===Second World War service===
[[File:Allied Naval Reconnaissance in Enemy Waters. 25 To 29 July 1943, on Board HMS Greenville during a Large Scale Reconnaissance Carried Out by British and American Battleships, Cruisers, Aircraft Carriers and Destroyers. Fo A18340.jpg|left|thumb|Gunners on board HMS Grenville during a Large Scale Reconnaissance Carried Out by British and American Battleships, Cruisers, Aircraft Carriers and Destroyer 25–29 July 1943 (IWM A18340)]]
In late August 1943, ''Grenville'' and the Canadian destroyer {{HMCS|Athabaskan|G07|2}} formed the force covering [[anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine]] sweeps by the Canadian 5th Support group, off north-west Spain. These ships were attacked by eighteen [[Dornier Do 217]]s using [[Henschel]] [[Henschel Hs 293|Hs293 A-1]] glider bombs. ''Athabaskan'' was heavily damaged and the [[sloop-of-war|sloop]] {{HMS|Egret|L75|2}} was sunk with the loss of 194 of her crew. After this, the [[U-boat]] hunt was abandoned.<ref>{{cite book|ISBN=0718300947|title=Destroyer Captain|year=1975|author=Roger Hill|pages=116–121}}</ref>

Later on, in September and October, ''Grenville'' was involved in a series of blockade runner sweeps along the French coast ([[Operation Tunnel]]).

On 4 October, she joined in an action with enemy destroyers in which she was hit and suffered a small number of casualties. Later in October, during another of these sweeps, ''Grenville'' was with the cruiser {{HMS|Charybdis|88|2}} and other destroyers in another, more disastrous, [[Battle of Sept-Îles|Operation Tunnel action]] against a blockade runner off the north coast of [[Brittany]]. In this operation, the cruiser ''Charybdis'' and destroyer [[HMS Limbourne (L57)|''Limbourne'']] were sunk by German {{sclass2|Elbing|torpedo boat}}s.

In November, ''Grenville'' joined the 24th Destroyer Flotilla and the [[Mediterranean Fleet (Royal Navy)|Mediterranean Fleet]]. In the Mediterranean, she supported the [[Operation Shingle|Anzio landings]], sunk an [[E-boat]] and destroyed a train near [[San Giorgio di Nogaro|San Giorgio]] on the [[Adriatic Sea]].

On 3 December, she was ordered to refuel, arriving immediately after the [[air raid on Bari]], a [[mustard gas]] disaster.<ref>{{cite book|ISBN=0718300947|title=Destroyer Captain|year=1975|author=Roger Hill|pages=176–177}}</ref>

In May 1944, ''Grenville'' returned to Britain and in June took part in the [[Operation Neptune|landings in Normandy]].

At the end of 1944, after a refit on the [[Humber]], she left for the Indian Ocean where she joined operations against the Japanese. In January 1945, ''Grenville'' and three other U-class destroyers forming the 26th Destroyer Flotilla, escorted the British carrier force (Task Force 63) that became the [[British Pacific Fleet]]. After raids against Japanese installations on [[Sumatra]], TF63 left for [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], via [[Sydney]], where there were air strikes on Japanese airfields in support of [[Battle of Okinawa|Operation Iceberg]]. Later, ''Grenville'' participated in the final raids on the Japanese home islands. Near the end of the Pacific war, several Allied warships began to relay Australian programmes to surrounding areas on shortwave. ''Grenville'' was one of these heard relaying the commercial programmes from [[2KY Sydney]] in January 1946.

===Post-war===
[[File:HMS Grenville (F197) fires Limbo Mk 10 mortar.jpg|thumb|''Grenville'' firing her [[Limbo (weapon)|Limbo]] mortar after conversion to an ASW frigate]]

''Grenville'' served as part of the 25th Destroyer Flotilla in the Pacific and in 1946 and returned to Portsmouth where she was placed in reserve.  In 1951 she served as part of the Plymouth Local Flotilla and was used as an air training target vessel in October 1951. She collided with the Italian ship ''Alceo'', off [[Start Point, Devon|Start Point]], Devon. Three crewmen on the ''Grenville'' died and another four were listed as missing. After repairs she was re-commissioned at Devonport on 5 August 1952.<ref>{{cite book|last=Critchley |first=Mike |title=British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers |publisher=Maritime Books |place=Liskeard, UK |date=1982 |isbn=0-9506323-9-2 |pages=64}}</ref>

In 1953 - 54, she was extensively converted and re-armed into a [[Type 15 frigate]]. On 19 March 1954 she re-commissioned as leader of the 2nd Training Squadron, based at Portland.<ref>Royal Navy Senior Appointments, Colin Mackie</ref> In 1957 she was fitted with an experimental helicopter landing pad for use during trials with the [[Fairey Ultra-light Helicopter]]. In December 1958 she replaced {{HMS|Torquay|F43|2}} in the [[5th Frigate Squadron (United Kingdom)|5th Frigate Squadron]]. Between 1960 and 1964 she was held in reserve at Gibraltar.

In June 1966 she arrived back in Portsmouth under tow and was subsequently fitted with a third mast carrying experimental air-search [[radar]], prior to its operational use in {{sclass|Invincible|aircraft carrier}}s. She attended Portsmouth Navy Days in 1967.<ref>Programme, ''Navy Days Portsmouth, 26th–28th August 1967'', HMSO, p19.</ref> In 1969 she replaced {{HMS|Wakeful|1943|2}} in the [[2nd Frigate Squadron (United Kingdom)|2nd Frigate Squadron]].

In 1970 she was again present at Portsmouth Navy Days; at the time she was a trials ship for the Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment (ASWE).<ref>Programme, ''Navy Days Portsmouth, 29th–31st August 1970'', p19.</ref>

''Grenville'' was paid off in 1974 and laid up in Portsmouth before being scrapped on the River Medway in 1983.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|last1=Colledge|first1=J. J.|authorlink1=J. J. Colledge|last2=Wardlow|first2=Ben|last3=Bush |first3=Steve |title=Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present |year=2020|publisher=Seaforth Publishing |location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-5267-9327-0 |name-list-style=amp|edition=5th}}
* {{cite book |last=English |first=John |title=Obdurate to Daring: British Fleet Destroyers 1941–45 |publisher=World Ship Society |location=Windsor, UK |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-9560769-0-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Friedman |first=Norman |title=British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After |year=2008 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |location=Barnsley, UK |isbn=978-1-84832-015-4}}
* {{cite book |editor-last1=Gardiner |editor-first1=Robert |editor-last2=Chesneau |editor-first2=Roger |title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 |year=1980 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Gardiner |editor1-first=Robert |editor2-last=Chumbley |editor2-first=Stephen |title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995 |year=1995 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland, USA |isbn=1-55750-132-7}}
* {{cite book | last = Hill | first = Roger | title = Destroyer Captain |year=1975 |location=London |publisher=Kimber |isbn=0718300947 }}
* {{cite book |last=Lenton|first=H.T.|title=Navies of the Second World War: British Fleet & Escort Destroyers Volume Two|year=1970|publisher=Macdonald & Co.|location=London|isbn=0-356-03122-5}}
* {{cite book |last=Marriott|first=Leo|title=Royal Navy Frigates 1945–1983|year=1983 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton, UK |isbn= 0-7110-1322-5}}
* {{cite book |title=Royal Navy Destroyers since 1945 |first=Leo |last=Marriott |publisher=Ian Allan |year=1989 |isbn=0-7110-1817-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/royalnavydestroy0000marr }}
* {{cite book |last1=Raven |first1=Alan |last2=Roberts |first2= John|title=War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes |publisher=Bivouac Books |location=London |year=1978 |isbn=0-85680-010-4}}
* {{cite journal|last1=Richardson|first1=Ian|editor1-last=Osborne|editor1-first=Richard |title=Type 15 Frigates, Part 2: Ship Histories|journal=Warships: Marine News Supplement |date=August 2021|volume=75|issue=8|pages=381–391 |issn=0966-6958}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1 |location=Annapolis, Maryland |author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}
* {{cite book |last=Whitley |first=M. J. |title=Destroyers of World War 2: An International Encyclopedia |year=2000 |publisher=Cassell & Co. |location=London |isbn=1-85409-521-8}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last1=Whitby |first1=Michael |editor1-last=Jordan |editor1-first=John |title=Warship 2022 |date=2022 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford|pages=29–46 |isbn=978-1-4728-4781-2 |chapter=The Challenges of Operation 'Tunnel', September 1943 — April 1944}}

== External links ==
*{{cite web
  | title = uboat.net
  | url = http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4219.html
  | access-date =24 December 2006 }}
*{{cite web
  | last = Lewis
  | first = Gareth
  | title = WW2 People's War – HMS Grenville 1943 to 1945
  | publisher = BBC
  | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/17/a2805617.shtml
  | access-date =24 December 2006 }}
* {{cite web| title =H.M.S. Grenville| url =http://www.offshore-radio.de/fleet/grenville.htm| access-date =24 December 2006| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20051219003357/http://www.offshore-radio.de/fleet/grenville.htm| archive-date =19 December 2005}}

{{U and V class destroyers}}
{{Type 15 frigate}}
{{1951 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grenville (R97)}}
[[Category:U and V-class destroyers of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built by Swan Hunter]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tyne]]
[[Category:1942 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Radio ships]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Type 15 frigates]]
[[Category:Cold War frigates of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1951]]