HMS Grenville (1916)

Last updated

History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
Name:Grenville
Ordered: February 1915
Builder: Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
Laid down: 19 June 1915
Launched: 17 June 1916
Commissioned: 11 October 1916
Fate: Sold for scrap 17 December 1931
General characteristics
Class and type: Parker-class leader
Displacement: 1,660–1,673 long tons (1,687–1,700 t)
Length:
  • 325 ft (99.1 m) oa
  • 315 ft (96.0 m) pp
Beam: 31 ft 9 in (9.7 m)
Draught: 12 ft (3.7 m) maximum
Propulsion:
  • 4 × Yarrow boilers,
  • Parsons turbines,
  • 3 shafts
  • 36,000 shaft horsepower (27,000 kW)
Speed: 34 kn (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range: 4,920 nautical miles (9,110 km; 5,660 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement: 116
Armament:

HMS Grenville was a Parker-class flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy. She was built by Cammell Laird during the First World War, being launched on 17 June 1916 and completing on 11 October that year. Grenville served with the Grand Fleet for the rest of the war, which she survived. The ship took part in operations in the Baltic during the Russian Civil War in the winter of 1919–1920, before entering a long period of reserve. She was sold for scrap in December 1931.

Contents

Construction and design

In February 1915, the British Admiralty ordered three Parker-class flotilla leaders (i.e. large destroyers intended to lead flotillas of smaller destroyers in action) under the Fourth Emergency War Construction Programme, Grenville and Parker, from the Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird. The Parker class [lower-alpha 1] was an improved version of the earlier Marksman-class flotilla leader with the forward two funnels of the Marksman class merged into one and the ships' bridge moved rearwards, allowing an improved gun layout. [2] [3] [4]

The Parkers were 325 feet (99.1 m) long overall and 315 feet (96.0 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 31 feet 9 inches (9.7 m) and a draught of 12 feet (3.7 m). [1] [5] Displacement was between 1,660 long tons (1,687 t) and 1,673 long tons (1,700 t) normal [lower-alpha 2] and about 1,900 long tons (1,930 t) full load. [2] Four Yarrow boilers fed steam to three sets of Parsons steam turbines, rated at 36,000 shaft horsepower (27,000 kW) [lower-alpha 3] and giving a speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph). Three funnels were fitted. [2] 515 long tons (523 t) of oil fuel were carried, giving a range of 4,290 nautical miles (7,950 km; 4,940 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). [6]

The ship's main gun armament consisted of four QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IV guns mounted on the ships centreline, with the forward two guns superfiring so that one could fire over the other, with one gun between the second and third funnel and one aft. [2] [6] Two 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" anti-aircraft guns were fitted, while torpedo armament consisted of two sets of twin 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes. [2] The standard anti-submarine armament for flotilla leaders such as Grenville from June 1916 onwards was two Type D depth charges on chutes, although the number of depth charges tended to increased as the war progressed and the importance of anti-submarine operations grew. [7] The ship's complement was 116 officers and men. [2] [5]

Grenville, named for the Elizabethan sailor Richard Grenville, [8] was laid down on 19 June 1915 and launched on 17 June 1916. [9] [10] She was commissioned on 10 October 1916. [9] [11]

Service

After commissioning, Grenville joined the recently established 15th Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow as co-leader with sister ship Parker. [12] [13] In December 1916, Grenville was ordered to lead eight destroyers to temporarily reinforce the Harwich Force, to compensate for destroyers detached from Harwich to the Dover Patrol to guard against operations by German torpedo boats in the English Channel, leaving Scapa on 18 December and reaching Harwich on 20 December. [14] [15]

On 22 January 1917, the German Sixth Torpedo Boat Flotilla, consisting of 11 torpedo boats (equivalent in size and armament to British destroyers) set out from Helgoland to Flanders to reinforce the German torpedo boat forces based in the Belgian ports. [16] Decoding of German radio signals by Room 40 warned the British of the German intentions and the Harwich Force was deployed to intercept the German ships on the night of 22/23 January. Grenville led a group of six destroyers patrolling off the entrance to the River Maas, [lower-alpha 4] , with two more groups of destroyers off the Schouwen Bank while two groups of cruisers waited between the Hinder and the Maas. The German force ran into one of the cruiser divisions, with the destroyers V69 and G41 heavily damaged, but the Germans managed to break contact. Several of the British destroyers left their patrol positions on hearing the noise of the engagement with the hope of joining in, and while Grenville initially remained on station, the German ships managed to slip through. One German straggler, SMS S50 encountered a British destroyer patrol and sank the destroyer Simoom before escaping. [18] [19] [20] On the morning of 23 January, while the ships were preparing to return to port, a German submarine fired a torpedo at Grenville. The torpedo missed, and also passed under Meteor without hitting. [21] [11]

On 29 January 1917, as a response to intelligence of a sortie of units of the German High Seas Fleet, (in fact the German light cruiser Graudenz with torpedo boats of II and IX Torpedo-Boat Flotilla sortied to the Hoofden [22] ), Grenville was ordered to lead 12 destroyers and patrol between Lowestoft and Harwich to guard against German raids. The British destroyers saw nothing, although several British submarines on patrol in the North Sea sighted German torpedo boats, and E29 unsuccessfully attacked four torpedo boats. [23] In July 1917, the 15th Flotilla moved from Scapa to Rosyth. [24] On 25 July, Grenville was one of five destroyers escorting a convoy of five empty oilers returning to the United States when the German submarine UC-41 torpedoed and sunk the oiler Oakleaf. [25]

Grenville remained part of the 15th Flotilla at the end of the war, and on 21 November 1918, helped to escort the German High Seas Fleet to the Firth of Forth prior to its internment at Scapa Flow. [11] In early 1919, the Grand Fleet was disbanded, with the Atlantic Fleet taking its place, with Grenville joining the newly reformed 4th Destroyer Flotilla, operating in Irish waters from April to June that year. [11] [13] After repairs at Rosyth and Devonport in November–December 1919, Grenville deployed with the 4th Flotilla to the Baltic as part of the British intervention in the Russian Civil War, from December 1919 to February 1920. [26] [27]

Grenville was placed into reserve on 3 March 1920, where she remained until recommissioning on 27 February 1924 to take part in manoeuvres, returning to reserve at Chatham in August that year. The ship underwent repair at Devonport in 1925, and in 1926 twice briefly recommissioned for trials before returning to reserve. [26] She was sold for £3,905 to Edgar G Rees on 17 December 1931 and scrapped at Llanelli, Wales from 21 February 1932. [26]

Pennant numbers

Pennant number [28] FromTo
G611916March 1917
G85March 1917January 1918
G75January 1918April 1918
G95April 1918October 1919
F54January 19211922

Notes

  1. Also known as the improved Marksman class [1]
  2. Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I gives a normal displacement of 1,666 long tons (1,693 t) in 1919. [5]
  3. The machinery gave 37,865 shp (28,236 kW) during sea trials. [6]
  4. Grenville, Radstock, Sorceress, Rigorous, Rob Roy, Meteor and Melpomene [17]

Citations

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>Laforey</i> (1913) Royal Navy destroyer sunk by a mine off Sussex

HMS Laforey was the lead ship of her class of destroyer built for the Royal Navy. Launched a year before the First World War began, she was attached to the Dover Patrol. Laforey saw action in several engagements with German torpedo boats, including the Battle off Noordhinder Bank and the Action of 17 March 1917. Laforey was sunk in 1917 by a British mine after escorting several freighters to France. She was named for Francis Laforey, captain of HMS Spartiate at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

HMS Laverock was a Laforey-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1913 and entered service in October 1914. Laverock served through the First World War, operating with the Harwich Force and in the English Channel. She was sold for scrap in 1921.

HMS Murray was a Royal Navy Admiralty M-class destroyer. Ordered before the outbreak of war, she was therefore the first of her class to enter operation during the early months of the First World War. She was also the first vessel of the Royal Navy to carry the name HMS Murray.

HMS <i>Nimrod</i> (1915) WWI British Royal Navy flotilla leader

HMS Nimrod was a Marksman-class flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy. She was built by the Scottish shipbuilder Denny, with construction starting in 1914 and completed in August 1915. She served through the remainder of the First World War. She was sold for scrap in 1921.

HMS Lightfoot was a Marksman-class flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy. Construction by J. Samuel White began in June 1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, and the ship was launched and completed in 1915. She survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1921.

HMS <i>Rob Roy</i> (1916)

HMS Rob Roy was a Royal Navy R-class destroyer constructed and then operational in the First World War. The ship served in the Grand Fleet as part of the Fifteenth Destroyer Flotilla.

HMS <i>Manly</i> (1914)

HMS Manly was a Yarrow M-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy. Built by the Scottish shipbuilder Yarrow between 1913 and 1914, Manly served during the First World War. She formed part of the Harwich Force in the early years of the war, and then later in the English Channel as part of the Dover Patrol taking part in the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918. She survived the war, and was sold for scrap in 1920.

HMS Mentor was a Hawthorn Leslie M-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy. Built by the Tyneside shipbuilder Hawthorn Leslie between 1913 and 1915, Mentor served during the First World War. She formed part of the Harwich Force in the early years of the war, taking part in the Battle of Dogger Bank and then later in the English Channel as part of the Dover Patrol. She survived the war, and was sold for scrap in 1921.

HMS <i>Landrail</i> (1914)

HMS Landrail was a Laforey-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy. The Laforey class was the class of destroyers ordered under the Royal Navy's 1912–1913 construction programme, which were armed with three 4-inch (102 mm) guns and four torpedo tubes and were capable of 29 knots. The ship, which was originally to be named Hotspur but was renamed before launch, was built by the Scottish shipbuilder Yarrow between 1912 and 1914,

HMS Lark was a Laforey-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy. The Laforey class was the class of destroyers ordered under the Royal Navy's 1912–1913 construction programme, which were armed with three 4-inch (102 mm) guns and four torpedo tubes and were capable of 29 knots. The ship, which was originally to be named Haughty but was renamed before launch, was built by the Scottish shipbuilder Yarrow between 1912 and 1913.

HMS <i>Sharpshooter</i> (1917)

HMS Sharpshooter was an R-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during World War I. Launched on 27 February 1917, the ship joined the Harwich Force, undertaking convoy escort duties. The vessel also took part in the Navy’s bombardment of Ostend later that year. On 1 June 1918, the destroyer rescued Captain A. C. Sharwood, one of the first pilots of the Royal Australian Navy, who ditched his Sopwith 2F.1 Camel nearby. After the war, Sharpshooter joined the Navy gunnery training establishment at Plymouth, but did not stay long and was reduced to Reduced Complement on 5 March 1919. The Royal Navy was rationalising its destroyer force and Sharpshooter, deemed superfluous, was sold to be broken up on 29 April 1927.

HMS <i>Matchless</i> (1914)

HMS Matchless was a Royal Navy Admiralty M-class destroyer. Matchless was built by Swan Hunter from 1913 to 1914 and was completed in December that year. She served through the remainder of the First World War, operating in the North Sea as part of the Harwich Force in the early part of the war and later in the English Channel as part of the Dover Patrol, where she took part in both the First and Second Ostend Raids. Despite being badly damaged by a German mine in 1915 and being involved in several collisions, she survived the war, and was sold for scrap in 1921.

HMS Milne was a Royal Navy Admiralty M-class destroyer. Milne was built by John Brown & Company from 1913 to 1914 and was completed in December that year. She served through the remainder of the First World War, at first with the Harwich Force with which she took part in the Battle of Dogger Bank in January 1915, and later with the Dover Patrol, sinking the German submarine UC-26 in May 1917. Milne was sold for scrap in 1921.

SMS <i>V43</i>

SMS V43 was a V25-class Large Torpedo Boat of the Imperial German Navy, that served during the First World War. V43 was built by AG Vulcan at their Stettin shipyard from 1914–1915, entering service on 28 May that year. V43 took part in operations in the North Sea, the English Channel and the Baltic Sea. She survived the war, and was interned at Scapa Flow, surviving the Scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow. V43 was allocated to the US Navy, and was sunk as a target on 15 July 1921.

SMS V26 was a V25-class torpedo boat of the Imperial German Navy that served during the First World War. The ship was built by AG Vulcan at Stettin in Prussia, and was completed in June 1914.

HMS Parker was a Parker-class flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy, and the lead ship of her class. She was built by Cammell Laird during the First World War, being launched on 16 August 1916 and completing on 13 December that year. Parker served with the Grand Fleet for the rest of the war, which she survived. The ship was sold for scrap in November 1921.

HMS <i>Seymour</i> (1916)

HMS Seymour was a Parker-class flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy. She was built by Cammell Laird during the First World War, being launched on 31 August 1916 and completing on 30 November that year. Seymour served with the Grand Fleet for the rest of the war, which she survived. The ship was sold for scrap in January 1931.

HMS Saumarez was a Parker-class flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy. She was built by Cammell Laird during the First World War, being launched on 14 October 1916 and completing on 21 December that year. Saumarez served with the Grand Fleet for the rest of the war, which she survived. The ship was sold for scrap in January 1931.

HMS Melpomene was a Medea-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was one of four destroyers, of similar design to the British M-class ordered by Greece in June 1914, which the British purchased during construction owing to the outbreak of the First World War.

HMS <i>Lawford</i> (1913)

HMS Lawford was a Laforey-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy. The Laforey class was the class of destroyers ordered under the Royal Navy's 1912–1913 construction programme, which were armed with three 4-inch (102 mm) guns and four torpedo tubes and were capable of 29 knots. The ship, which was originally to be named Ivanhoe but was renamed before launch, was built by the Scottish shipbuilder Fairfields between 1912 and 1914.

References