History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS Griffon |
Builder | Laird, Son & Co., Birkenhead |
Laid down | 7 March 1896 |
Launched | 21 November 1896 |
Completed | November 1897 |
Fate | Scrapped, 1920 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Earnest-class destroyer |
Displacement | 395 long tons (401 t) |
Length | 210 ft (64 m) |
Beam | 21.5 ft (6.6 m) |
Draught | 9.75 ft (3.0 m) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
Complement | 63 |
Armament |
HMS Griffon was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was completed by Laird, Son & Company, Birkenhead, in 1896.
Griffon was ordered on 9 January 1896 as one of six 30-knotter destroyers programmed to be built by Lairds under the 1895–1896 programme. [1] These followed on from four very similar destroyers ordered from Lairds as part of the 1894–1895 programme. [2]
Griffon was 218 ft 0 in (66.45 m) long overall and 213 ft 0 in (64.92 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m) and a draught of 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m). Displacement was 355 long tons (361 t) light and 415 long tons (422 t) deep load. Like the other Laird-built 30-knotters, Griffon was propelled by two triple expansion steam engines, fed by four Normand boilers, rated at 6,300 ihp (4,700 kW), and was fitted with four funnels. [2] [3]
Armament was the standard for the 30-knotters, i.e. a QF 12 pounder 12 cwt (3 in (76 mm) calibre) gun on a platform on the ship's conning tower (in practice the platform was also used as the ship's bridge), with a secondary armament of five 6-pounder guns, and two 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes. [4] [5]
Griffon was laid down as Yard number 622 on 7 March 1896 and launched on 21 November that year. [1] She reached a speed of 30.11 kn (34.65 mph; 55.76 km/h) during sea trials, [6] and was completed in November 1897. [1]
Griffon departed for the Mediterranean Squadron, together with sister ship Earnest, in September 1898, [1] and was still serving in the Mediterranean in January 1900. [7] She visited Greek waters in September 1902, [8] and Lieutenant Harry Charles John Roberts West was appointed in command when she was back at Malta in late October 1902. [9] In early January 1903 she took part in a three-weeks cruise with other ships of her squadron in the Greek islands around Corfu. [10] Griffon returned to British waters in 1906. [1] In early 1910, Griffon, part of the Nore Destroyer Flotilla, was refitted at Chatham Dockyard. [11]
On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyers were to be grouped into classes designated by letters based on contract speed and appearance. As a four-funneled 30-knotter destroyer, Griffon was assigned to the B Class. [12] [13] In 1912, older destroyers were transferred to patrol flotillas, [14] with Griffon forming part of the Seventh Flotilla, based at Devonport, by March 1913. [15] [14] Griffon remained part of the Seventh Flotilla in June 1914. [16] [17] Griffon entered refit at Pembroke Dockyard in July 1914. [18]
In January 1915, Griffon was based at Scapa Flow, as one of a force of 29 destroyers used for local patrols of this key anchorage, the base for the Grand Fleet. [19] [20] Griffon remained attached to the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow in February 1918, [21] but by March 1918 had transferred to the Irish Sea Flotilla. [22] On 19 May 1918, she was one of several warships dispatched to investigate a sighting report of a periscope by an airship off the Lleyn Peninsula in North Wales. No submarine was destroyed in the resulting operations. [23] Griffon was based at Holyhead on Anglesey for operations in the Irish sea at the end of the war. [24] [25]
In January 1919, Griffon was listed as being temporarily based at Devonport Naval Base. [26] In April 1920, she was listed as for sale, [27] and she was sold for scrap to Castle of Plymouth on 1 July 1920. [28]
Pennant number [28] | From | To |
---|---|---|
D39 | 1914 | September 1915 |
D81 | September 1915 | January 1918 |
D45 | January 1918 | Retirement |
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