 Grafton | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Grafton |
| Ordered | 5 March 1934 |
| Builder | John I. Thornycroft & Company,Woolston |
| Laid down | 30 August 1934 |
| Launched | 18 September 1935 |
| Commissioned | 20 March 1936 |
| Identification | Pennant number: H89 |
| Motto | Decus pretutis pretium: 'Glory is the reward of valour' |
| Fate | Torpedoed andscuttled, 29 May 1940 |
| Badge | On a Field Green, a Lion's mask Gold, crowned Silver, with collar red and silver |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class & type | G-classdestroyer |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 323 ft (98.5 m) |
| Beam | 33 ft (10.1 m) |
| Draught | 12 ft 5 in (3.8 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 gearedsteam turbines |
| Speed | 36knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) |
| Range | 5,530 nmi (10,240 km; 6,360 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 137 (peacetime), 146 (wartime) |
| Armament |
|
HMSGrafton (H89) was aG-classdestroyer built for theRoyal Navy during the mid-1930s. During theSpanish Civil War of 1936–1939 the ship spent considerable time in Spanish waters, enforcing thenon-intervention measures agreed by Britain and France. After the beginning ofWorld War II she was transferred from theMediterranean Fleet to Great Britain for escort and contraband inspection duties.Grafton was refitting when theNorwegian Campaign began in April 1940, but the ship escorted convoys to Norway once her refit was completed. She evacuated British troops from theDunkirkbridgehead in May, but was sunk by a German submarine after she stopped to rescue survivors from another British destroyer.
Grafton displaced 1,350long tons (1,370 t) atstandard load and 1,883 long tons (1,913 t) atdeep load. The ship had anoverall length of 323 feet (98.5 m), abeam of 33 feet (10.1 m) and adraught of 12 feet 5 inches (3.8 m). She was powered byParsons gearedsteam turbines, driving two shafts which developed a total of 34,000shaft horsepower (25,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). Steam for the turbines was provided by threeAdmiralty 3-drum boilers.Grafton carried a maximum of 470 long tons (480 t) offuel oil that gave her a range of 5,530nautical miles (10,240 km; 6,360 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ship's complement was 137 officers andratings in peacetime,[1] but in increased to 146 in wartime.[2]
The ship mounted four 45-calibre4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark IX guns in single mounts. Foranti-aircraft defenceGrafton had two quadruple Mark I mounts for the0.5 inch (12.7 mm) Vickers Mark IIImachine gun. She was fitted with two above-water quadrupletorpedo tube mounts for21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.[1] Onedepth charge rail and two throwers were fitted; 20 depth charges were originally carried, but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.[3]
Grafton was laid down byJohn I. Thornycroft & Company, atWoolston,Hampshire on 30 August 1934, launched on 18 September 1935 and completed on 20 March 1936. Excluding government-furnished equipment like the armament, the ship cost £248,485.[4][Note 1] Aside from a brief period when she was assigned to the20th Destroyer Flotilla after her commissioning,Grafton spent the prewar period assigned to the1st Destroyer Flotilla with the Mediterranean Fleet. Between 10 August and 9 September 1936, together withGlowworm, she escorted theyachtNahlin as KingEdward VIII cruised the eastern Mediterranean.[5] AfterwardsGrafton patrolled Spanish waters during the Spanish Civil War enforcing the policies of theNon-Intervention Committee. The ship was refitting inMalta when World War II began in September 1939.[6]
Grafton and three of hersisters were transferred to theWestern Approaches Command atPlymouth in October. The following month, however, the ship was reassigned at the end of the month to the 22nd Destroyer Flotilla inHarwich of theNore Command for patrol and escort duties. On 10 January 1940, she was transferred to the reconstituted 1st Destroyer Flotilla, also based at Harwich, whereGrafton inspected ships travelling between German and Dutch ports for contraband. Between 26 March and 14 April the ship was given a brief overhaul inHull in the shipyard of Brigham and Cowan. As the Norwegian Campaign had begun whileGrafton was refitting, she was reassigned to theHome Fleet[6] where she escorted convoys to Norway[7] until 11 May.[8]
During theSiege of Calais,Grafton escorted thelight cruisersArethusa andGalatea as they providednaval gunfire support for the30th Motor Brigade on 26 May. The following day she evacuated over 1,600 troops from the beaches ofLa Panne andBray, northeast of Dunkirk. On the morning of 29 May, she stopped to rescue survivors from the destroyerWakeful, which had beentorpedoed and sunk earlier that morning by the GermanE-boatS-30. While rescuing survivors fromWakeful offNieuwpoort, Belgium,Grafton was struck in thestern by a torpedo from the German submarineU-62. This seriously damaged the ship, and also triggered a secondary explosion which damaged the bridge, killing thecaptain and another officer. Thirteen ratings and the canteen manager were also killed. The ship's back was broken, but she remained afloat long enough for all survivors to be rescued by the destroyerIvanhoe and the transportMalines.Ivanhoe sankGrafton withnaval gunfire, as she was too badly damaged to be towed to safety.[8]
51°24′N2°49′E / 51.400°N 2.817°E /51.400; 2.817
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