HMS Gallant.

[teresa]

My grandfather Francis Donnelly was on the HMS Gallant. Apart from the few bits that I have found via the internet I was looking for some more information.

I had been told by my grandfather (many many years ago when I was a lot younger and really not interested) bits about when the ship hit a mine.

My grandfather has since died, so I left it too late to find out anymore information.

Any pictures/information would be great.:)

[Melv.]

Hello Teresa......If you "google images" for HMS Gallant it will bring up a photo of the Gallant's crew and a photo of the ship.
HMS Gallant was a "G" class Destroyer built at Yarrow.

www.google.co.uk

[rumrat]

GALLANT Hit a mine in the Straits of Sicily off Pantellaria on January 10 1941 which blew her bows off ,She was towed to Malta where during the numerous air raids she suffered more damage and was a total loss.GALLANT was then sunk as a blockship.
Regards
Dave

[alanbenn]

Hi Teresa, here's a photo of Hms Gallant and one of the badge.

Alan

[Stan.J]

H.M.S.Gallant had 59 fatalities when she struck the mine.

[John Brown]

Teresa

Your post is an old one but if you still visit the forum....


Have a look at this page and you will find a service history for HMS Gallant

http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-25G-Gallant.htm

Regards...John

[Stan.J]

H.M.S.Gallant beach at Malta.

[jbryce1437]

Some more photos of HMS Gallant

[astraltrader]

and before the mine.

[historydavid]

The GALLANT had been bombed previously on 28/05/1940 and lost 1 man.

[hartman045]

I thought I would post a new thread as the other one relating to this ship is quite old.
So she was beached and used as a 'block ship' quite early in WW2. Would she still have a crew (reduced or otherwise) on board until the end of the war? I am researching the backgrounds of the CWGC memorials at my local church. One C/SSX 24509 Signalman Herbert Joseph Miller. (26) Royal Navy. HMS Gallant. dod: 19/3/1945 has me puzzled because of the d.o.d. Can anyone help?

My site can be seen here if you are interested. It has been having a 're-fit' so many of the pages are far from finished. URL:-

http://stmaryschurchheworth.com

[SCRG1970]

Hartman

Gallant would have had no personnel attached after her sinking as a blockship.

A replacement GALLANT was ordered to be built by Yarrows in 1944 but no work was started on this new G Class and they were cancelled on 18.12.45

Its a longshot but possible that a nucleus crew could have been detailed ready to standby the ship prior to completion. The only way to be sure would to be to obtain your mans service docs to confirm d.o.d and where he was serving.

Regards

gerry

[hartman045]

Many thanks. I have found nothing on line though.

[Carol]

My uncle, Leading Stoker F W Plumb (24) was one of the 59 servicemen lost on 10 January 1941, when at 25 miles south east of Pantellaria at 8.34am, a mine struck the starboard ammunitions room, which completely blew off a very large "front of ship". A further 25 were wounded, several of whom later died from injuries received.

He had served on HMS Gallant from the beginning and during 1937 the ship was active on Spanish Civil War non-intervention patrol duties. On 6th April that year HMS Gallant was bombed off Cape San Antomio by a Nationalist aircraft but not hit. The Nationalist naval authorities subsequently apologied for the attack. She was one of the first ships to take part in Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the BEF from Dunkirk, on the first trip going right into Dunkirk harbour, making at least two trips, landing a total of 1,880 troops at Dover before being attacked, along with HMS Ships Grenade and Jaguar, by 17 enemy dive bombers on leaving the beaches, when her stern was hit by a bomb, causing a considerable amount of damage, her naval motor boat was also sunk.

HMS Gallant also took part in the inconclusive Battle of Spartivento. As well as escort duties on the Malta Convorys, on 20th October 1940 HMS Gallant, together with HM Ships Griffin and Hotspur, sank the Italian submarine "Lafole" an action for which one of their number, Leading Seaman Walter Stacy (21) received the DCM, sadly later to lose his life on 10 January 1941.

The thriving Sea Cadet Unit in Westerham, Kent have also adopted the name
TS Gallant, as the nearby town of Sevenoaks in Kent sponsored HMS Gallant in WW2 and the memory of these brave men lives on in the 21st Century.

[teresa]

Thank you all so much for the info and pictures.