HMS Grecian & HMS Queenborough

[Alec]

Hi Everyone,

I've joined the Forum to see if I can get any more information about my father's experiences during WWII. I have done the usual Google searches which have given me some insight. His name is David Donald Grant Lawson, from Kinlochleven, Scotland. He passed away in 1996. I believe he spent some time in a hospital in Sydney, Australia, in 1945. He never spoke about his wartime experiences so I am trying this forum to see if anyone has any information regarding HMS Grecian & HMS Queenborough eg crew lists, incidents, ports visited etc.

Regards

Alec

[herakles]

Welcome Alec! I hope you enjoy the place and stay on.

I know there are members here very much wiser than I am who will be able to give you at least some information.

Good luck with your hunting!

[John Brown]

Hi Alec

Welcome to the site. If you have done the usual searches I am afraid you probably know as much as many of us could tell you. If you haven't already done so however, you might try to get his service records and then use that information to point you in the direction for futher research.

Good Luck.....

Regards...John

[Batstiger]

HMS Grecian was an Auk class American minesweeper obtained under the lend/lease scheme. There are two pictures of the Queenborough, one wartime and the other when she was converted for the Australian navy.

[Alec]

Thank you all for the information so far. Much appreciated. Alec.

[John Brown]

Hi Alec

This should help re the Queenborough:

From www.naval-history.net

H . M . S . Q U E E N B O R O U G H ( G 7 0 )



"Q" (QUILLAM) Class Fleet Destroyer ordered in December 1940 with the 3rd Emergency Flotilla and laid down by Hawthorn Leslie, Newcastle on 6th November 1940 in anticipation of confirmation. She was launched on 16th January 1942 and completed on 10th December that year. Build cost was £439,820 excluding the Admiralty supplied equipment such as guns, wireless and radar equipment. This was the sixth warship to carry the name, last used for a 6th Rate in 1747. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK for National Savings during March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire.



B a t t l e H o n o u r s

SADRAS 1758 - NEGAPATAM 1758 - CUDDALORE 1758 - PORTO NOVO 1759 - ARCTIC 1942-43 - SICILY 1943 - SALERNO 1943 - MEDITERRANEAN 1943 - OKINAWA 1945

H e r a l d i c D a t a

Badge : On a Field Blue, a woman's head affronted Proper,

issuing from the battlements of a tower White and

ducally crowned Gold.



D e t a i l s o f W a r S e r v i c e



1 9 4 2



December Contractors trials and commissioning.

10th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

On completion of trials and storing took passage to join 4th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet

at Scapa Flow.

Worked-up with Home Fleet ships for for operational service.

Joined escort for H M Battleships KING GEORGE V and HOWE, HM Cruiser BERMUDA

providing cover for passage of returning Convoy RA51 from Kola Inlet with HM Destroyers

MONTROSE, MUSKETEER, RAIDER, WORCESTER and Polish destroyer ORP PIORUN.

(For details of all Russian convoy operations see ,CONVOY 1 by P Kemp, THE RUSSIAN

CONVOYS by B Schoefield and CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg).



1 9 4 3



January On completion of work-up deployed with Home Fleet in NW Approaches.

23rd Part of screen for HM Battleship ANSON and HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD providing cover for

passage of Russian Convoy JW52 with HM Destroyers ECHO, ECLIPSE, INGLEFIELD,

FAULKNOR, MONTROSE, RAIDER and Polish destroyer ORP ORKAN

24th Detached with covering warships/



February Deployed with Flotilla at Scapa Flow for screening duties.

For details of Home Fleet activities see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett

and Naval Staff History.

Passage to Clyde to join escort of military convoy.

29th Sailed from Clyde as escort for joint convoy KMF10a to Mediterranean and WS27 to Middle East.

(Note : Other escorts for passage in Atlantic were HM Battleship MALAYA, HM Destroyers

QUAIL, RAIDER, WOLVERINE and QUADRANT, HM Sloops EGRET and ERNE,

HM Cutter FISHGUARD and HM Frigate TEST.



March

2nd Remained with WS27 as escort for passage to Freetown when KMF10A ships detached to proceed

to Gibraltar.

8th Detached from WS27 on arrival at Freetown.

11th Joined WS27 as escort during passage to Cape of Good Hope with HM Corvettes CROCUS and

PETUNIA, HMS RAIDER and HMS QUEENBOROUGH. HM Cruiser SUSSEX provided cover.

24th Detached from WS27 with HMS QUEENBOROUGH and HMS RAIDER during passage when

HM Destroyers FOXHOUND, QUILLIAM and RACEHORSE joined escort.

Took passage to Capetown.

26th Rejoined WS27 as part of escort for passage from Capetown to Durban.

29th Detached from WS27 with HMS QUEENBOROUGH and HMS RAIDER on arrival at Durban.



April Passage to UK with HMS QUAIL to resume Flotilla duties in Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.

29th Sailed from Freetown to UK.



May Deployed with Flotilla at Scapa Flow.

to Nominated for service in Mediterranean for support of planned allied landings in Sicily

June (Operation HUSKY).



July Passage to Gibraltar with Home Fleet units for the support of Sicily landings.

Deployed with ships of Force “H” based at Gibraltar to prepare for support operations.

(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History).

10th Deployed with assault force during landings.



August

21st Carried out bombardment of Italian mainland from Strait of Messina.

31st Bombarded coast between Reggio Calabria and Pessar with HM Battleships NELSON,

RODNEY, HM Cruiser ORION, HM Destroyers OFFA, PETARD, QUAIL, QUILLIAM,

TARTAR, TYRIAN, TROUBRIDGE and Polish destroyer ORP PIORUN prior to landings on

Italian mainland by British XIII Corps (Operation BAYTOWN).

(For details of HUSKY and BAYTOWN see THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by

D Macintyre and above references.)



September

2nd Carried out bombardment of coastal batteries near Reggio in support of military operations.

(Note : HM Battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT, HM Monitors EREBUS, ABERCROMBIE,

ROBERTS, HM Cruisers ORION, MAURITIUS, HM River Gunboats APHIS and

SCARAB were also deployed for bombardment operations.)

9th Deployed with Force "H" with HMS QUILLIAM, QUAIL and PETARD to provide cover for

allied landings at Salerno (Operation AVALANCHE).

(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History )



October Deployed in Adriatic for support of military operations.



November

3rd Carried out bombardment of shore targets off east coast of Italy in support of military advance



December

1st Bombarded Durazzo, Albania.



1 9 4 4



January Transferred with 4th Destroyer Flotilla to Eastern Fleet.

to Took passage to Trincomalee.

February



March Joined Eastern Fleet with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUADRANT, QUALITY,

QUIBERON (RAN) and QUICKMATCH (RAN) for escort of Fleet units and patrol in

Indian Ocean.

21st Part of screen for HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser

RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers LONDON, CUMBERLAND,

GAMBIA (RNZN) and CEYLON with destroyers of Eastern Fleet for offensive sweep in Indian

Ocean.

(Operation DIPLOMAT - See OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray and WAR WITH JAPAN.).

27th With Eastern Fleet for meeting with US aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA and escort of three

US Navy destroyers (Task Group 58.5) for future joint RN/USN operations.



April

19th Part of Force 70 as escort for HMS RENOWN, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS SARATOGA

during joint attacks on Sabang with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUADRANT, US destroyers

USS CUMMINGS, USS DUNLAP and USS FANNING.

(Operation COCKPIT - See above references and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY for

details).



May

6th Part of escort for Carrier Force 66 comprising HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS SARATOGA with HM

Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUADRANT, USS CUMMINGS, USS DUNLAP and USS FANNING for

joint air attacks on Soerabaya covered by Eastern Fleet deployed as Force 65.

(Operation TRANSOM - For details see above references).

15th Refuelled in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia.

17th Deployed with screen during air operations

18th Detached from Force 66 with RN destroyers when USS SARATOGA took passage to rejoin US 5th

Fleet

Joined ships of covering Force 65 for return passage to Trincomalee

27th Arrived at Trincomalee with Force 65 ships.

(Note : All ships had very low fuel remaining as passage made without stay at Exmouth Gulf.)



June Eastern Fleet deployment in continuation

to (Note : Ship did not take part in Fleet operations in this period.)

September



October

15th Part of escort with HMS QUILLIAM and QUIBERON for HMS RENOWN covering air attacks

on Nicobar Islands by HM Aircratt Carriers INDOMITABLE and VICTORIOUS.

(Operation MILLET - Diversion during US landings on Leyte).

18th Bombarded targets on Nicobars with HMS RENOWN, HM Cruiser SUFFOLK. HM Destroyers

RAIDER and QUILLIAM.



November

22nd Transferred with Flotilla to British Pacific Fleet on formation at Trincomalee.



December Passage with BPF ships to Australia for duty in Pacific



1 9 4 5



January Prepared for service with British Pacific Fleet in SW Pacific under overall command of US

Navy.

Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D19 to suit US Navy designation

for destroyers.



February Took passage to New Zealand with HM Destroyers QUALITY and QUADRANT as escort for

HM Battleship HOWE during visit by CinC BPF.

On return with HMS HOWE took part in exercises to prepare for operations with US Navy

including use of new signalling and manoeuvring procedures

Allocated to Task Force 113 with ships of BPF.

28th Took passage to British Forward Base at Manus in Admiralty Islands to await instructions for

future deployment under US Navy command.



March

7th Arrived at Manus after further preparatory exercises with Task Force 113.

18th Took passage to US Base at Ulithi with Task Force 113 after delay by US Joint Chiefs of Staff

in giving approval for use of RN ships in operations with US Navy in SW Pacific.

(See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO), TASK FORCE by P Smith and THE FORGOTTEN

FLEET by J Winton.)

20th Arrived at Ulithi with Task Force 113.

23rd Sailed from Ulithi to join US Task Force 58 for Joint attacks to neutralise Japanese airfields

in Sakishima-Gunto Group. (Operation ICEBERG ONE).

(Note : These operations were in support of American landings at Okinawa.)

British Pacific Fleet was designated Task Force 57 on departure from Ulithi.)

25th Refuelled from BPF Fleet Train (Task Force 112).

Took passage after delayed refuelling to joint US Navy Task Force 58 ships in operational

area.

(Note : BPF ships lacked practice in refuelling at sea and used outdated and slow procedures.)

26th Deployed with Task Unit 57.8 destroyers as screen for HM Battleships KING GEORGE V,

HOWE, HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE, IMPLACABLE, VICTORIOUS,

ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers EURYALUS, SWIFTSURE, GAMBIA (RNZN), BLACK

PRINCE and ARGONAUT during air operations.

(Note : Screen comprised

HM Destroyers GRENVILLE, ULSTER, UNDINE, URANIA, UNDAUNTED of 25th

Flotilla, HM Destroyers QUICKMATCH, QUIBERON, QUEENBOROUGH,

QUALITY of 4th Flotilla, HM Destroyers WHELP and WAGER of 27th Flotilla.

30th Refuelled from Fleet Train with TF57 ships in Area MIDGE.

. 31st Deployed with screen during continuation of air operations by BPF carriers.



April

1st Under heavy and sustained air attacks including KAMIKAZE.

See above references.

3rd Withdrew with TF57 ships for refuelling from TF 112 in Area MIDGE.

6th Deployed with screen during air operations after delays due to weather conditions.

Under air attacks.

7th Withdrew with TF57 ships for refuelling.

10th Deployed for screening duties with TF57 which was detached to carry out air strikes on

Formosa (Operation ICEBERG OOLONG).

13th Under air attacks off Formosa.

14th Passage to refuel in Area COOTIE before return to Sakishima Gunto for further air operations.

(Note : HMS FORMIDABLE relieved HMS ILLUSTRIOUS during this period.)

16th Deployed with TF57 screen for air operations.

Under air attacks.

18th Refuelled in Area MOSQUITO ONE prior to final series of air operations.

20th Deployed with screen during sixth strike period.

21st Passage to Leyte as part of screen for TF57.

23rd Arrived at Leyte with TF57 for maintenance and recuperation period.



May

1st Sailed from Leyte as part of Task Unit 57.8 for screening of TF57 ships.

(Note ; HM Cruiser UGANDA replaced HMS ARGONAUT

See above references.)

3rd Refuelled from Fleet Train (TF112) in Area MOSQUITO.

4th Deployed with screen for TF57 during renewed air operations.

. Under air attacks.

Remained with screen for aircraft carriers when cruisers and battleships of TF57 detached to

carry out bombardment of Miyako Shima.

Under heavy and sustained KAMIKAZE attacks after RN bombardment ships detached.

(Note : This decision was a major error as it significantly reduced the radar cover and anti

aircraft defence available to fight off enemy aircraft.

Both HMS FORMIDABLE and HMS INDOMITABLE sustained damage.)

6th Refuelled from Fleet Train in Area COOTIE.

8th Deployed with screen for TF57 during air strikes.

9th Under air attacks during which a KAMIKAZE suicide bombers hit HMS VICTORIOUS and

HMS FORMIDABLE.

10th Refuelled from Fleet Train in Area COOTIE.

15th Detached from screening duties on arrival with ships of TF57 in Area COOTIE for replenishment

because of machinery vibration problems.

Took passage to Leyte with HM Escort Aircraft Carrier SPEAKER.

Returned to Sydney for repair.



June On completion of repair deployed in Australian waters

(Note : Not recorded as part of British Pacific Fleet during final operations as Task Force 37

with 3rd US Fleet during final operations against Japanese mainland.



July Local deployment in continuation.

(Note : Not transferred to Token Force.

See THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)



August Local deployment in continuation.

(Note : Not included in operations to reoccupy Hong Kong.

See above references.)



P o s t W a r N o t e s



HMS QUEENBOROUGH remained in the Far East after VJ Day and was transferred on loan to the Royal Australian Navy in November 1945. She was deployed operationally until 1947 when placed in Reserve and laid up at Sydney. Selected for conversion into a Type 15 Anti-submarine Frigate in 1953 she re-commissioned in December 1954 and remained in commission until being involved in a collision with HM Submarine TABARD off New South Wales during June 1963. The ship was then Paid-off and placed in Reserve. During 1966 she was used for training and later placed on the Disposal List. On 8th April 1975 this destroyer was sold for demolition and towed to the Breaker’s yard in Hong Kong.


Good luck with your research...John

[Alec]

Hi John

This is fantastic. I will now have to disappear for a while to take it all in.

Thanks

Alec

[John Brown]

Hi Alec

Glad you found the info on the Queenborough of use.

Not so much luck with HMS Grecian I'm afraid. As Bob said she was one of the American Auk class minesweepers transferred to the RN. When with the RN, however, they became the 'Catherine Class.' The C/O of HMS Grecian between April 1945 and April 1946 was a Charles Fraser.

Regards...John

[Alec]

Hi john

Thanks again for the info. A family member has told me about a chap near Nowra, NSW who was on HMS Queenborough with my father. So now to track him down. Time is of the essence.

Alec

[John Brown]

Alec

You are most welcome and thank you for coming back to acknowledge the efforts of myself and others.


Regards...John

[Terry Conde]

Hi
My Dad Served on Queenborough
He Joined up early "Volunteered" And stayed with her throughout the War
She was Damaged badly on the Bow section and limped to Oz where she was laid up for three or four months whilst repairs were made
Just wondering if maybe your father was injured in that epsiode?

[MartinW]

Hi Alec
I have joined the forum after reading the messages and to tell you that my Grandfather Sam Freeman from Kingsbridge served on board HMS Grecian during the D day landings and for a while afterwards.
During the landings he kept a diary which we found when he died a few years ago, which gives a lot of information about what happened day by day ranging from the "Cato" being sunk beside them to the ships cat having kittens.
My mother (Sam's daughter) typed the entrys onto several sheets of A4.
If it is of interest I would be pleased to send you ( or anyone else) a copy of the transcript.
I could try to post it on the forum but it would take me several days of one finger typing.
If you would like a copy please email me at mjwills@btinternet.com.
Martin