> Re: HMS GRIVE

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Comments:
: : : Hi Bill : : This already a lot more info. : : Indeed the 2 12 pdrs are still there. : : She lies a few miles to the west of dunkirk but is not blown to pieces.In fact she is quite intact : : and I was surprised by the tickness of her steelplates.. : : She s only diveable a few times a year as she is close to the beach. One french friend gave me a fork marked "narcissus" which he found this summer. : : txs for the info Bill : : : : : Hi Jef : : : I have some info on the GRIVE. She was built as the yacht NARCISSUS in 1905, tonnage 687 or 816 according to source! Hired as an Auxiliary Patrol vessel from 13/1/1915 - 27/2/1919, hired again as a FAA target vessel 9/1939, her name was changed to GRIVE in 1940 and she carried two 12 pdrs. : : : At Dunkirk she evacuated 1,100 troops in 3 trips. On 31/5/1940 she was moored at the quayside with destroyers VENEMOUS, WHITEHALL and WINCHELSEA when at about 1910 hrs 60 German aircraft attacked. The vessels tried to set sail and the GRIVE and the WHITEHALL collided. : : : BEF Ships quotes that the GRIVE struck a mine on 1/6/1940 and was blown to pieces. : : : Happy hunting : : : Bill : : : : : : : We hope to have idenfified one of the last missing "operation dynamo" vessels. : : : : HMS Grive alias ex HMS NARCISSUS was a Fleet Air Arm tender yacht : : : : she was already used in the WW1 and sank or damaged an U boat : : : : In Dunkirk, she sank with most hands but very near the shore. : : : : We found 2 12 poubers and depth charges... : : : : Who has more info on her? TXS : : : : J.COULON : Grive was launched in Dec 1904 as Narcissus. She served in WWI as Narcissus. Her name was changed to Grive in 1939. Her first trip to Dunkirk was 30th May embarking troops off Malo beach. On 31st May at 20.30 when clear of harbour her aft 12pdr is believed to have shot down a German aircraft. She made 2 trips to Dunkirk on 1st June, sailing the second time with only 5 rounds of ammunition per gun. She was sunk at ca2230 though another time is given as 2345. The Captain was the Hon L.J.O.Lambart(not Lambert). Casualties are given as 6 officers and 19 ratings. Many of the crew were merchant navy serving as naval auxiliaries and are commemorated on the Liverpol Memorial to merchant navy personnel serving in the Royal Navy. My father Thomas Graham was for many years Chief Engineer of Narcissus and was amongst those killed when the yacht was sunk. There is much info available icluding sketch as she was in 1940.