Built from 1934 at French shipyardChantiers et Ateliers A. Normand in Le Havre, she was launched in 1936. Built after a genuine French project to Polish specifications, she was intended as a large minelayer with an armament close to that of a destroyer. Powered by two Sulzer8SD48 engines of 6,000 horsepower (4,500 kW) each, she was capable of 20 knots (37 km/h/23 mph), fast for its size. It also had quite a long range of roughly 9,500 nautical miles (17,600 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h). As the Polish Navy was small and no other state expressed a need for such a vessel, she remained the only ship of that class. Prior to the outbreak of World War II she also served as a school ship and could take on board up to 60 additional students and NCOs.
Combat
On 1 September 1939, with six minesweepers, Gryf left the naval base at Gdynia for the Operation Rurka, a failed attempt to lay a minefield at the entrances to the Gdańsk Bay.[1] After taking aboard naval mines from a floating depot, the flotilla headed for Hel Peninsula, assisted by ORP Wicher and two gunboats. En route she was attacked by a squadron of 33 German Ju 87Bdive bombers and damaged with several close misses. Although the damages were minor, the ship lost 22 sailors, including its captain Lt Cmdr Stefan Kwiatkowski[1] in what became known as the Battle of the Gdańsk Bay. His deputy, Capt. Wiktor Łomidze decided to throw all defused naval mines in the waters for fear of explosion and headed for Hel naval base. There it was decided to use the ship as a floating anti-air artillery battery guarding the harbour.
Artillery turret of ORP Gryf preserved in the Museum of the Polish Navy in Gdynia
Rear view of the only preserved artillery turret of Gryf
In the morning of 3 September 1939, ORP Gryf and ORP Wicher, moored in the harbour, were attacked by two German destroyers, Z1 Leberecht Maass (with Rear Admiral Günther Lütjens) and Z9 Wolfgang Zenker. Polish warships and a shore battery repulsed the attack,[1] with Gryf scoring at least one hit on Leberecht Maas (4 killed). Gryf herself was slightly damaged with one shot. Later the same day, after three attacks of German bombers, Gryf was heavily damaged, and partially sank in the harbour.[1] By 5 September the fire was extinguished and two stern 120 mm artillery mountings (single and twin one) were dismounted and placed ashore as a shore batteryNo. 34, part of the defensive system of the Hel Peninsula.[1] They reached readiness only on 30 September, just before capitulation.
In November 1939, after the end of the invasion hostilities, the Germans raised the wreck and hauled it to a beach near Jastarnia, where it was used as an artillery practice target. After World War II the wreck was used as a target by the Polish Air Force. In 1957 it was decided that the wreck be raised. By 1960 the work was completed and most of the salvaged parts were scrapped.
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gryf, 1936, other, ships, with, same, name, gryf, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, gryf, 1936, news, . For other ships with the same name see ORP Gryf This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources ORP Gryf 1936 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message Coordinates 54 40 N 18 34 E 54 667 N 18 567 E 54 667 18 567 ORP Gryf English Griffin was a large Polish Navy minelayer sunk during the 1939 German invasion of Poland She was one of two large Polish ships that were not evacuated to Great Britain during Operation Peking prior to the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War Wicher was the other 1 She was sunk in Hel harbour on 3 September 1939 during the opening stage of World War II 1 ORP GryfHistoryPolandNameORP GryfNamesakegriffinOrdered11 May 1934BuilderChantiers et Ateliers A Normand Le HavreLaid down14 November 1934Launched29 November 1936Commissioned27 February 1938FateSunk bombed 3 September 1939 scrapped after war in late 50sGeneral characteristicsDisplacement2 227 tLength103 00 m 337 ft 11 in Beam13 06 m 42 ft 10 in Draft3 60 m 11 ft 10 in Propulsiontwo Sulzer 8SD48 engines 6 000 hp 4 500 kW Speed20 knots 37 km h 23 mph Range9 500 nmi 17 600 km 10 900 mi 14 knots 26 km h 16 mph Complement162 60Armament6 120 mm 4 7 in Bofors wz 34 36 guns 2 2 and 2 1 in four turrets 4 40 mm 1 6 in Bofors wz 36 AA guns 2 2 4 13 2 mm 0 52 in Hotchkiss wz 30 HMG s 2 2 8 naval mine racks up to 600 minesHistory EditBuilt from 1934 at French shipyard Chantiers et Ateliers A Normand in Le Havre she was launched in 1936 Built after a genuine French project to Polish specifications she was intended as a large minelayer with an armament close to that of a destroyer Powered by two Sulzer 8SD48 engines of 6 000 horsepower 4 500 kW each she was capable of 20 knots 37 km h 23 mph fast for its size It also had quite a long range of roughly 9 500 nautical miles 17 600 km at 14 knots 26 km h As the Polish Navy was small and no other state expressed a need for such a vessel she remained the only ship of that class Prior to the outbreak of World War II she also served as a school ship and could take on board up to 60 additional students and NCOs Combat EditOn 1 September 1939 with six minesweepers Gryf left the naval base at Gdynia for the Operation Rurka a failed attempt to lay a minefield at the entrances to the Gdansk Bay 1 After taking aboard naval mines from a floating depot the flotilla headed for Hel Peninsula assisted by ORP Wicher and two gunboats En route she was attacked by a squadron of 33 German Ju 87B dive bombers and damaged with several close misses Although the damages were minor the ship lost 22 sailors including its captain Lt Cmdr Stefan Kwiatkowski 1 in what became known as the Battle of the Gdansk Bay His deputy Capt Wiktor Lomidze decided to throw all defused naval mines in the waters for fear of explosion and headed for Hel naval base There it was decided to use the ship as a floating anti air artillery battery guarding the harbour Artillery turret of ORP Gryf preserved in the Museum of the Polish Navy in Gdynia Rear view of the only preserved artillery turret of GryfIn the morning of 3 September 1939 ORP Gryf and ORP Wicher moored in the harbour were attacked by two German destroyers Z1 Leberecht Maass with Rear Admiral Gunther Lutjens and Z9 Wolfgang Zenker Polish warships and a shore battery repulsed the attack 1 with Gryf scoring at least one hit on Leberecht Maas 4 killed Gryf herself was slightly damaged with one shot Later the same day after three attacks of German bombers Gryf was heavily damaged and partially sank in the harbour 1 By 5 September the fire was extinguished and two stern 120 mm artillery mountings single and twin one were dismounted and placed ashore as a shore battery No 34 part of the defensive system of the Hel Peninsula 1 They reached readiness only on 30 September just before capitulation In November 1939 after the end of the invasion hostilities the Germans raised the wreck and hauled it to a beach near Jastarnia where it was used as an artillery practice target After World War II the wreck was used as a target by the Polish Air Force In 1957 it was decided that the wreck be raised By 1960 the work was completed and most of the salvaged parts were scrapped Wikimedia Commons has media related to ORP Gryf ship 1938 References Edit a b c d e f g Peszke Michael Alfred February 1999 Poland s Navy 1918 1945 New York Hippocrene Books p 37 ISBN 0 7818 0672 0 OCLC 42140002 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title ORP Gryf 1936 amp oldid 1094463145, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
