Requisitioned Auxiliary – Glenroy

 

Glenroy 

Official No:                               166256

Builder:                                    Scott’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Greenock

Launched:                               15 August 1938

Pennant No:                            4.256

Into Service:                            21 October 1939

Out of service:                         21 June 1946

Fate:                                      2 November 1966 Demolition

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:  One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA

 

Career Data:

 

15 August 1938 launched by Scott’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd., Greenock as Yard Nr: 571 named Glenroy for Glen Line Ltd., (A Holt & Co., Managers), Liverpool

December 1938 completed

21 October 1939 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a Fleet Supply Ship

29 October 1939 conversion commenced

30 April 1940 conversion completed as as her services were not immediately required she initially operated for her owners

10 June 1940 taken over by the Admiralty and converted at Liverpool into an Infantry Assault Ship identical to her sister GLENARN

12 September 1940 at Liverpool damaged during an air raid

21 November 1940 commissioned as HMS GLENROY

31 January 1941 sailed for the Mediterranean

11 February 1941 sailed Freetown as part of Force Z for Cape Town

19 February 1941 together with other units of Force Z arrived at Cape Town

21 February 1941 together with other units of Force Z sailed from Cape Town for Durban

22 April 1941 ran aground at ALexandria and did not participate in Operation Demon – the evacuation of Greece

22 May 1941 sent to assist in the evacuation of Crete and was hit and damaged by incendiaries

25 May 1941 sailed from Alexandria for Tymbaki Bay, Crete with the 2nd battalion the Queens Regiment embarked, escorted by the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS COVENTRY and destroyers HMS JAGUAR and HMAS STUART

30 May 1941 further damaged off Southern Crete during the withdrawl from the area but reached Alexandria for some repairs

17 July 1941 Able Seaman Leonard Travers D/JX 133219 killed by enemy action. He is buried in Grave P32 in Ramleh War Cemetery

23 November 1941 participated in Operation Agression – to supply besieged Tobruk – and was hit there by an aerial torpedo. Was initially taken in tow by the cruiser HMS CARLISLE but until she was made more water tight, she was beached near Mersa Matruth

26 November 1941 was reflosted and was towed to Alexandria for repairs

March to November 1942 under repair at Alexandria

22 November 1942 sailed for the UK for permanent repair at Cardiff and was taken to Belfast for conversion into a Landing Ship Infantry (Large)

21 February 1942 recommissioned as such, name unchanged and reduced to a Care & Maintenance basis

3 January 1943 escorted by HMS JANUS arrived at Pointe Noire from Simonstown, refuelled and sailed the same day for Takoradi

7 January 1943 arrived at Takoradi escorted by HMS JANUS from Pointe Noire sailing again for Freetown

12 January 1943 arrived at Freetown still escorted by HMS JANUS

13 January 1943 sailed Freetown still escorted by HMS JANUS

15 January 1943 arrived at Bathurst sailing the same day still escorted by HMS JANUS

16 January 1943 developed engine trouble off Dakar and H.M. Tug AIMWELL was ordered to proceed to her assistance but was recalled to Bathurst. The ship reported she was able to proceed at 11 knots and was ordered to return to Bathurst with HMS JANUS

 

15 January 1943 arrived back at Bathurst sailing the same day still escorted by HMS JANUS for Ponta Delgada

 6 June 1944 participated in Operation Overlord – the Normandy Landings

17 June 1944 damaged by striking a mine laid by German E-boats. Taken in tow by USS Kiowa (AT72) for Portsmouth. Tow handed over to a Dutch tug and was again repaired at Cardiff

9 September 1944 Ordinary Seaman Douglas Ralph Corp P/JX626770 discharged dead. He is buried in Grave 652 in Great Baddow (St Mary) Churhyard, Essex

20 January 1945 repairs completed and was sent to the Pacific where she joined the East Indies Squadron

27 April 1945 sailed Akyab with other landing ships and escorted by Royal Navy destroyers

15 June 1945 Petty Officer Stoker Ralph Rustling P/KX89012 discharged dead. He is buried in Grave 1 A 6 in Trincomalee War Cemetery, Ceylon

28 January 1946 Marine Lawson Alexander McGregor Salter PO/X121652 discharged dead. He is buried in Grave 1 C 7 in Trincomalee War Cemetery, Ceylon.

22 April 1946 at Malta

Glenroy 1946 at Malta

 

21 June 1946 released from Admiralty servuce

14 August 1946 was returned to her owners for recon version for commercial service and name reverted to Glenroy

27 May 1948 resumed her owners’ Far East service and carried 19 x 1st Class and 2 x 2nd Class passengers

16 June 1948 sailed London for Singapore and Hong Kong with Captain J Brown as Master and eighteen adult passengers and one child

29 October 1966 sailed Kobe after sale to Japanese ship breakers

2 November 1966 arrived Kure for demolition

 

Notes:

  1. was initially requisitioned along with her sister ships Glenearn, Glengyle and Breconshire as commissioned transports