World War II History of the Hellenic Navy

in 1938, greece ordered 4 modern greyhound class destroyers in english shipyards, making serious step towards modernization. outbreak of war in europe, however, allowed 2 delivered. greece entered world war ii weak navy consisting of 10 destroyers, 2 outdated battleships, 2 light cruisers , 6 submarines. on eve of italian invasion in 1940, rhn consisted of 34 ships , 6,500 men.

the hellenic navy suffered first loss of war on 15 august 1940 (two months before formal outbreak of hostilities) when cruiser helli sunk, apparently italian submarine. during greco-italian war, navy took on convoy escort missions in aegean , ionian sea , undertook 3 raids against italian supply convoys in strait of otranto. important role given submarines, although obsolete, managed sink several italian cargo ships in adriatic. when nazi germany attacked greece, rhn decimated luftwaffe, suffered loss of 25 ships within few days during april 1941. decided shift remaining fleet (one cruiser -the famous averof-, 6 destroyers, 5 submarines, 3 torpedo boats , number of auxiliary vessels) alexandria in egypt. here ships repaired , equipped modern anti-aircraft weapons.

for remainder of war, rhn fought alongside allies bases in middle east. war progressed, number of hellenic royal navy vessels increased after concession of several destroyers , submarines british royal navy, reaching peak of 44 ships , 8,500 men in 1944.

the notable aspects of hellenic royal navy s participation in world war ii include operations of destroyer vassilissa olga which, until sunk in leros on september 23, 1943, successful allied destroyer in mediterranean sea; participation of 2 destroyers in operation overlord; , story of destroyer adrias, while operating close coast of kalymnos in october 1943 hit mine, resulting in loss of vessel s prow, while blowing two-gun forward turret on bridge. after minor repairs @ gümüşlük bay in turkey adrias managed return alexandria in 400-mile trip, though forepart of ship, bridge, missing. 6 greek warships participated in sicilian landings , in subsequent italian campaign.

in april, 1944, mutiny arising political causes broke out on 5 greek warships berthed in alexandria , spread number of other greek naval , merchant vessels. put down greek marines, suffered 50 casualties.