Doing it Grafton’s Way

There is a saying among the ship’s company of the Navy’s latest warship – do things the Grafton way.

That, according to her first commanding officer, Commander Nick Stanley, is doing things with professionalism and enthusiasm, drawing on a line of seven earlier Graftons stretching back more than 300 years.

The first four, between the years 1679 and 1816, were ships of the line, with the first being commanded at one point by the 27-year-old Duke of Grafton himself. Between them they win a number of honours from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean.

A gap of almost 80 years was ended in 1892 with the launch of the fifth, and Edgar-class cruiser, which served in the China Fleet, and during the war saw service in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Red, Black and North Seas. She was scrapped in 1919.

The sixth Grafton was the shortest-lived; the G-class destroyer commissioned in 1936 and spent much of the Spanish Civil War evacuating refugees and undertaking neutrality patrols off the Spanish coast.

In the Second World War Grafton operated from Devonport and Harwich, and successfully evacuated 860 troops to Dover from Dunkirk on May 27, 1940. The following day, with another 800 on board, she was torpedoed while rescuing survivors of a sunken destroyer.

Only four died, and everyone else was rescued. The ship was scuttled by gunfire.

The seventh Grafton was the first to miss out on military action – though the Type 14 frigate did see some rough stuff in the Cod Wars off Iceland before she was scrapped in 1971.

And so to the current Grafton, one of the most capable warships in the world.

Designed primarily as a specialist anti-submarine platform – for which reason she is one of the quietest warships in the world – Grafton has a range of weaponry and sensors which make her a powerful addition to the Fleet, from the defensive Seawolf missile to the Harpoon and Sea Skua missiles, Stingray torpedo and 4.5in gun.

The largest department on board is the Warfare department, around 72 in number, who fight, maintain and navigate the ship, as well as looking to seamanship and husbandry.

The 44-strong marine Engineering department provides motive power, hotel services and weapons, support, including lighting, power, water and heating.

In electric motor drive the ship is remarkably quiet, increasing the chances of detecting submarines while decreasing the likelihood of being heard herself.

When a sudden turn of speed is called for, the Rolls-Royce gas turbines and gearboxes are clutched in, giving a 25.5 megawatt boost.

The ship’s company is completed by the Weapon Engineering, Executive and Supply departments, the latter responsible for a store of 11,000 items worth £6m.
Since her delivery to the Navy last November, Grafton has undertaken preliminary safety training, under Flag Officer Sea Training, completed trials, and visited her affiliated town of Ipswich.

After further sea training, and more programmed visits, Grafton will commence her first operational deployment next summer.

Facts and Figures
Class:	Type 23 frigate
Pennant number:	F80
Builder:	Yarrows, Glasgow
Launched:	November 5, 1994
Commissioned:	May 29, 1997
Displacement:	3,500 tonnes
Length:	133 metres
Beam:	16.1 metres
Draught:	7.3 metres
Ship's company:	174 (16 officers), with accommodation for 188
Machinery:	CODLAG (Combined Diesel Electric and Gas Turbine): two Rolls Royce Soey SM1C gas turbines; four Paxman Valenta diesels; two GEC motors; two shafts, two fixed-pitch propellers
Speed:	28 knots, 15 knots on diesel-electric
Range:	7,800 miles at 15 knots
Armaments:	Vertical-launch Seawolf missiles, Harpoon missils, 4.5in Mk8 gun, two 30mm close-range guns, Stingray torpedoes and air-launched Sea Skua missiles
Sensors:	Type 996 air-surveillance and target indication radar, Type 1007 naviagtion and surface warning radar, Type 911 trackers, Type 1010 surveillance radar, Type 2050 sonar
Affiliations:	the Duke of Grafton, the Worshipful Compnay of Dyers, the Borough of Ipswich, 4 Regiment Army Air Corps, 617 Squadron RAF, Cambridge University RN Unit, TS Orwell Sea Cadet Corps, Ipswich RNA
Sponsor:	Lady Abbott

(Ship of the Month July 1997)

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