ORP Gryf

ORP Gryf is the name of Polish Navy warships. Most famous of them was the first one, which fought in World War II.

ORP Gryf (1934- 1939) - minelayer

Built from 1934 at French shipyard Chantiers et Ateliers A. Normand, Le Havre, launched in 1936, she was a large minelayer with an armanent close to that of a destroyer and the only ship of his class. She was used also as a schoolship.
On September 1 1939, with others Polish warhips, tried to lay a minefield (Operation Rurka). The operation failed, because ships were attacked by 33 German bombers Ju-87B. During this attack ORP Gryf was damaged, her commander (kmdr. ppor. Stefan Kwiatkowski) and 21 other sailors were dead. After this, Polish Naval Command decided that ORP Gryf and ORP Wicher will be a floating batteries staying in harbour of Hel, Poland.
On September 3, 1939, in the morning ORP Gryf and ORP Wicher were attacked by two German
destroyers: Leberecht Maas and Wolfgang Zenker. Polish warships and shore battery repulsed attack. German ships were damaged and had to withdraw. The same day, after three attacks of German bombers, ORP Gryf was heavily damaged, and sank in the harbour. On September 5, 1939, three 120 mm guns were removed from the wreck, and were placed on the ground as a shore battery 'Nr.34'.
In November 1939 Germans raised wreck, houled and beach near Jastarnia, where it was used
as a target. After World War II wreck of ORP Gryf was used as a target by Polish Air Force. In 1957 work begun on raising the wreck, completed in 1960. Most of the salvaged parts were scrapped.

ORP Gryf (1957-1976) - schoolship