Greek destroyer Keravnos
Encyclopedia
Keravnos served in the Royal Hellenic Navy from 1912 - 1919. She was originally the German destroyer V-5.
The ship, along with one of her six sister ships of V class destroyers
, Nea Genea
, was ordered from Germany
. They were purchased before entering service in the German Navy
, from the German shipyard Vulcan AG
in Stettin, when the Balkan Wars
were underway.
Later, during World War I
, Greece belatedly entered the war on the side of the Triple Entente
and, due to Greece's neutrality the two Ex-German V Class ships were seized by the Allies in October, 1916, taken over by the French in November and served in the French Navy
from 1917-18. By 1918, they were back on escort duty under Greek colors, mainly in the Aegean Sea
. With the Armistice in 1918, Keravnos was ordered to Constantinople and later to Russia during the Russian Civil War.
According to the Executive Officer, Gregory Mezeviris, RHN, "We stayed a few days in Constantinople and then the destroyer Keravnos was ordered to sail to the port of Vatum in the Black Sea
. This mission was finally cancelled because after sailing for a few hours we faced such adverse weather conditions that our ship with her defective engines could hardly cope with and we had to put back into port. When the weather conditions improved, we were ordered to sail to Sebastopol
to reinforce the Greek Squadron anchored there, comprising the battleship Kilkis
and some destroyers."
Keravnos was stricken in 1919 and scrapped in 1922.
The ship, along with one of her six sister ships of V class destroyers
Greek V class destroyer
The Greek V-class destroyers were ordered from Germany in 1912. Their sister ships, the V-1 through V-6 served as V-class destroyers in the Kaiserliche Marine...
, Nea Genea
Greek destroyer Nea Genea
Nea Genea served in the Royal Hellenic Navy from 1912-1919. She was originally the German destroyer V-6.The ship, along with one of her six sister ships of V class destroyers, Keravnos, was ordered from Germany...
, was ordered from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. They were purchased before entering service in the German Navy
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
, from the German shipyard Vulcan AG
Stettiner Vulcan AG
Aktien-Gesellschaft Vulcan Stettin was a German shipbuilding and locomotive builder company, located in Stettin . AG Vulcan Stettin played a significant role in both World Wars, building U-boats and warships for the Kaiserliche Marine...
in Stettin, when the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
were underway.
Later, during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Greece belatedly entered the war on the side of the Triple Entente
Triple Entente
The Triple Entente was the name given to the alliance among Britain, France and Russia after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907....
and, due to Greece's neutrality the two Ex-German V Class ships were seized by the Allies in October, 1916, taken over by the French in November and served in the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
from 1917-18. By 1918, they were back on escort duty under Greek colors, mainly in the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
. With the Armistice in 1918, Keravnos was ordered to Constantinople and later to Russia during the Russian Civil War.
According to the Executive Officer, Gregory Mezeviris, RHN, "We stayed a few days in Constantinople and then the destroyer Keravnos was ordered to sail to the port of Vatum in the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. This mission was finally cancelled because after sailing for a few hours we faced such adverse weather conditions that our ship with her defective engines could hardly cope with and we had to put back into port. When the weather conditions improved, we were ordered to sail to Sebastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
to reinforce the Greek Squadron anchored there, comprising the battleship Kilkis
Greek Battleship Kilkis
Kilkis was a 13,000 ton Mississippi-class battleship originally built by the US Navy in 1904–1908. The Greek Navy purchased the ship in 1914, along with her sister , renamed Limnos. Kilkis was named for the Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas, a crucial engagement of the Second Balkan War...
and some destroyers."
Keravnos was stricken in 1919 and scrapped in 1922.