Harold Taylor Wood Grant award received Distinguished Service Order
Second World War
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Grant was a member of the command staff of the Atlantic Coast. Promoted to captain in 1940, he became Director of Naval Personnel. It was during this period that Grant suggested that the expansion of the navy be halted to consolidate and train the existing personnel. He was overruled. Grant was then sent east where he appointed Captain (D) in St. John's in command of the destroyers assigned to the Newfoundland Escort Force. Six months later he was made commanding officer of the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Diomede in March 1943. This was done by Nelles to give Canadian officers experience with larger ships as the Royal Canadian Navy was intending to acquire cruisers and aircraft carriers as the war continued. Six months later, he shifted his command to the cruiser HMS Enterprise. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for "gallantry and skill and good service in command of HMS Enterprise in an action with enemy destroyers".
On December 28, 1943, in the Bay of Biscay, Enterprise and fellow light cruiser, HMS Glasgow took on 11 German destroyers. The two ships sank three German ships, damaged several other German ships and chased the rest of the German ships into a French port. He was Mentioned in Despatches for his service during the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. During the invasion, Enterprise conducted shore bombardment in support of the invasion forces at Utah Beach. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal by the United States for his actions during the naval bombardment of Cherbourg on June 25, 1944, during which he was wounded in an exchange with shore batteries. After leaving Enterprise, Grant returned to Royal Canadian Navy service and commissioned the cruiser HMCS Ontario and deployed to the Pacific. However, the surrender of Japan ended the war before Ontario could arrive and instead Grant and the cruiser helped re-establish British control over Hong Kong. Grant was awarded the Companion of the Order of the British Empire in January 1946.
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