Brazilian Frigate Greenhalgh

Type 22 Frigates of the Brazilian Navy were HMS Brilliant, HMS Broadsword, HMS Battleaxe, Brazilian Frigate Bosisio, Brazilian Frigate Greenhalgh [not Greenhaigh]. The Type 22 was designed to be a specialist anti-submarine warfare vessel as part of the Royal Navy's contribution to NATO. Since then they have evolved into a general-purpose frigate with weapons for use against other surface ships, aircraft and submarines. Cornwall is the lead ship for the third and final series (Batch), built in the Broadsword-class. The ships have enhanced command, control and co-ordination facilities ideal for deployment as flagships.

In general, the cost (and size) constrained British ship designs of the mid-1960's, the Type 42 destroyer and the Type 21 frigate, were the only classes of combatants lost by the RN in the Falklands. On the other hand, both newer (Type 22 frigate) and older (county class destroyers) design ships absorbed substantial punishment and were able to survive. HMS Brilliant was sold to the Brazilian Navy and renamed Frigate Greenhalgh. The name was in honor of a naval hero who hailed from Bolton or Bury and went on to become a hero in the Brazilian Navy. The Brazilian Navy Ship BNS Greenhalgh (F 46), the first Brazilian Navy ship to integrate in a U.S. strike group.

Brazilian records show that brothers William and Richard Greenhalgh, sons of Richard, a weaver, and Ann Greenhalgh, made the journey to Brazil soon after the Portuguese Royal Family left for the country during the Napoleonic War. Both brothers, who are recorded as being born in Bury, married Brazilian women. Richard was married in Niteroi, Brazil, to Carolota Augusta Vidal. The couple had six children - Ricardo, Guilherme, Margarida, Thomas Augusta, Joao Carlos and Carlota Augusta Greenhalgh. William married Agostinha Eugenia De Souza Froes and they had two children - Eugenia Amelia and Joao Guilherme Greenhalgh.

And it was Joao Guilherme, born in 1845 in Rio de Janeiro, who went on to become a naval hero. He entered the Naval School in Brazil in 1862 and was always first in his class. In 1864 he became a midshipman. He made his name during the Brazil/Paraguay war, and died "gloriously defending the Brazilian flag" in the Riachuelo Naval Battle on June 11, 1865. He is described in Brazilian records as becoming "a symbol of bravery and patriotism."

F46 Greenhalgh, was originally F88 HMS Broadsword. Built by Yarrow, she was laid down 7th February 1975 & completed by the 24th of January 1979, she was commissioned on the 3rd of may the same year. HMS Broadsword was instrumental in the coordination of the rescue operation after the Fastnet Yacht Race disaster in 1980. During the Falklands conflict both HMS Broadsword & HMS Coventry were attacked by the Argentinean airforce. The Broadsword was lucky, having a bomb go through the flight deck which did not explode, the Coventry was not so lucky needing Broadsword to rescue 170 of her crew. Broadsword successfully shot down four enemy aircraft during the Falklands conflict.

The Brazilian Navy on 29 September 2015 withdrew Greenhalgh-class frigate Bosísio (F 48) from active service. The ship followed Dodsworth (F 47) retired in March 2004, and left in service only first-of-class Greenhalgh (F 46) and Rademaker (F 49). Bosísio 's hull will be put for sale as scrap by Brazilian EMGEPRON (Empresa Gerencial de Projetos Navais). The 'Type 22 Batch 1' frigates were procured in 1994 from UK surplus, where they were built by Yarrow Shipbuilders (now part of BAE Systems) as the Broadsword class and commissioned 1979-82 by the British Royal Navy (then transferred to Brazil between 1995-97).