HNoMS Stord (G26)

HNoMS Stord in December 1943
History
United Kingdom
Name: Success
Builder: J. Samuel White
Laid down: 25 February 1942
Launched: 3 March 1943
Fate: Transferred to Norway
Norway
Name: Stord
Namesake: The island of Stord
Commissioned: 26 August 1943
Fate: Sold for scrapping 1959
General characteristics
Class and type: S-class destroyer
Displacement:
Length: 362 ft 9 in (110.6 m) (o/a)
Beam: 35 ft 9 in (10.9 m)
Draught: 14 ft 6 in (4.4 m) (deep)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 × shafts; 2 × Parsons geared steam turbines
Speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 4,675 nmi (8,658 km; 5,380 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Radar Type 290 air warning
  • Radar Type 285 ranging & bearing
Armament:

HNoMS Stord was an S-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War, which was transferred to the exiled Royal Norwegian Navy in 1943.

Description

Stord displaced 1,710 long tons (1,740 t) at standard load and 2,530 long tons (2,570 t) at deep load. She had an overall length of 362 feet 9 inches (110.6 m), a beam of 35 feet 8 inches (10.9 m) and a deep draught of 14 feet 6 inches (4.4 m). She was powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). Stord carried a maximum of 615 long tons (625 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 4,675 nautical miles (8,658 km; 5,380 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Her complement was 170 officers and ratings.[1]

The ship was armed with four 45-calibre 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark XII guns in dual-purpose mounts. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, Stord had one twin mount for Bofors 40 mm guns and four twin 20-millimetre (0.8 in) Oerlikon autocannon. She was fitted with two above-water quadruple mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes. Two depth charge rails and four throwers were fitted for which 70 depth charges were provided.[2]

Construction and career

She was laid down as HMS Success, but transferred to the Norwegians before completion. She was renamed HNoMS Stord when commissioned on 26 August 1943 under the command of Lt.-Cdr. Skule Storheill. The ship served in the Home Fleet in the 23rd Destroyer Flotilla. She played an important role in the Battle of the North Cape sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorst. Stord went in as close as 400 yards (360 m) to the Scharnhorst before firing torpedoes. After the battle, Admiral Fraser sent the following message to the Admiralty: "... Please convey to the C-in-C Norwegian Navy. Stord played a very daring role in the fight and I am very proud of her...".

In an interview in The Evening News on 5 January 1944, the commanding officer of HMS Duke of York said: "... the Norwegian destroyer Stord carried out the most daring attack of the whole action..."

In June 1944 Stord also took part in the Normandy landings.

Postwar

Stord was officially purchased from the UK government in 1946 and scrapped in Belgium in 1959.

A model of Stord (approximately 300:1) can be seen in the D-Day museum at Arromanche, Normandy.

On 28 September 2014, Håkon Nilsen (1913-1976), the torpedo commander aboard Stord during the Scharnhorst attack, was the first Norwegian war veteran who in recognition of heroic service was posthumously awarded the Arctic Star by the United Kingdom.

In 2015 another Arctic Star was awarded to Chief Petty Officer Arne Olsen (1917-1990) who saw active service for the Norwegian Navy.

References

  1. ↑ Lenton, p. 174
  2. ↑ English, pp. 62–63

Bibliography

  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
  • English, John (2001). Obdurate to Daring: British Fleet Destroyers 1941–45. Windsor, UK: World Ship Society. ISBN 978-0-9560769-0-8.
  • Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
  • Raven, Alan; Roberts, John (1978). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4.
  • Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.

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