HNoMS Vale (1874)

Vale-class gunboat
History
Norway
Name: Vale
Namesake: Váli – son of the god Odin and the giantess Rindr
Builder: Karljohansverns Verft Naval Yard in Horten
Yard number: 54
Launched: 14 April 1874
Commissioned: 1874
Captured: by the Germans in 1940
Service record
Operations: Norwegian Campaign
Germany
Acquired: 1940
Fate: Handed back to Norway after VE Day
Service record
Operations: Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
Norway
Name: Vale
Acquired: 1945
Decommissioned: 1946
General characteristics as built
Class and type: Vale-class Rendel gunboat
Displacement: 260 tons
Length: 28 m (91.86 ft)
Propulsion: 220 hp steam engine
Speed: 8.5 knots (15.74 km/h)
Complement: 41
Armament:
  • 1 × 21 cm (10.5 inch) RML gun
  • 1 × 1pdr (cm / inch) QF gun
  • 1 × 1pdr (cm / inch) revolving gun
General characteristics after rebuild
Displacement: 260 tons
Length: 28 m (91.86 ft)
Propulsion: 220 hp steam engine
Speed: 8.5 knots (15.74 km/h)
Complement: 31
Armament:
  • 1 × 12 cm (4.72 inch) gun
  • 3 × 37 mm (1.46 inch) guns
  • 50 mines

HNoMS Vale was a Vale-class Rendel gunboat built for the Royal Norwegian Navy at Karljohansvern Naval Yard in 1874. She was one of a class of five gunboats - the other ships in the class was Brage, Nor, Uller and Vidar.

Vale was, in addition to the heavy, muzzle-loading main gun, armed with a small 'Quick Fire' gun and an early automatic gun, similar to the Gatling gun.

Later Vale and her sister ships was rebuilt as mine layers, and she served in this role when the Germans invaded in 1940. During the Norwegian Campaign she served mainly in the Sognefjord. She was captured by German forces after the surrender of Norwegian forces in southern Norway, and returned to Norway after the war.

The vessel was built at the Naval Yard at Horten, and had yard number 54.


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