 The escort destroyerGlaisdale | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSGlaisdale |
| Namesake | Hunting forest ofGlaisdale inNorth Yorkshire |
| Ordered | 23 August 1940 |
| Builder | Cammell Laird,Birkenhead |
| Laid down | 4 February 1941 |
| Launched | 5 January 1942 |
| Completed | 12 June 1942 |
| Fate | Transferred to Norway on 23 December 1943 |
 Norway | |
| Name | HNoMSGlaisdale |
| Acquired | 23 December 1943 |
| Decommissioned | August 1944 |
| Identification | L44 |
| Fate |
|
| Norway | |
| Name | HNoMSNarvik |
| Acquired | 23 October 1946 |
| Commissioned | February 1947 |
| Reclassified | Frigate, 1956 |
| Fate | Scrapped, 1962 |
| General characteristics[1] | |
| Class & type | Type IIIHunt-classdestroyer |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 85.3 m (279 ft 10 in) (overall) |
| Beam | 10.16 m (33 ft 4 in) |
| Draught | 3.51 m (11 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) (normal) |
| Range | 2,350 nmi (4,350 km; 2,700 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Complement | 168 |
| Armament |
|
HNoMSGlaisdale (L44) was a Type IIIHunt-class escortdestroyer in service with theRoyal Norwegian Navy during theSecond World War. Originally constructed by the United Kingdom asHMSGlaisdale, she was transferred to Norway before beinglaunched in 1942 andcommissioned as HNoMSGlaisdale, operating with theRoyal Navy but crewed by Norwegian sailors. The ship was badly damaged by anaval mine during theNormandy landings on 23 June 1944 and was returned to the United Kingdom on 2 August, remaining laid up atHartlepool. Post-war, the vessel was repaired and sold to Norway, re-entering service asHNoMSNarvik. She was reclassified as afrigate in 1956 andbroken up in 1962.
Glaisdale was ordered on 23 August 1940 fromCammell Laird ofBirkenhead under the1940 Emergency Programme. Herkeel waslaid down on 4 February 1941. Like allHunt-class escort destroyers, she was named after a Britishfox hunt or hunting region, in this case,Glaisdale, nearScarborough,North Yorkshire.[2] She was the only Royal Navy warship to bear the name.
The ship was transferred to theNorwegian government-in-exile on 23 December 1941, prior to her launch on 5 January 1942, and was commissioned into theRoyal Norwegian Navy as HNoMSGlaisdale. Construction was completed on 12 June 1942.[3]
After completingsea trials,Glaisdale proceeded toScapa Flow in June 1942 to join theHome Fleet for final fitting‑out. Upon completion she transferred toPortsmouth to join the1st Destroyer Flotilla, undertaking convoy escort and patrol duties in theEnglish Channel andWestern Approaches.[3]
On 13 October 1942,Glaisdale took part in an operation to intercept the German auxiliary cruiserKomet in the Channel, operating alongside destroyersHMS Cottesmore,Quorn,Albrighton andEskdale, in co‑ordination withmotor torpedo boats (MTBs).Komet was sunk by gunfire fromEskdale and torpedoes fromMTB 236 at49°44′N01°32′W / 49.733°N 1.533°W /49.733; -1.533, with no survivors.[3][4][5]
From late October until 26 November, she escorted convoys to the Mediterranean in support ofOperation Torch, theAllied landings inNorth Africa, before returning to Portsmouth for further operations in home waters.[3][6][7]
Throughout 1943,Glaisdale continued escort duties in the Channel and Western Approaches. On 14 April, while escorting Convoy PW 232 withEskdale and five armed trawlers, the group was attacked by GermanE-boats 12 miles (19 km) east‑northeast ofThe Lizard;Eskdale was torpedoed byS 90, immobilised and subsequently sunk by a second torpedo fromS 112 at50°03′N05°46′W / 50.050°N 5.767°W /50.050; -5.767.[3]
On 9 October,Glaisdale, together withWensleydale andMelbreak, intercepted an enemy convoy offUshant, sinking the German minesweeperM 135. During the actionGlaisdale sustained light damage from E‑boat gunfire.[3]
In May 1944,Glaisdale was assigned to Force J forOperation Neptune, the naval component of theNormandy landings. After joint training and final rehearsals with Forces G and S atSpithead, she formed part of the fire‑support group in June alongsideKempenfelt,Faulknor,Venus,Fury, Canadian destroyersAlgonquin andSioux,Bleasdale,Stevenstone and Free French destroyerLa Combattante, providing naval gunfire support off beaches Nan, White and Red.[3][8][9]
On 5 June she escorted Convoy J10 through cleared channels toJuno Beach alongsideKempenfelt andBleasdale. On D‑Day (6 June 1944), she delivered naval gunfire support at Nan beach, thereafter maintaining patrol and support operations off Juno. On 10 June she engaged enemy E‑boats attempting to lay mines offshore.[3][8][9]
On 23 June she struck anacoustic mine, severely damaging her starboard engine, and returned to Portsmouth on 24 June for assessment. On 2 August 1944 she was decommissioned from Royal Norwegian Navy service and returned to the UK, remaining laid up in reserve atHartlepool until the end of the war.[3]
In August 1946,Glaisdale was sold outright to Norway and renamed HNoMSNarvik on 23 October. Following a refit atChatham, she re‑entered service with the Royal Norwegian Navy as an escort destroyer in February 1947. Reclassified as afrigate in 1956, she served until decommissioning on 9 May 1962, after which she was sold for scrap.[3]
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