Gerard Callenburgh class destroyer
Encyclopedia
The Gerard Callenburgh class were a group of four destroyer
s ordered for the Royal Netherlands Navy
just before World War II
. Two ships were completed - the Gerard Callenburgh by the Germans after being captured and the Isaac Sweers
in Britain after being evacuated as the Netherlands fell to the Nazis
.
These ships were larger than the preceding Admiralen class destroyer
s. As those ships were outclassed by contemporary Japanese destroyers, the armament was increased to 5 guns with twin mounts in A and Y positions and a single gun in X position. The torpedo outfit was also increased to two quadruple tubes. The Isaac Sweers was completed in a British yard, with British armament and fire control equipment. She was fitted out with six 4 inch guns arranged in double turrets, four 40mm Bofors and eight 0.5 in machine guns, as well as the customary eight torpedo tubes.
HNLMS Gerard Callenburgh was also scuttled, but the Germans were able to salvage her. She was subsequently completed by Blohm & Voss, retaining most of the Dutch armament and equipment, and was commissioned as the ZH1 on 11 October 1942. She spent most of her career on trials in the Baltic
but was transferred to Western France via the English Channel
in November 1943. She was one of the German ships sent to intercept the Operation Neptune
invasion armada, but they were themselves engaged by an squadron
consisting of HMS Tartar
, HMS Ashanti
, HMS Eskimo
, HMS Javelin
, HMCS Haida
, HMCS Huron
and ORP Błyskawica). The ZH1 was torpedoed and badly damaged by the Ashanti on 9 June 1944, and was scuttled with the loss of 33 men.
HNLMS Isaac Sweers was, unlike her sister Philips Van Almonde, successfully launched and then towed to England by the tug Zwarte Zee. She was completed in England by J Thornycroft
using British armament and fire control equipment. She went on to serve in the Mediterranean Sea
with Force H
. In December 1941, together with HMS Sikh
, HMS Maori
and HMS Legion she sank the Italian cruisers Alberico da Barbiano
and Alberto di Giussano
in the Battle of Cape Bon. She then briefly served in the Indian Ocean with the Eastern Fleet. She was sunk by the German submarine U-431 commanded by Wilhelm Dommes
on 13 November 1942 in the Western Mediterranean, with the loss of 108 men.
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s ordered for the Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
just before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Two ships were completed - the Gerard Callenburgh by the Germans after being captured and the Isaac Sweers
HNLMS Isaac Sweers
HNLMS Isaac Sweers, was Gerard Callenburgh class destroyer of the Royal Netherlands Navy.-Design and construction:The keel was laid on 26 November 1938. The ship was launched on 16 March 1940 and the unfinished ship was evacuated to England after the German invasion of the Netherlands...
in Britain after being evacuated as the Netherlands fell to the Nazis
Battle of the Netherlands
The Battle of the Netherlands was part of Case Yellow , the German invasion of the Low Countries and France during World War II. The battle lasted from 10 May 1940 until 14 May 1940 when the main Dutch forces surrendered...
.
Design
Admiralen class destroyer
The Admiralen Class were eight destroyers built for the Royal Netherlands Navy between 1926 and 1931. All ships fought in World War II and were scuttled or sunk...
s. As those ships were outclassed by contemporary Japanese destroyers, the armament was increased to 5 guns with twin mounts in A and Y positions and a single gun in X position. The torpedo outfit was also increased to two quadruple tubes. The Isaac Sweers was completed in a British yard, with British armament and fire control equipment. She was fitted out with six 4 inch guns arranged in double turrets, four 40mm Bofors and eight 0.5 in machine guns, as well as the customary eight torpedo tubes.
Service
Only two ships were ever completed. HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes was launched prior to the invasion, but was scuttled at Rotterdam to prevent her from falling into German hands. The Germans raised her, but found it impossible to repair her, so the wreckage was scrapped. HNLMS Philips Van Almonde was demolished on the slipway after several attempts to launch her to be sailed to England had failed.HNLMS Gerard Callenburgh was also scuttled, but the Germans were able to salvage her. She was subsequently completed by Blohm & Voss, retaining most of the Dutch armament and equipment, and was commissioned as the ZH1 on 11 October 1942. She spent most of her career on trials in the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
but was transferred to Western France via the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
in November 1943. She was one of the German ships sent to intercept the Operation Neptune
Operation Neptune
The Normandy landings, codenamed Operation Neptune, were the landing operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy, in Operation Overlord, during World War II. The landings commenced on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 , beginning at 6:30 AM British Double Summer Time...
invasion armada, but they were themselves engaged by an squadron
Battle of Ushant (1944)
The Battle of Ushant, also known as the Battle of Brittany, occurred on the early morning of 9 June 1944 and was an engagement between a German destroyer flotilla, and an Allied destroyer flotilla off the coast of Brittany. The action came shortly after the initial Allied landings in Normandy...
consisting of HMS Tartar
HMS Tartar (F43)
HMS Tartar was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service in most of the naval theatres of World War II. She had an eventful career, eventually receiving the nickname 'Lucky Tartar' due to her numerous escapes from dangerous situations...
, HMS Ashanti
HMS Ashanti (F51)
HMS Ashanti was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. Following the style of her sister ships she was named for an ethnic group, in this case the Ashanti people of the Gold Coast in West Africa. She served in the Second World War and was broken up in 1949...
, HMS Eskimo
HMS Eskimo (F75)
HMS Eskimo was a Tribal-class destroyer, laid down by the High Walker Yard of Vickers Armstrong at Newcastle-on-Tyne on 5 August 1936...
, HMS Javelin
HMS Javelin (F61)
HMS Javelin was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by John Brown and Company, Limited, at Clydebank in Scotland on 11 October 1937, launched on 21 December 1938, and commissioned on 10 June 1939....
, HMCS Haida
HMCS Haida (G63)
HMCS Haida is a Tribal-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1943-1963.Haida sank more enemy surface tonnage than any other Canadian warship...
, HMCS Huron
HMCS Huron (G24)
HMCS Huron G24/216 was a Tribal class destroyer built by Vickers-Armstrongs on the River Tyne in England, and served in the Royal Canadian Navy. It was the first ship to bear this name...
and ORP Błyskawica). The ZH1 was torpedoed and badly damaged by the Ashanti on 9 June 1944, and was scuttled with the loss of 33 men.
HNLMS Isaac Sweers was, unlike her sister Philips Van Almonde, successfully launched and then towed to England by the tug Zwarte Zee. She was completed in England by J Thornycroft
John I. Thornycroft & Company
John I. Thornycroft & Company Limited, usually known simply as Thornycroft was a British shipbuilding firm started by John Isaac Thornycroft in the 19th century.-History:...
using British armament and fire control equipment. She went on to serve in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
with Force H
Force H
Force H was a British naval formation during the Second World War. It was formed in 1940 to replace French naval power in the western Mediterranean that had been removed by the French armistice with Nazi Germany....
. In December 1941, together with HMS Sikh
HMS Sikh (F82)
HMS Sikh was a Tribal-class destroyer of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla of the Royal Navy. She was built by Alexander Stephen and Sons in Glasgow and commissioned in 1938. In 1941, while under the command of Commander Stokes, she took part in the sinking of the German battleship in 1941...
, HMS Maori
HMS Maori (F24)
HMS Maori was a Tribal-class destroyer laid down by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited, at Govan in Scotland on 6 June 1936, launched on 2 September 1937 by Mrs. W. J. Jordan and commissioned on 2 January 1939...
and HMS Legion she sank the Italian cruisers Alberico da Barbiano
Italian cruiser Alberico da Barbiano
Alberico da Barbiano was an Italian Condottieri class light cruiser, that served in the Regia Marina during World War II. She was named after Alberico da Barbiano, an Italian condottiero of the 14th century....
and Alberto di Giussano
Italian cruiser Alberto di Giussano
Alberto da Giussano was an Italian Condottieri class cruiser, which served in the Regia Marina during World War II...
in the Battle of Cape Bon. She then briefly served in the Indian Ocean with the Eastern Fleet. She was sunk by the German submarine U-431 commanded by Wilhelm Dommes
Wilhelm Dommes
Wilhelm Dommes was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
on 13 November 1942 in the Western Mediterranean, with the loss of 108 men.