HNoMS Otra (1939)
Otra in November 1939
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History | |
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Norway | |
Name | Otra |
Namesake | The river Otra |
Builder | Nylands Verksted, Oslo |
Launched | 5 August 1939[1] |
Commissioned | September 1939 |
Fate | Seized by the Germans 10 April 1940 |
Germany | |
Name | Togo |
Namesake | German Togo |
Acquired | 10 April 1940 |
Identification |
|
Fate | Handed over to the German Mine Sweeping Administration after VE Day |
Service record | |
Operations: |
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Norway | |
Name | Otra |
Acquired | 18 January 1946 |
Commissioned | 30 October 1946 |
Decommissioned | 21 August 1959 |
Fate | Scrapped 1963 |
General characteristics as built | |
Class and type | Otra class minesweeper |
Displacement | 355 tons[2] |
Length | 51 m (167.32 ft) |
Beam | 7 m (22.97 ft) |
Draft | 1.8 m (5.91 ft) |
Propulsion | Two 900 hp Triple expansion steam engines, two shafts |
Speed | 15 knots (27.78 km/h) |
Range | 1,400 nautical miles (2,592.80 km) at 9 knots (16.67 km/h) |
Complement | 25 men |
Armament |
|
General characteristics after German rebuild | |
Class and type | Vorpostenboot and minelayer |
Displacement | 355 tons[2] |
Length | 51 m (167.32 ft) |
Beam | 7 m (22.97 ft) |
Draft | 1.8 m (5.91 ft) |
Propulsion | Two 900 hp Triple expansion steam engines, two shafts |
Speed | 15 knots (27.78 km/h) |
Range | 1,400 nautical miles (2,592.80 km) at 9 knots (16.67 km/h) |
Complement | 25 men |
Armament |
|
General characteristics after April 1949 Norwegian rebuild | |
Class and type | Otra class minelayer training ship |
Displacement | 355 tons[2] |
Length | 51 m (167.32 ft) |
Beam | 7 m (22.97 ft) |
Draft | 1.8 m (5.91 ft) |
Propulsion | Two 900 hp Triple expansion steam engines, two shafts |
Speed | 15 knots (27.78 km/h) |
Range | 1,400 nautical miles (2,592.80 km) at 9 knots (16.67 km/h) |
Complement | 25 men |
Armament |
|
HNoMS Otra was an Otra-class minesweeper built in 1939 for the Royal Norwegian Navy. Captured by the Germans during the 1940 invasion of Norway and renamed Togo, she was returned to the Norwegians in 1946. Otra remained in service until being sold for scrapping in 1963.
Description
Otra and her sister ship
The invasion
Prelude
Shortly before the German invasion the
Otra spots the invasion force
Before the order to go north could be carried out, however, the German invasion of Norway took place in the early hours of 9 April. As reports of intruding warships started coming in Otra was sent out to investigate, and at 0410hrs report that the intruders were Germans. The invasion flotilla blocked Otra's return to Horten.[5]
Capture
While her sister ship, HNoMS Rauma, was fighting the German naval forces in Horten Otra was cut off and isolated from the action. The next morning, 10 April, she was captured while at anchor in Filtvet.[2][5]
German service as Togo
After capture Otra was renamed Togo and put in service as a
Post-war service
On 18 January 1946 Togo was returned to the Royal Norwegian Navy at Bogen and on 30 October 1946 was renamed HNoMS Otra. In April 1949 she was rebuilt as a minelayer training ship. 21 August 1959 saw her decommissioning and she was laid up at Horten until put out of service and sold in April 1963.[2]
Footnotes
- ^ "Otra (6110878)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Abelsen 1986, p. 100
- ^ Berg 1997, p. 15
- ^ a b c Emmerich, Michael. "Togo". German Naval History. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "Otra og Rauma". Norwegian Armed Forces (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 27 May 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ a b Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1941, September". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 11 April 2015.
- ^ "Vorpostenflottillen Norwegen 1941–1944" (in German). Württembergische Landesbibliothek. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
- ^ "Vorposten-Flottillen 63–68 Aufgestellt 1944" (in German). Württembergische Landesbibliothek. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
Bibliography
- Abelsen, Frank (1986). Norwegian naval ships 1939–1945 (in Norwegian and English). Oslo: Sem & Stenersen AS. ISBN 82-7046-050-8.
- Berg, Ole F. (1997). I skjærgården og på havet – Marinens krig 8. april 1940 – 8. mai 1945 [In the archipelago and at sea - the Navy's war 8 April 1940 – 8 May 1945] (in Norwegian). Oslo: Marinens krigsveteranforening. ISBN 82-993545-2-8.