HNLMS Van Galen (G84)

Van Galen, 1942
History
United Kingdom
Name:	Noble
Builder:	William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton
Laid down:	10 July 1939
Launched:	17 April 1941
Completed:	20 February 1942
Identification:	Pennant number: G84
Notes:	Transferred to Royal Netherlands Navy before completion
Netherlands
Name:	Van Galen
Namesake:	Johan van Galen
Completed:	20 February 1942
Struck:	October 1956
Fate:	Sold for scrap, 1957
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	N-class destroyer
Displacement:	1,773 long tons (1,801 t) (standard) 2,384 long tons (2,422 t) (deep load)
Length:	356 ft 6 in (108.7 m) (o/a)
Beam:	35 ft 9 in (10.9 m)
Draught:	12 ft 6 in (3.8 m)
Installed power:	40,000 shp (30,000 kW) 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Propulsion:	2 Shafts; 2 steam turbines
Speed:	36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range:	5,500 nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement:	183
Sensors and processing systems:	ASDIC Type 285 gunnery radar Type 286 radar surface-search radar
Armament:	3 × twin QF 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mk XII guns 1 × single QF 4-inch Mk V (102 mm) AA gun 4 × single 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon AA guns 2 × twin QF 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) Mk III machineguns 1 × quintuple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes 45 × depth charges, 1 × rack, 2 × throwers

HNLMS Van Galen was a N-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War and transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy shortly after completion.

Description

The N-class destroyers were repeats of the J-class, except that they incorporated the wartime modifications made to the earlier ships. They displaced 1,773 long tons (1,801 t) at standard load and 2,384 long tons (2,422 t) at deep load. The ships had an overall length of 339 feet 6 inches (103.5 m), a beam of 35 feet 9 inches (10.9 m) and a deep draught of 12 feet 6 inches (3.8 m). They were powered by 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). The ships carried a maximum of 491 long tons (499 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ship's complement was 183 officers and men.^[1]

The ships were armed with six 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark XII guns in twin mounts, two superfiring in front of the bridge and one aft of the superstructure. The aft torpedo tubes were replaced by a single QF 4-inch Mk V anti-aircraft gun. Their light anti-aircraft suite was composed of one quadruple mount for 2-pounder "pom-pom" guns, four single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon and two twin mounts for the 0.5 inch Vickers Mark III anti-aircraft machinegun. The N-class ships were fitted with one above-water quintuple mount for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.^[2] The ship was fitted with two depth charge throwers and one rack for 45 depth charges.^[1]

Construction and career

Van Galen was built as the British destroyer HMS Noble (G84), but was commissioned into the Royal Netherlands Navy shortly after completion. The ship served throughout the Second World War and was stricken in October 1956 and scrapped in February 1957 in the Netherlands.

Notes

1. Lenton, p. 170
2. Whitley, p. 117

References

• 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). Afridi to Nizam: British Fleet Destroyers 1937–43. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-64-9.
• Friedman, Norman (2006). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-86176-137-6.
• Hodges, Peter; Friedman, Norman (1979). Destroyer Weapons of World War 2. Greenwich: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-137-3.
• Langtree, Charles (2002). The Kelly's: British J, K, and N Class Destroyers of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-422-9.
• Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
• March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.

External links

• Van Galen at Uboat.net