HNoMS Kjell 4877875 219166845 2008-06-13T21:45:20Z Attilios 428795 the l {|{{Infobox Ship Begin}} {{Infobox Ship Image |Ship image=[[Image:HNoMS Kjell.jpg|300px]] |Ship caption=''Kjell'' off the coast of Norway. }} {{Infobox Ship Career |Hide header= |Ship country=Norway |Ship flag=[[Image:Flag of Norway, state.svg|60px|Norwegian State Flag]] |Ship name=''Kjell'' |Ship ordered= |Ship builder=The Royal Norwegian Navy Shipyard in [[Horten]] |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=12 March 1912 |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned=1912 |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship honours= |Ship fate=Sunk by RAF aircraft 28 September 1944. |Ship status= |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox Ship Characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=[[2. class torpedo boat|''2.'' class]] |Ship displacement=84&nbsp;tons |Ship length={{convert|41.1|m|ft|2|lk=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|4.7|m|ft|2}} |Ship draft={{convert|2.4|m|ft|2}} |Ship propulsion=1,800 [[horsepower|hp]] [[triple expansion]] steam engine |Ship speed={{convert|25|kn|km/h|2|lk=on}} |Ship range= |Ship complement=21 men |Ship armament='''As built:'''<br>1 × 76 mm (3 in) gun<br>1 × [[machine gun]]<br>1 × fixed [[torpedo tube]] in the bow<br>2 × trainable torpedo launchers<br>'''In German service:'''<ref name="KT1">[http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/captured/torpedoboats/kt1/index.html ''KT1''], german-navy.de</ref><br>1 × 76 mm (3 in) gun<br>1 × 37 mm (1.45 in) gun<br>1 × machine gun<br>2 × torpedo tubes |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship notes=All the above listed information, unless otherwise noted, was acquired from <ref name="Abelsen162">Aberlsen 1986: 162</ref> }} |} '''HNoMS ''Kjell''''' was the final ship of twenty-seven [[2. class torpedo boat|2nd class]] [[torpedo boat]]s built for the [[Royal Norwegian Navy]], launched at the Royal Norwegian Navy's shipyard in [[Horten]] on 12 March 1912 with build number 106.<ref name="Abelsen162"/> ''Kjell'' saw more than 32 years of service, the first 28 years in the Royal Norwegian Navy during [[World War I]] and in the [[interwar period]], the last four in the [[Kriegsmarine]], having been captured in the first days of the 1940 [[Norwegian Campaign]]. After being rebuilt as a [[Minesweeper (ship)|minesweeper]] by the [[Nazi Germany|Germans]], she was sunk by [[Royal Air Force]] [[de Havilland Mosquito]] fighter bombers on 28 September 1944. Divers rediscovered the shipwreck in 2006. The name ''Kjell'' derives from the early-20th century version of the Norwegian word ''tjeld'',<ref>[http://www.ordnett.no/ordbok.html?search=kjell&search_type=&publications=5&publications=21&publications=9&publications=2&publications=17&publications=23&publications=1&publications=22&publications=10&publications=16&publications=8&publications=3&publications=20&publications=15&publications=19&publications=18&publications=12&publications=11&publications=7&publications=14&publications=13&publications=6 Kjell], ordnett.no {{no icon}}</ref> meaning the [[Eurasian Oystercatcher]]. ==Characteristics== ''Kjell'' was the last of 27 small, cigar shaped pre-World War I torpedo boats built for the Royal Norwegian Navy.<ref name="Thomassen138">Thomassen 1995: 138</ref> The other ships in her post-1905 series were the 1906 ''Teist'' ([[Black Guillemot]]) and the 1907 ''Skarv'' ([[Cormorant]]). The series' main armament consisted of two deck-mounted torpedo launchers and one fixed [[torpedo tube]] in the bow. While ''Teist'' and ''Skarv'' were both armed with two 47 mm guns, ''Kjell'' was equipped with a single 76 mm main gun.<ref>Hegland & Lilleheim 1998: 22</ref> Unlike all the preceding Norwegian torpedo boats the Officers' [[Mess]] on board ''Kjell'' was located in the bow section, with easy access to the command position in the tower.<ref>Hegland & Lilleheim 1998: 48</ref> ==World War I== The Royal Norwegian Navy mobilized on 2 August 1914, shortly after the outbreak of World War I. With Norway having declared itself a [[neutral country]] the torpedo boats were ordered to carry the lion's share of the neutrality protection patrols. This was despite their less than satisfactory seaworthiness in open seas, having been designed for service close to shore and in the many Norwegian [[fjord]]s. The background for the decision to deploy the torpedo boats as the main Norwegian patrol force was based on the small ships being more economic to operate than the navy's larger vessels in a time of uncertain coal and oil supplies.<ref>Hegland & Lilleheim 1998: 37</ref> In one episode during her World War I service ''Kjell'' intercepted a British [[submarine]] on 2 July 1916.<ref name="Hegland40">Hegland & Lilleheim 1998: 40</ref> The submarine had violated Norwegian territorial waters off [[Lindesnes]] and proceeded to hail and fire upon the 578 ton Norwegian [[Steamboat|steamer]] SS ''Prunelle'' of [[Bergen]].<ref name="Hegland40"/><ref>[http://www.sjohistorie.no/portal/skip/s/Saturnus%201874 SS ''Saturnus'' 1874 / SS ''Prunelle''] {{no icon}}</ref><ref>[http://www.skipet.no/1918.pdf Norwegian shipwrecks in 1918] {{no icon}}</ref> Although the British submarine managed to dive and make good its escape the neutrality violation had been so well documented that the [[Her Majesty's Government|UK government]] later issued an apology to its Norwegian counterpart.<ref name="Hegland40"/> [[Image:Hvasser, Sannesund - Færder in background.jpg|thumb|left|The islet-rich Færder area in 1915.]] ==Inter-war period== By the end of World War I the Norwegian torpedo boat fleet had been worn down by constant service and 14 of the vessels were decommissioned and disposed of in 1920. Twenty-three torpedo boats, including ''Kjell'', were obliged to continue in service due to budgetary restrictions despite being long outdated and ready for replacement.<ref>Hegland & Lilleheim 1998: 47</ref> Although officially still in service the torpedo boats spent most of the inter-war period in port, only being equipped for [[Military exercise|exercises]] some two to three months every year.<ref name="Hegland49">Hegland & Lilleheim 1998: 49</ref> ===Intercepting smugglers=== For ''Kjell'' the 1922 exercise season turned out somewhat unusual as she was deployed against [[Rum-running|alcohol smugglers]] on the coast as part of the enforcement of the 1916-1927 Norwegian [[prohibition]]. During 20 days in September 1922 ''Kjell'' operated off [[Færder]] in [[Tjøme]], soon earning the nickname ''Terror of the smugglers'' ([[Norwegian language|Norw.]] ''Smugglernes skrekk'') by confiscating on average {{convert|1500|L|impgal|2|lk=on}} of spirits a day. At the conclusion of the 20 day anti-smuggling cruise each member of the torpedo boat's crew received the then-substantial amount of 382 [[Norwegian krone]]r in [[prize money]].<ref name="Hegland49"/> ==World War II== ===Norwegian service=== ====Neutrality protection==== At the outbreak of World War II the Norwegian torpedo boat force was again deployed guarding the coastline against neutrality violations. ''Kjell'' was at that time part of the 2. Torpedo boat Division in the [[Kristiansand]] section of the 1<sup>st</sup> Naval District, covering the southernmost part of the Norwegian coastline. As had been the case during World War I the torpedo boats were once more spread singly along the coastline.<ref>Hegland & Lilleheim 1998: 50</ref><ref>Mårtensson, Robert: [http://hem.fyristorg.com/robertm/norge/Norw_navy_org.html Organization of Norwegian naval forces in 1940]</ref> ====''Altmark'' Incident==== {{main|Altmark Incident}} [[Image:Altmark Incident.jpg|thumb|right|German dead being brought ashore for burial after the [[Altmark Incident]]]] One of the tasks given to the Norwegian torpedo boat force as part of their renewed neutrality protection duties was the escort and inspection of vessels belonging to the warring parties. One of these missions included the control and escort of the German auxiliary tanker [[German tanker Altmark|''Altmark'']] in February 1940. ''Altmark'' was returning to Germany after having supported the German [[pocket battleship]] [[German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee|''Graf Spee'']] in the [[South Atlantic]]. On her return voyage to Germany she was carrying 299 British merchant sailors as [[Prisoner of war|prisoners of war]], and entered Norwegian waters north of [[Trondheimsfjord]] on 14 February 1940. The transport of PoWs through neutral territorial waters was not in violation of [[public international law]], and as Norwegian authorities feared an incident between the German ship and the [[Royal Navy]] the ship was allowed passage through Bergen naval port. The passage at Bergen was in violation of official Norwegian neutrality regulations as the tanker was a state-operated vessel of a warring party.<ref name="Hegland51">Hegland & Lilleheim 1998: 51</ref> As ''Altmark'' proceeded southwards to Germany she was escorted along the way by various Norwegian warships.<ref name="Hegland51"/> On the day after she entered Norwegian waters, 15 February, the ''Altmark'' was spotted by British [[Surveillance aircraft|reconnaissance aircraft]] and soon after confronted by a force of six Royal Navy [[destroyer]]s. In an effort to avoid capture ''Altmark'' sought shelter in the [[Jøssingfjord]], in the area between [[Egersund]] and [[Flekkefjord]], now under the escort of ''Kjell'' and fellow torpedo boat ''Skarv''.<ref name="Norgeslexi">[http://www.norgeslexi.com/krigslex/a/a2.html#altmarksaken ''Altmark'' Incident], Norgeslexi.com {{no icon}}</ref> Ignoring protests from the Norwegian naval vessels, which commanders were under direct orders not to fire at the British,<ref name="Hegland51"/> the destroyer [[HMS Cossack (F03)|HMS ''Cossack'']] entered Jøssingfjord at 2220hrs on 16 February and [[Boarding (attack)|boarded]] the German ship, killing six, mortally wounding one of the German crew and freeing the British prisoners. The failure of ''Kjell'' and the other Norwegian warships to intervene in the blatant neutrality violation led [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] to speed up plans for a [[Operation Weserübung|German invasion of Norway]], six days after the incident appointing General [[Nikolaus von Falkenhorst]] as commander of the operation.<ref name="Norgeslexi"/> One of the immediate German reactions to the incident was a demand that the commanders of ''Kjell'' and ''Skarv'' be dismissed, although this was quickly dropped following the recommendation of the German [[legation]] in Oslo.<ref name="Hegland51"/> The Norwegian government on its part issued strong protests to the UK government, President of the [[Storting|Norwegian Parliament]] [[Carl Joachim Hambro (politician)|C. J. Hambro]] stating that the united Norwegian parliament and people protested the British intrusion at Jøssingfjord.<ref name="Norgeslexi"/> ====The German invasion==== On 8 April 1940, the day before the German invasion, ''Kjell'' was in Kristiansand carrying out repairs which were finished by afternoon. The next morning she was ordered to nearby Marvika naval base to take on board torpedoes. However, before the vessel could be made war ready orders came through from the commander of the local naval section that resistance to the German invasion in the Kristiansand area was to cease. As the Germans occupied Marvika ''Kjell'' was allowed to move to nearby [[Vigebukta]] bay in the [[Topdalsfjord]]. On 11 April the torpedo boat was seized by German infantry and at 1830hrs the [[Reichskriegsflagge|German war flag]] was raised, signalling the ship's transfer to Kriegsmarine service.<ref name="Thomassen138"/> ===German service=== Initially renamed ''KT1'' and used as a [[Vorpostenboot]] the torpedo boat was later rebuilt as a minesweeper under the name NK.02 ''Dragoner''. Serving as a [[patrol boat]] and escort vessel on the coast of [[Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany|occupied Norway]] she was sailing alone off [[Ryvingen]] near [[Mandal]] when she was discovered and attacked by six [[No. 248 Squadron RAF]] de Havilland Mosquito fighter bombers on 28 September 1944. After a brief and futile fight she was sunk by a combination of [[autocannon]] fire and a [[depth charge]] exploding underneath her midship section. Of the 25 Germans on board at the time of the sinking 18 survived, seven of whom were wounded. The attacking RAF aircraft suffered no damage from the German return-fire and all returned to base.<ref>Hafsten 1991: 196</ref><ref name="KT1"/><ref>[http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/44-09.htm Naval war - September 1944] {{de icon}}</ref> ==Discovery of the wreck== The wreck of ''Dragoner '' was discovered partly intact at some {{convert|50|m|ft}} depth several kilometres from land by a team of three Norwegian divers in February 2006. The wreck has since been declared a [[war grave]].<ref>[http://www.fedrelandsvennen.no/nyheter/mandal/article342968.ece Found torpedo boat from the war], Fedrelandsvennen newspaper {{no icon}}</ref><ref>[http://www.skovheim.org/located/vagder/nk02dragoner/nk02dragoner.htm NK02 ''Dragoner''] Skovheim.org shipwreck site {{no icon}} & {{en icon}}</ref><ref name="KT1"/> ==Footnotes== {{Reflist|2}} ==Literature== * Abelsen, Frank: ''Norwegian naval ships 1939-1945'', Sem & Stenersen AS, Oslo 1986, ISBN 82-7046-050-8 {{en icon}}/{{no icon}} * {{lang|no|Hafsten, Bjørn; Larsstuvold, Ulf; Olsen, Bjørn and Stenersen, Sten: "Flyalarm - luftkrigen over Norge 1939-1945", Sem og Stenersen AS, Oslo 1991 ISBN 82-7046-058-3}} {{no icon}} * {{lang|no|Hegland, Jon Rustung & Lilleheim, Johan Henrik: ''Norske torpedobåter gjennom 125 år'', Sjømilitære Samfund ved Norsk Tidsskrift for Sjøvesen, Hundvåg 1998}} ISBN 82-994738-1-0 * {{lang|no|Thomassen, Marius: ''90 år under rent norsk orlogsflagg'', Eide Forlag, Bergen 1995 ISBN 82-514-0483-5}} {{no icon}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Kjell, HNoMS}} [[Category:Royal Norwegian Navy ships]] [[Category:Naval ships of Norway captured by Germany during World War II]] [[Category:World War II naval ships of Norway]] [[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the North Sea]]