HNLMS Van Galen (G84)

For other ships with the same name, see HNLMS Van Galen.

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. The Dutch changed the pennant numbers several times G-84 (WW II), J-3, JT-3, and D-803.^[1]

Van Galen, 1950s
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
Stricken	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	2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers 40,000 shp (30,000 kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 geared 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

Description

Van Galen, 1942

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 enough fuel oil to give them a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). Their complement was 183 officers and ratings.^[2]

The main armament of the N-class ships were six 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark XII guns in three twin-gun mounts, two superfiring in front of the bridge and one aft of the superstructure. The rear torpedo tube mount was replaced by a single QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun. Their light anti-aircraft suite consisted of one quadruple mount for 2-pounder 40 mm (1.6 in) guns, four single 20-millimeter (0.8 in) Oerlikon guns and two twin mounts for Vickers 0.5 in (12.7 mm) anti-aircraft machineguns. The N-class ships were fitted with one above-water quintuple mount for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes^[3] and two depth charge throwers and one rack for 45 depth charges.^[2]

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. "N-class destroyers". www.netherlandsnavy.nl.
2. Lenton, p. 170
3. 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.
• 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 Kellys: 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