HNoMS Eidsvold

HNoMS Eidsvold served as a coastal defence ship and was the lead vessel of the Eidsvold-class coastal defence ship series within the Royal Norwegian Navy. Constructed by Armstrong Whitworth in Newcastle on Tyne starting in 1899, she was deemed outdated by the time she was sunk by German torpedoes in Narvik harbour on 9 April 1940 amid the German invasion of Norway (Operation Weserübung).

Description

Launch invitation for Eidsvold, issued during her launch by Armstrong Whitworth at Newcastle on Tyne

Built during Norway’s rearmament phase preceding the significant political developments of Norway in 1905, Eidsvold, along with her sister ship Norge, formed the core strength of the Royal Norwegian Navy for over four decades. The ship was named after the town of Eidsvoll, notable as the location where the Norwegian Constitution was drafted and signed on May 17, 1814. At their inception, these vessels were considered formidable, featuring two main guns measuring 21 centimetres (8.3 in) in caliber; however, they were quickly eclipsed by the advent of modern Dreadnought class battleships. Their armor was designed to endure engagements against similarly classed ships, comprising a belt armored with approximately 6 \in of Krupp cemented steel and turrets protected by about 9 \in of identical armor plating. Both Eidsvold and Norge were the largest ships operated by Norway at that time, displacing 4,233 tons and staffed by crews up to 270.

In June 1911, Eidsvold voyaged to the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland to participate in the fleet review held for King George V’s coronation celebrations.

Plans to strengthen Norway’s coastal defense fleet included ordering two additional ships from the class in 1912; however, these were requisitioned by the British Royal Navy at the onset of World War I. Consequently, both the Eidsvold class and the older two-ship class remained in service well beyond their prime operational period.

Initial and concluding engagement

Scale models of the coastal defence vessels Tordenskiold and Eidsvold. Eidsvold positioned at the rear

On the morning of 9 April 1940, a German flotilla consisting of ten destroyers transporting troops from a mountain division entered Narvik harbour amid dense fog and heavy snowfall. Despite the adverse weather conditions, Norwegian ships detected their presence and immediately relayed the information, alerting both Eidsvold and Norge. Preparations for combat were swiftly initiated aboard these vessels; live rounds were loaded into the guns and life jackets distributed to the crew. At approximately 04:15, the Germans identified Eidsvold. Captain Odd Isaachsen Willoch on board promptly ordered a signal to be sent to the lead German destroyer using an Aldis lamp. When no reply was received, he commanded a warning shot to be fired ahead of their bow while simultaneously displaying a two-flag signal instructing the destroyer to halt.

Since German orders emphasized occupying Norway without violence if feasible, the German destroyer Wilhelm Heidkamp ceased movement and indicated it would dispatch an officer to negotiate. From approximately 200 metres (220 yd) away, a small launch transported Korvettenkapitän Gerlach to Eidsvold. Gerlach and a signalman were welcomed on the aft deck by the vessel’s second-in-command before being escorted to the bridge to confer with Captain Willoch. Meanwhile, gunners aboard Eidsvold maintained their aim on the German destroyer using both 21 cm and 15 cm artillery. Given the close proximity, the flat trajectory of shells increased the likelihood of striking the lightly armored enemy ship.

Uniform worn by a crew member of HNoMS Eidsvold

At the bridge, Gerlach attempted to persuade Willoch that the Germans arrived as peaceful forces and urged him to surrender his ship without resistance. Willoch responded by affirming his obligation to defend but requested ten minutes to deliberate. Instead of contemplating surrender, he utilized this interval to notify his superiors as well as the captain of Norge about his plan to engage the German forces. Concurrently, another German destroyer maneuvered behind Eidsvold, positioning itself approximately 700 metres (770 yd) away with torpedoes ready for launch.

Gerlach renewed his appeal for capitulation but was refused again. As he departed from Eidsvold’s deck, he fired a red flare signaling that hostilities were imminent. At this moment, Captain Willoch rushed toward the bridge shouting "På plass ved kanonene. Nå skal vi slåss, gutter!" ("Man the guns. We're gonna fight, boys!"). The coastal defence ship turned toward the nearest destroyer and increased speed while the battery commander ordered the port side battery—comprising three 15 cm guns—to commence firing.

Nevertheless, before these guns could discharge effectively, German forces launched four torpedoes at Eidsvold. According to Norwegian accounts, two or three torpedoes struck: one beneath the aft turret, another amidships, and a third near the bow. It is probable that one torpedo detonated a magazine onboard, causing Eidsvold to split in two and sink within seconds while its propellers continued rotating. Only six crew members survived; 175 perished in the icy waters.

The wreck

Fragments of Eidsvold remain submerged in shallow waters near the entrance to Narvik harbour. The majority of the vessel was recovered on site, leaving only small portions of the ship intact.

Sources

• Abelsen, Frank (1986). Norwegian naval ships 1939–1945 (in norsk and English). Oslo: Sem & Stenersen AS. ISBN 82-7046-050-8.
• Børresen, Jacob (2018). "The Coastal Battleship Eidsvold (1900)". In Taylor, Bruce (ed.). The World of the Battleship: The Lives and Careers of Twenty-One Capital Ships of the World's Navies, 1880–1990. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-0870219061.
• Jenks, J. E., ed. (8 July 1911). "Foreign Ships at the Coronation". Army and Navy Register. L (1646). Washington, D.C.: Army & Navy Publishing Co.: 2–4.