HNoMS Tordenskjold

HNoMS Tordenskjold

Company type	Coastal defence vessel
Industry	Naval military ship
Founded	1897
Headquarters	Norway
Products	Coastal defence ship

Norwegian Coastal Defence Vessel

HNoMS Tordenskjold', commonly referred to in Norway as Panserskipet Tordenskjold, served as a coastal defense ship within the Norwegian navy. Alongside her sister ship, Harald Haarfagre, and the somewhat more modern Eidsvold class, she was constructed during a period of military buildup preceding the 1905 political separation. Throughout her service life, Tordenskjold played a significant role in the Royal Norwegian Navy until she was ultimately deemed unsuitable for combat duties by the mid-1930s.

Description

Scale models depicting the coastal defence vessel Tordenskiold alongside Eidsvold, with Tordenskjold positioned in front.

Constructed at the Elswick shipyard, Tordenskjold closely resembled her sister ship Harald Haarfagre. She was named in honor of Peter Wessel Tordenskjold, a distinguished Norwegian naval commander who served the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway. Designed as a compact version of a traditional pre-dreadnought battleship, she was armed with a diverse array of artillery: two primary 8.2-inch (210 mm) guns mounted in barbettes, six 4.7-inch (120 mm) guns, six 3-inch (76 mm) guns, along with six smaller quick-firing weapons. The vessel was capable of speeds exceeding 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph). Its protection included a belt armor thickness of 7 inches (180 mm), gun barbettes reinforced by nearly 8 inches (200 mm) of steel armor, and an armored deck.

Service history and fate

Serving as an essential component of the Royal Norwegian Navy, Tordenskjold carried out routine naval operations until 1918 when she was converted into a training ship for cadets. In this capacity, she successfully completed eighteen training voyages before being declared "unfit for war" during the mid-1930s. Following the German invasion of Norway, the vessel was captured by German forces and transformed into a stationary flak battery equipped with 10.5 cm anti-aircraft guns, receiving the new name Nymphe. In May 1945, while moored at Svolvaer, she sustained damage from attacks by RAF aircraft and was subsequently grounded. The ship was later refloated within the same year. Post-war, Tordenskjold briefly served as a floating barracks. On 17 May 1945, coinciding with Norway’s National Day celebrations, the vessel was docked at Svolvaer to transport nearly 500 German personnel from the vicinity to a camp located in Bogen near Narvik. During this operation, the ship struck a submerged rock off the coast of Lille-Molla Island, prompting German captain Alfred Kemerer to decide to intentionally beach the vessel. Allegations involving alcohol use and sabotage sparked significant disputes between Norwegian and German naval officers.

The ship remained stranded at Lille-Molla until her sale for scrapping in 1948.

Depicted during German service as a flakship in 1940 under the name Nymphe.

Plans had been made to strengthen Norway's coastal defence fleet with two ships from the Bjørgvin-class class ordered in 1912; however, these vessels were seized by the Royal Navy at the onset of World War I. Consequently, both the Tordenskjold class and the somewhat newer twin ships of the Eidsvold class class remained in service well beyond their prime operational period.

Today

The designation KNM Tordenskjold currently refers to the Norwegian Naval Training Establishment (NORNAVTRAINEST) located at Haakonsvern, Bergen.

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  Anchor from the Tordenskjold (2007)
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  Blueprints of the panserskipet Tordenskjold
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  Illustration showing main turret-mounted heavy artillery at the front and rear, with secondary weapons positioned in the central battery

Bibliography

• Dodson, Aidan & Nottlemann, Dirk (2023). "The German Flak Ships, Part I: The German and ex-Norwegian Hulls". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2023. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. pp. 112–127. ISBN 978-1-4728-5713-2.