HNoMS Otra (1939-1963)

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Career

Ordered:
Laid down:
Launched:	1939
Commissioned:	September 1939
Fate:	Scrapped 1963
General characteristics
Displacement:	355 tons
Dimensions:	51.0 m m x 7.0 m x 1.8 m
Armament:	1 x 76 mm gun
Propulsion:	2 x Triple expansion steam engines, 900 shp, 15 knop
Crew:	25

As the threat of war in Europe became ever more clear the decision was made to improve the Royal Norwegian Navy's mine warfare capabilities. At first a number of 2. class gunboats were rebuilt into minelayers and minesweepers, but it soon became clear that more capable vessels were required. Thus, two new purpose-built minesweepers were constructed at Akers Mek. Verksted in Oslo; the Otra and the Rauma. Both ships were completed and commisioned only a short time before the German invasion of Norway. The Otra class vessels used the Oropesa system of minesweeping.

1 The invasion
2 German service as the Togo
3 Post-war service
4 Name
5 See also
6 Source

[edit] The invasion

[edit] Prelude

Shortly before the German invasion the UK announced that the Royal Navy had laid out a number of minefields along the coast of Norway to interfere with the German import of Swedish iron ore through the north Norwegian port of Narvik. The British government claimed to have mined three areas; off Stad, Hustadvika, and Landegode north of Bodø. In response to this report, the Norwegian government ordered the minesweepers Otra and Rauma to sail north from their base in Horten and sweep the minefields on 9 April 1940.

[edit] Otra spots the invasion force

Before the order to go north could be carried out, however, the German invasin of Norway took place in the early hours of 9 April. As reports of intruding warships startedcoming in the Otra was sent out to investigate and at 0410 hrs report that the intruders were Germans. The invasion flotilla blocked the Otra's return to Horten.

[edit] Capture

As her sister ship, HNoMS Rauma, was fighting the German naval forces in Horten Otra was cut off and isolated from the action. The next morning, 10 April, she was captured while at anchor in Filtvet.

[edit] German service as the Togo

After capture the Otra was renamed the Togo and put in service as a guardship for the rest of the war. First the Togo served in as part of Hafenschutzflotille Tromsø guarding that northern city's harbour. Later she was transferred to Hafenschutzflotille Oslo. In 1941 the Togo was part of 59 Vorpoostenflotille as V 5908, where she served until April 1944 when she transferred to Vorpoostenflotille 65 as V 6512. After the German surrender she was part of GM-SA (German Mine Sweeping Admin.).

[edit] Post-war service

In 18 January 1946 the Togo was returned to the Royal Norwegian Navy and in 30 October 1946 was renamed the HNoMS Otra. In April 1949 she was rebuilt as a minelayer training ship. 21 August 1959 saw her decommisioning and laid up at Horten until put out of service and sold in April 1963.