Gerard Callenburgh-class destroyer
{{Short description|Class of Dutch destroyers}}
{{no footnotes|date=January 2013}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = Hnms Isaac Sweers FL14111.jpg | Ship caption = {{HNLMS|Isaac Sweers|1940|2}}, underway in 1942 }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Name = Gerard Callenburgh class | Builders = | Operators = *{{naval|Netherlands}}
| Class before = {{sclass2|Admiralen|destroyer|4}} | Class after = {{sclass|Holland|destroyer|4}} | Subclasses = | Cost = | Built range = 1937–1940 | In service range = | In commission range = 1941–1944 | Total ships building = | Total ships planned = 4 | Total ships completed = 2 | Total ships cancelled = | Total ships active = | Total ships laid up = | Total ships lost = 2 | Total ships retired = | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = as designed (see text) | Ship class = | Ship type = Destroyer | Ship displacement = *1,604 tons standard
| Ship length = {{convert|107|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|10.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draft = {{convert|2.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = | Ship hold depth = | Ship propulsion = *2 shaft, Parsons geared turbines
| Ship speed = {{convert|37.5|kn|lk=in}} | Ship range = {{convert|3200|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn|abbr=on}} | Ship endurance = | Ship boats = | Ship complement = 158 | Ship sensors = | Ship EW = | Ship armament = * 5 × {{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on}} guns (2 × 2 & 1 × 1)
| Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = }} |
The Gerard Callenburgh class were a group of four destroyers ordered for the Royal Netherlands Navy just before World War II. Two ships were completed - Gerard Callenburgh by the Germans after being captured and {{HNLMS|Isaac Sweers|1940|2}} in Britain after being evacuated as the Netherlands fell to the Nazis.
Design
File:Hr, Ms. Isac Sweers 1941.jpg
These ships were larger than the preceding {{sclass2|Admiralen|destroyer|1}}s. As those ships were outclassed by contemporary Japanese destroyers, the armament was increased to 5 guns with twin mounts in 'A' and 'Y' positions and a single gun in 'X' position. The torpedo outfit was also increased to two quadruple tubes. Isaac Sweers was completed in a British yard, with British armament and fire control equipment. She was fitted out with six 4-inch guns arranged in double turrets, four 40 mm Bofors and eight 0.5 in machine guns, as well as the customary eight torpedo tubes.
Service
Only two ships were ever completed. Tjerk Hiddes was launched prior to the invasion, but was scuttled at Rotterdam to prevent her from falling into German hands.{{cite web |author= |title=Bouwnummer RDM-207, Hr. Ms. “Tjerk Hiddes”, 1940, torpedobootjager. |url=https://www.rdm-archief.nl/project/bouwnummer-rdm-207-hr-ms-tjerk-hiddes-1940-torpedobootjager/ |website=RDM-archief |language=Dutch}} The Germans raised her, but found it impossible to repair her, so the wreckage was scrapped. Philips Van Almonde was demolished on the slipway after several attempts to launch her to be sailed to England had failed.
Gerard Callenburgh was also scuttled, but the Germans were able to salvage her. She was subsequently completed by Blohm & Voss, retaining most of the Dutch armament and equipment which had been installed prior to her scuttling, and was commissioned as ZH1 on 11 October 1942. She spent most of her career on trials in the Baltic but was transferred to Western France via the English Channel in November 1943. She was one of the German ships sent to intercept the Operation Neptune invasion armada, but they were themselves engaged by a squadron consisting of {{HMS|Tartar|F43|2}}, {{HMS|Ashanti|F51|2}}, {{HMS|Eskimo|F75|2}}, {{HMS|Javelin|F61|2}}, {{HMCS|Haida|G63|2}}, {{HMCS|Huron|G24|2}} and {{ship|ORP|Błyskawica||2}}). ZH1 was torpedoed and badly damaged by Ashanti on 9 June 1944, and was scuttled with the loss of 33 men.
Isaac Sweers was, unlike her sister Philips Van Almonde, launched and then towed to England by the tug Zwarte Zee. She was completed in England by John I. Thornycroft & Company using British armament and fire control equipment. She went on to serve in the Mediterranean Sea with Force H. In December 1941, together with {{HMS|Sikh|F82|2}}, {{HMS|Maori|F24|2}} and {{HMS|Legion|G74|2}} she sank the Italian cruisers {{ship|Italian cruiser|Alberico da Barbiano||2}} and {{ship|Italian cruiser|Alberto di Giussano||2}} in the Battle of Cape Bon. She then briefly served in the Indian Ocean with the Eastern Fleet. She was sunk by {{GS|U-431||2}}, commanded by Wilhelm Dommes on 13 November 1942, in the Western Mediterranean, with the loss of 108 men.
Ships
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Construction data |
| scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | Builder ! scope="col" | Laid down ! scope="col" | Launched ! scope="col" | Commissioned ! scope="col" | Fate |
|---|
| scope="row" | {{HNLMS|Gerard Callenburgh|1939|2}}
|RDM | 12 October 1938 | 12 October 1939 | 11 October 1942 | Scuttled but salvaged; Commissioned as the German ZH1; Sunk, 9 June 1944 |
| scope="row" | {{HNLMS|Isaac Sweers|1940|2}}
| 26 November 1938 | 16 March 1940 | 29 May 1941 | Towed to England and completed; Sunk, 13 November 1942 |
| scope="row" | Tjerk Hiddes
|RDM | 1 October 1938 | 12 October 1939 | {{n/a}} | Scuttled, 15 May 1940; Wreck scrapped by Germany |
| scope="row" | Philips van Almonde
|KM de Schelde | 2 March 1939 | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | Demolished on the slipway; 17 May 1940; Wreck scrapped by Germany |
Citations
{{Reflist}}
= General references =
- M. J. Whitley, Destroyers of World War 2, 1988 Cassell Publishing {{ISBN|1-85409-521-8}}
- [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/7807.html Page on Callenburgh from Uboat.net]
- [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2855.html Page on Isaac Sweers from Uboat.net]
- [http://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Sweers_his.htm Page on Isaac Sweers from the Dutch Navy]
- [http://www.unithistories.com/units_index/default.asp?file=../units_dutch/navy_destroyers.asp? Page from Dutch Destroyers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116170425/https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/default.asp?file=..%2Funits_dutch%2Fnavy_destroyers.asp%3F |date=2020-11-16 }}
- [http://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Callenburgh.htm Technical page from the Dutch navy]
Further reading
- {{cite book |editor-last1=Gardiner |editor-first1=Robert |editor-last2=Chesneau |editor-first2=Roger |date=1980 |title= Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 |location=London |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
- {{cite book |last=Lenton |first=H.T. |date=1968 |title=Royal Netherlands Navy |location=London |publisher=Macdonald & Co. |series=Navies of the Second World War |isbn=}}
- {{cite book |editor-last=McMurtrie |editor-first=Francis E. |date=1940 |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1940 |location=London |publisher=Sampson Low}}
- {{cite book |last=Noppen |first=Ryan K. |date=2020 |title=The Royal Netherlands Navy of World War II |location=Oxford |publisher=Osprey Publishing |series=New Vanguard|number=285 |isbn=9781472841926}}
- {{cite book |last=van Willigenburg |first=Henk |date=2010 |title=Dutch Warships of World War II |location=Emmen |publisher=Lanasta |isbn=978-90-8616-318-2}}
{{Gerard Callenburgh class destroyers}}
{{WWII Dutch ships}}