SCORPION HMS 1943

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SCORPION HMS 1943

Post by shipstamps » Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:16 pm

Built as a destroyer on the yard of Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd. Birkenhead for the Royal Navy.
19 June 1941 laid down under the name SENTINEL but renamed before launching.
26 August 1942 launched under the name HMS SCORPION (G72) one of the ‘S’ class.
Displacement 1.710 ton standard, 2.530 full load, dim. 362.75 x 35.7 ft.
Powered by Parson geared turbines, 40.000 shp., twin screws, speed 32 knots.
Range by 20 knots, 4.675 miles.
Armament: 4 – 4.7 inch, 5 – 40mm, 8 – 21 inch torpedo tubes.
Crew 225.
11 May 1943 commissioned.

After commissioning joined the Home Fleet in the 23rd Destroyer Flotilla.
From 1943 till 01 April 1945 she took part in many Russian convoy to North Russia as distance cover or as escort together with the other destroyers in her flotilla.
She was one of the destroyers (at that time she was under command of Lieutenant Commander W.S. Clouston), which took part in the attack, and sinking of the German battleship SCHARNHORST on 26 December 1943. She attacked the SCHARNHORST from the south-east, at around 18.45 she fired eight torpedoes at a range of around 21.000 to 18.000 yard, she fired together with the Norwegian STORD, and one hit was recorded between the two vessels, but it was impossible to known from which destroyer the hit was fired.
After the SCHARNHORST was sunk she took part in the rescue operation, picking up 30 men from the SCHARNHORST.
Later she escorted the damaged destroyer SAUMAREZ to the Kola Inlet.
June 1944 took part in the D-Day landing as escort for the Assault Convoy S2, she left the Solent anchorage on 05 June 1944 and arrived at the Sword beachhead on the 6th June.

01 October 1945 decommissioned and transferred to the Dutch Koninklijke Marine, commissioned the same day as Hr. Ms. KORTENAER (JT6), named after the Dutch Admiral Egbert Meussen Kortenaer 1604 -1665.
Under Dutch flag she carried 6 – 12cm guns and 4 – 40mm MG.
Crew 236.
Sailed to the Dutch East Indies to help to suppress the freedom movement in the Dutch East India.
14 December 1945 she lost one man when she lay at anchor at the road on Mendanau, A landing division of mariners and soldiers were put ashore to fight against the guerrilla fighters on the island.
During the landing the signalman of the Dutch vessel was hit by a sniper and was killed.
1948 The KORTENAER returned to the Netherlands.
1949 Her pennant number was changed to D804.
During the Korean War (1950 – 1953) she stayed for some time off the Korean coast in support of the United Nations operation in Korea.

Mid-1957 altered to a frigate, a helicopter platform fitted behind the funnel, pennant No. changed to F812.

15 January 1962 she together with Hr. Ms. EVERTSEN came in contact with three Indonesian torpedo boats in the territorial waters near Vlakke Hoek (Flat Corner) in Dutch New Guinea, in which the MATJAN TUTUL (she is on Indonesia 1964 sg 1021) was hit by the EVERTSEN she got on fire and sank, fifty-two men were rescued by the two Dutch frigattes.
The MATJAN TUTUL is the last vessel sunk by the Dutch Royal Navy.

1962 Decommissioned.
18 July 1963 arrived at Ghent, Belgium for scrapping.

On Nevis 2005 $6 sg MS ?

Source: Convoy, Drama in Arctic Waters by Paul Kemp. Convoy to Russia by Ruegg and Hague.
The D-Day ships by John S de Winser. Ships of the Royal Navy by Colledge. Many websites.







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