Allied Warships

Destroyers

N class

10 ships


The destroyer ORP Piorun (G 65) of the Polish Navy.

Technical information

TypeDestroyer
Displacement1690 BRT 
Length109 metres 
Complement183 men 
Armament6 4.7" guns (3x2).
1 4" AA gun.
4 2pdr AA (1x4).
5 21" torpedo tubes (1x5). 
Max speed36 knots
EnginesGeared turbines, 2 shafts 
Power40000 SHP 
Notes on class

The J, K and N Class ships were developed as a result of the Admiralty under pressure to cut costs but requiring more new and powerful destroyers. The cost of further Tribal Class ships was attractive but could not be justified on cost grounds. The Staff requirement also required a return to a heavy torpedo outfit. While some see these ships as cut down versions of the Tribal Class they were the first to see the introduction on Longitudinal Frames and other weight saving methods of construction. Several ships owed this method of construction to their survival, HMS Javelin was mined and reduced to less than half her original length, but she was towed in and repaired.

Many of the J and K Classes served and were lost in the Mediterranean they participated in many successful engagement, accounting for Italian cruisers, destroyers and many merchant ships.  


All ships of the N class


Royal Australian Navy Royal Australian Navy (more on Royal Australian Navy)

HMAS Nepal (G 25)
HMAS Nestor (G 02) Lost on 16 Jun 1942
HMAS Nizam (G 38)
HMAS Norman (G 49)


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Nepal (G 25) (To Australia as HMAS Nepal)
HMS Nerissa (G 65) (Became the Polish destroyer Piorun)
HMS Nestor (G 02) (To Australia as HMAS Nestor)
HMS Nizam (G 38) (To Australia as HMAS Nizam)
HMS Noble (G 84) (Became the Dutch destroyer Van Galen)
HMS Nonpareil (i) (G 16) (Became the Dutch destroyer Tjerk Hiddes)
HMS Norman (G 49) (To Australia as HMAS Norman)


Royal Dutch Navy Royal Dutch Navy (more on Royal Dutch Navy)

HNMS Tjerk Hiddes (ii) (G 16) (ex. HMS Nonpareil)
HNMS Van Galen (ii) (G 84) (ex. HMS Noble)


Polish Navy Polish Navy (more on Polish Navy)

ORP Piorun (G 65) (ex. HMS Nerissa)

Flotilla leader


Royal Australian Navy Royal Australian Navy (more on Royal Australian Navy)

HMAS Napier (G 97)


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Napier (G 97) (To Australia as HMAS Napier)


10 Destroyers (16 names) of the N class. 1 of them was lost.

Full wartime service history on this vessel.

See all Destroyer classes.



The last stand of the tin can sailors

Hornfischer, James D.

Books dealing with this subject include:

200,000 Miles Aboard the Destroyer Cotten, Robinson, C. Snelling, 1999
A Home on the Rolling Main, A G F Ditcham, 2013
Afridi to Nizam – British Fleet Destroyers 1937 – 43, English, John, 2003
All the Gallant Men, Donald Stratton, 2016
Arctic Convoy PQ8, Michael Wadsworth, 2010
The Battle of Tassafaronga, Russell Syndnor Crenshaw, 2010
Battlestations, Veronico, Nicholas A., 2001
Blood on the Sea, Parkin, Robert Sinclair, 1996
A Blue Water Navy, WAB Douglas, R. Sarty, M. Whitby et al., 2007
British destroyers & frigates, Norman Friedman, 2006
British Destroyers 1892 to 1953, March, Edgar J, 2003
British Destroyers in World War Two, Burt, R.A., 1986
Cadillac of Destroyers, Barrie, Ron and Macpherson, Ken, 1996
Cape Hatteras, Lloyd, Keith Warren, 2008
The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War, Collingwood, Donald, 1999



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