Yugoslavian destroyer Split

The Split was a destroyer built for the Yugoslav Navy and has a long and convoluted history

Design

The Yugoslav Navy decided to order a new large destroyer in the late 1930's to follow the Dubrovnik with an update version significantly larger than her predecessor. The French company Chantiers de Loire helped with design work basing the ship on the Le Fantasque class destroyer. The machinery was supplied by Yarrow Shipbuilders and the guns by Skoda (Czechoslovakia) and Bofors (Sweden).

The designed armament was as follows:
* 5 - 140mm guns in single mountings
* 10 - 40mm guns (5x2)
* 5 - 15mm machine guns
* 6 - 533mm torpedo tubes (2x3)

The ship was laid down in 1939 with materials supplied from France and Britain. By the time war with Italy broke out in 1940 600 tons of material had been delivered. The guns from Skoda and Bofors had been embargoed due to the war.

World War II

When the city of Split was captured by the Axis the hull remained undamaged and the Regia Marina decided to complete the ship. New machinery was ordered from Tosi, and 135mm guns, 37mm guns and 20mm guns replaced the Czech and Swedish weapons. The hull was launched in July 1943 but Italy's Armistice with the Allies led to the hull being scuttled in Split harbour. The Germans salvaged the wreck but did not seriously consider completing her. When Yugoslav Partsans and British Marines liberated the city of Split the hull was found half sunken next to the yard's fitting out dock.

Post War Completion

The war damage to the Split yard led the Yugoslavs to tow the hull to Rijeka for completion by the 3 Maj yard. The Yugoslavs received assistance from Great Britain, who supplied new boilers and turbines and USA who supplied guns and fire control equipment. The ship was finally commissioned in late 1958

ervice

The Split served as flagship of the Yugoslav Navy until the mid 1970's when a boiler explosion led to her being relegated to a stationary training ship. She was decommissioned in 1980 and scrapped by 1986.

References

*Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995
*E.Cernushci & V.P O'Hara, The Star Crossed Split in Warship 2005 Conways maritime Press