HNoMS Vale (1874)

The HNoMS "Vale" was a "Vale" class gunboat built for the Royal Norwegian Navy at Karljohansvern Naval Yard in 1874. She was one of a class of five gunboats - the other ships in the class was "Brage", "Nor", "Uller" and "Vidar".

"Vale" was, in addition to the heavy, muzzleloading main gun, armed with a small 'Quick Fire' gun and an early automatic gun, similar to the Gatling gun.

Later "Vale" and her sisterships was rebuilt as minelayers, and she served in this role when the Germans invaded in 1940. During the Norwegian Campaign she served mainly in the Sognefjord. She was captured by German forces after the surrender of Norwegian forces in southern Norway, and returned to Norway after the war.

The vessel was built at the Naval Yard at Horten, and had the yard number 54.

Name

She was named after Váli - a son of the god Odin and the giantess Rindr.

ee also

* List of World War II ships of less than 1000 tons

External links

* [http://navalhistory.flixco.info/G/288023x9/8330/a0.htm Naval history via Flix: KNM Vale] , retrieved 14 Feb 2006
* [http://www.lokalhistoriskarkiv.no/arkivet/historiske_sider/horten_verft/byggenummer Byggenummer ved Horten verft] , retrieved 14 Feb 2006
* [http://hem.fyristorg.com/robertm/norge/Norw_navy_ships.html Ships of the Norwegian navy] , retrieved 16 Feb 2006