HNoMS Gor (1884)

The HNoMS "Gor" was a gunboat built for the Royal Norwegian Navy at Karljohansverns Verft Naval Yard in Horten in 1884. She was one of a class of two gunboats - the other ship in her class being "Tyr". The "Gor" and "Tyr" can be seen as improved "Vale"-class gunboats.

The main gun was a staggering 7.8m meter long [ [http://navalhistory.flixco.info/H/288146x53535/8330/a0.htm Naval History on the GR 10.2in 26cm 30cal Krupp gun] ] , or about a quarter of the length of the whole vessel. In addition she was armed with three smaller, automatic guns for self defence.

Shortly before World War I, "Gor" was rebuilt as a minelayer. During this rebuild, the heavy gun and one of the 37 mm guns was replaced with two more potent 76 mm guns. Since the heavy gun and ammunition was removed, "Gor" could carry 55 mines.

"Gor" was kept in service until the German invasion in 1940. Until the surrender of Norwegian forces in southern Norway, she mostly operated in the Sognefjord, and she fell into German hands for the remainder of the war.

After World War II, "Gor" was returned to the Royal Norwegian Navy, and scrapped shortly thereafter.

The vessel was built at Karljohansverns Verft Naval Yard in Horten, and had the yard number 64.

Name

"Gor" was named after the mythical Finnish King Gor who according to the Orkneyinga saga and the Hversu Noregr byggðist (both found in the medieval Icelandic Flateyjarbók) founded Norway together with his brother Nór.

ee also

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

Footnotes

Literature

* Abelsen, Frank: "Norwegian naval ships 1939-1945", Sem & Stenersen AS, Oslo 1986 ISBN 82-7046-050-8 en icon/no icon

External links

* [http://navalhistory.flixco.info/H/288122x53056/8330/a0.htm Naval history via Flix: "Gor"] , retrieved 1 March 2006
* [http://www.lokalhistoriskarkiv.no/arkivet/historiske_sider/horten_verft/byggenummer Byggenummer ved Horten verft] , retrieved 1 March 2006
* [http://hem.fyristorg.com/robertm/norge/Norw_navy_ships.html Ships of the Norwegian navy] , retrieved 1 March 2006