H .  M .  S .   N I Z A M     ( G 3 8 )

 

N or NAPIER-Class destroyer ordered from John Brown, Clydebank under the 1939 Programme on 15th April 1939 and laid down as Job No 564 on 27 July 1939. She was launched on 4th July 1940 and completed on 19th December 1940. The ship was manned by the Royal Australian Navy and was  commissioned on 8th January 1941  for service in the 7th Destroyer Flotilla. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted'by the civil community of Darlington, Co. Durham. Sister ships  NAPIER, NEPAL, NESTOR and NORMAN were also manned by the Royal Australian Navy.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

MALTA CONVOYS 1941 - CRETE  1941 - LIBYA 1941 - OKINAWA 1945.           :

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Field :  White

Badge :  In front  of two  bars  wavy  blue a  quatrefoil

white charged  with a  demi  tiger erased proper.

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 0

 

December              Contractors trials.

                19th        Build completion.                

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Acceptance trials.

                8th          Commissioned for service in Royal Australian Navy.

 

February                Shakedown in NW Approaches.

                10th        Prepared for foreign service at Clydebank.

                13th        At Clydebank during heavy air attacks.

                16th        On completion of storing took passage to Scapa Flow for work-up with ships of

                                Home Fleet.

 

March                    Took passage to join 7th Destroyer Flotilla at Alexandria via Cape of Good Hope.

 

April                       On passage

                30th        Arrived at Aden.

 

May                        Escorted troopships rms QUEEN ELIZABETH and rms QUEEN MARY during

                                passage in Red Sea.

                5th          Joined Flotilla at Alexandria.

                6th          Deployed with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN, HAVOCK, HERO, HEREWARD, HOTSPUR,

                                JERVIS, JUNO, KANDAHAR, KIMBERLEY, KINGSTON and NUBIAN as screen for

                                HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE, HM Battleships BARHAM, VALIANT and WARSPITE,

                                HM Cruisers AJAX, ORION, PERTH and ABDIEL to provide Distant Cover for passage

                                of Convoy MW7 taking troops to Malta and military convoy from Gibraltar carrying

                                stores for Alexandria (Operation TIGER.)

                                (Note : Supply ship HMS BRECONSHIRE was with Fleet units for transit to Malta.)

                8th          Remained with Mediterranean Fleet units when MW7 was detached to go to Malta.

                9th          Joined TIGER Convoy as part of screen during passage to Alexandria.

                12th        Arrived at Alexandria with Mediterranean Fleet.

                18th        Passage to Crete to join Fleet units for defence of island.

                21st         Bombardment German airfield at Scarpanto with HMS JERVIS and HMS ILEX.

                23rd        Deployed for patrol north of Crete with HM Destroyers JERVIS, ILEX, and HAVOCK

                24th        Embarked Commando for planned landing and took passage to Crete with HMS ABDIEL

                                and HMS HER0.

                27th        Landed troops and stores at Suda Bay when operation was cancelled due to weather conditions.

                28th        Returned to Alexandria to embark stores.

                29th        Passage to Sphakia.

                30th        Took part in evacuation of troops at Sphakia with HM Destroyers STUART (RAN), JAGUAR

                                and DEFENDER.

                                (Note : 700 Troops were embarked.)

                                (Editors Note: Destroyers taking part to be reconciled with Naval Events for May 1941and those on

                                passage on 31st following, also with number of troops lifted - thanks to Michal Derela)

                31st         Passage with HM Destroyers NAPIER, KELVIN and KANDAHAR for Sphakia.

                                (Note : Damaged during air attacks in return passage.)

                                For details of defence of Crete and evacuation see THE BATTLE FOR CRETE

                                by SW Pack, London Gazette (1948), ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by

                                C Barnett and Naval Staff History.)

 

June                        Under repair at Alexandria.

                                Nominated for support of military operations in Syria against Vichy French.

                                (Operation EXPORTER)

                                Took passage to join units of Mediterranean Fleet off Syria.

                16th        Deployed off Palestine coast.

                23rd        Engaged Vichy French destroyer GUÉPARD attempting to enter Beirut.

                                Carried out surface gun and torpedo attacks with HM Cruisers LEANDER, NAIAD and HM

                                Destroyer KINGSTON which were unsuccessful and enemy ship was able to escape.

                                See RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W Tute.

 

July                         Joined Inshore Squadron to support garrisons in Tobruk and Mersa Matruh.

                21st         Detached for screening duty with Mediterranean Fleet.

                22nd       Joined HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM Cruisers AJAX, CARLISLE,

                                NAIAD, HOBART (RAN), LEANDER, PHOEBE, LATONA and ABDIEL for Diversionary

                                operation during passage of relief convoy to Malta from Gibraltar (Operation MD5).

                                (Note: HM Destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK, JACKAL, JAGUAR, JERVIS, KANDAHAR,

                                KIMBERLEY, KINGSTON and NUBIAN were also deployed for screening of Fleet units.)

                25th        Returned to Alexandria with Fleet units and resumed Tobruk support.

 

August                  Tobruk support in continuation.

                12th        Took part in relief of ANZAC troops from Tobruk with HM Minelaying Cruisers

                                LATONA and ABDIEL, HM Australian Cruiser HOBART and HMAS NAPIER.

                                (Note : In all 6,000 troops were taken to Egypt to await return to Australia).

 

September             Resumed Fleet duties.

                                (Note : During this period major units of the Mediterranean Fleet carried out

                                another diversionary operation during passage of a relief convoy to Malta

                                from Gibraltar (Operation MD6).)

 

October                  Fleet and support duties in Eastern Mediterranean in continuation.

 

November              Deployed for screening duties in Eastern Mediterranean.

                2nd         Deployed with HM Cruiser ABDIEL and HM Destroyer NAPIER for transfer of troops from

                                Palestine to Cyprus to reinforce garrison.

                9th          Resumed Flotilla duties for Fleet screening at Alexandria.

                24th        Joined HM Battleships BARHAM, QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT with seven other Fleet

                                destroyers as screen during operation to intercept convoy on passage to Benghazi.

                                (Note : Other destroyer were HMS JERVIS, HMS JACKAL and HMS HOTSPUR.

                27th        Assisted in rescue operations after HM Battleship BARHAM was torpedoed by U331 and

                                sunk north of Sollum.

 

December              Fleet duties in continuation based at Alexandria.

                31st         Deployed on anti-submarine sweep while other Fleet units  including HMS NAPIER (RAN) and

                                HMS NESTOR (RAN) carried out bombardment of enemy positions at Bardia.

 

1 9 4 2.

 

January

                3rd          Sailed from Alexandria.

                9th          Joined HM Aircraft Carrier INDOMITABLE with HMS NAPIER (RAN) and HMS NESTOR (RAN).

                28th        Continued escort duty with HMS INDOMITABLE after second batch of aircraft launched.

                                (Operation OPPONENT)..

                                Return passage to collect aircraft for another delivery. See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).

 

February                Escort of HMS INDOMITABLE in continuation.

                3rd          Delivery operation cancelled and took passage with HMS INDOMITABLE to Colombo.

                20th        At Colombo and deployed with Flotilla in Eastern Fleet.

                                Nominated for escort of military convoy SU1 and took passage to join in Indian Ocean during

                                transit from Aden to Fremantle.

                                (Note : This convoy was taking ANZAC troops back to Australia after withdrawal

                                from Western Desert because of Japanese threat to Australia.)

 

March                    Escorted military convoy SU1 with HM Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN,

                                HM Cruiser CORNWALL, HM Destroyers EXPRESS, and VAMPIRE (RAN).

                                (Note : This convoy of 12 troopships was taking ANZAC personnel back to

                                Australia after the Japanese declaration of war.)

 

April                       On release from SU1 returned to Colombo.

                                Taken in hand for repair at Bombay.

 

May                        Nominated for return to Mediterranean on completion.

                                On completion took passage to Alexandria for planned Malta relief convoy.

                                (Operation VIGOROUS).

 

June                        Passage to Alexandria with 7th Destroyer Flotilla.

                13th        Part of screen for HM Cruisers ARETHUSA, BIRMINGHAM, CLEOPATRA, DIDO, NEWCASTLE,

                                EURYALUS and HERMIONE with HM Destroyers HASTY, HERO, INCONSTANT, JAVELIN,

                                JERVIS, KELVIN, NAPIER, NESTOR, NORMAN, PAKENHAM, PALADIN, SIKH and ZULU.

                                (Note : These ships were providing additional cover for passage of Convoy MW11 to

                                Malta from Alexandria.)

                14th        Under heavy and sustained air attacks and threat of surface attack by an Italian

                                Squadron including two battleships.

                15th        Convoy ordered by CinC at Alexandria to reverse course to eastward.

                                Under attacks by Italian E-Boats during which HMS HASTY had to be sunk after major

                                damage and HMS NEWCASTLE was disabled.

                                Heavy and sustained air attacks resumed after daylight. HM Destroyer AIREDALE sunk.

                                Convoy ordered to resume passage towards Malta.

                                When surface threat renewed convoy again ordered to turn eastwards

                                Despite further instructions to resume passage to Malta operation abandoned due to

                                high expenditure of anti-aircraft ammunition.

                16th        HMS HERMIONE torpedoed by U205 during return passage and HM Destroyer NESTOR which

                                had been damaged during air attacks on 15th had to be sunk.

                                Returned to Alexandria with Fleet units.

                                (For full details of this disastrous and ill-directed operation see the THE BATTLE FOR THE

                                MEDITERRANEAN, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History)

                25th        On release from service in the Mediterranean took passage to Kilindini for Indian Ocean convoy

                                defence.

 

July                         On arrival at Kilindini deployed for convoy defence in Indian Ocean.

                                Nominated for service with Eastern Fleet ships for planned operation.

                21st         Sailed from Kilindini for Colombo with HM Destroyers NORMAN, INCONSTANT and Dutch VAN

                                GALEN to join Fleet units for operation.

                22nd       HMS NAPIER (Cdre D) joined for passage to Colombo

                28th        At Colombo and joined by Netherlands cruiser HEEMSKERK.

                30th        Deployed with HM Destroyer NAPIER (Cdre D) and same destroyers as screen for HM Battleship

                                WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and FORMIDABLE, HM Cruisers EFFINGHAM,

                                MAURITIUS and Dutch cruisers HEEMSKERK to provide cover for passage of three Dummy

                                Convoys on passage from Vizagapatam, Madras and Trincomalee towards Andaman Islands.

                                (Operation STAB - A diversionary operation to suggest landing operations. See WAR WITH

                                JAPAN (HMSO).)

 

August

                2nd         Returned to Trincomalee before taking passage to Kilindini to prepare for planned

                                landings on Madagascar.

                                (Note : See above reference for explanation of early return by Force A ships.)

                                Took part in preparatory exercise

 

September

                9th          Sailed from Kilindini to make rendezvous 60 miles south of Mayotta Island with HM

                                Cruiser BIRMINGHAM, HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, Dutch cruiser HEEMSKERK

                                and ships of assault convoy on passage to Majunga for landings of troops to complete

                                occupation of Madagascar (Operation STREAM).

                                (Note : Ships of Force M providing cover and control of landings also included

                                HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers GAMBIA

                                DAUNTLESS and MANXMAN, HM Monitor EREBUS, HM Seaplane Carrier

                                ALBATROSS, HM Destroyers NAPIER, NORMAN, FOXHOUND, HOTSPUR,

                                ARROW, ACTIVE, BLACKMORE, INCONSTANT, FORTUNE, NEPAL, Dutch VAN

                                GALEN and Dutch TJERK HIDDES.

                                Provided A/S defence during passage to beachhead.

                10th        Present at landings to provide anti-submarine defence.

                                (Note : No bombardment was required. For details see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and

                                Naval Staff History.)

                12th        On release resumed Flotilla duties for patrol and convoy defence.

                20th        Deployed for patrol to intercept Vichy French mercantiles on passage to Laurenco

                                Marques. See WAR WITH JAPAN.

                23rd        Intercepted and boarded mercantile ss MARECHEL GELLJENI after report by a South

                                African Air Force aircraft. Prize was escorted to Capetown by HM South African

                                Whaler CEDARBERG.

                26th        Patrol in continuation with HM Destroyer NORMAN.

                29th        After report from patrol aircraft located abandoned Vichy French mercantile ss

                                ADMIRAL PIERRE. Attempt to prevent sinking due to scuttling failed and French ship sunk

                                by gunfire.

 

October                  Passage to Simonstown to prepare for refit.

                8th          Deployed with HM Destroyers ACTIVE, ARROW, FOXHOUND and HM Corvette ROCKROSE

                                for A/S operations after sinking of six mercantiles by U-Boat off Cape of Good Hope.

                                (Note : Took part in rescue of survivors For details ee HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR

                                by C Blair.)

                                On release from operations taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Simonstown.

 

November              Under refit.

 

December              Transferred to South Atlantic Station on completion of post refit trials.

                                Deployed for convoy defence and interception.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Convoy defence duty in South Atlantic and Indian Ocean continued.

to

May

 

June

                15th        Joined HM Destroyers NORMAN, QUADRANT and REDOUBT in escort of military

                                convoy WS30 in Indian Ocean during passage in Atlantic.

                16th        Remained with WS30 for passage from Cape Town

                19th        Detached from WS30 on arrival at Durban.

 

July                         Returned to Indian Ocean with Flotilla to resume duties based at Kilindini.

                                Nominated for special service at Colombo.

                21st         Took passage from Kilindini with HM Destroyers NORMAN, INCONSTANT and Dutch

                                VAN GALEN for Colombo with call at Seychelles to join Force A.

                23rd        HM Destroyer NAPIER joined during passage.

                24th        Deployed with HM Cruisers SUFFOLK, NEWCASTLE, HM Destroyers RELENTLESS ,

                to            RAIDER and RFA tanker to carry out search for U-Boats and supply ship CHARLOTTE

                29th        SCHLIEMANN (Operation PLAYER).

                                (Note : U-Boats were known to be active in Indian Ocean and U-Boat refuelling had

                                taken place. See above reference.)

                30th        Search abandoned and resumed convoy defence duties.

 

July                         Indian Ocean convoy defence in continuation.

 

August                  Transferred to Eastern Fleet based at Trincomalee and took passage.

 

September             Deployed with Eastern Fleet on convoy defence and patrol in Indian Ocean.

to                            (For details of operations in Indian Ocean see OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray.)

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Convoy defence and patrol in India Ocean.

to

March

 

April                       Deployed for Fleet screening duties.

                16th        Part of Task Force 69 as screen for HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT,

                                French Battleship RICHELIEU, HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA and CEYLON and

                                Dutch cruiser TROMP with HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, PENN, PETARD,

                                QUIBERON, NAPIER (RAN) and Dutch destroyer VAN GALEN (Operation COCKPIT).

                18th        Task Force 69 covered air operations by HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS and the

                                US Aircraft Carrier SARATOGA (Task Force 70) against targets at Sabang.

                                (See OPERATION PACIFIC).

 

May                        Deployed on convoy defence and patrol in Indian Ocean and detached for Fleet duty

to                            as required. (See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY)

July

 

August                  Nominated for refit in Australia

 

September

                3rd          Arrived at Melbourne

 

October                  Under refit at Williamstown

 

November              On completion of post refit trials took passage to Ceylon to resume Flotilla duties with

                                Eastern Fleet.

                                (Note : On formation of British Pacific Fleet transferred to Eastern Fleet with ships of 7th

                                Flotilla and retained in Eastern Fleet for support of planned operations in Burma

 

December              Deployed in support of military operations in Burma including defence of military

                                convoys in Bay of Bengal (See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY)

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Flotilla deployment in support of military operations in Burma continued.

 

February                Released from Eastern Fleet service and took passage to Australia to join British Pacific Fleet.

to                            Called at Fremantle on passage

March                    Prepared for service in British Pacific Fleet including exercises off Sydney using

                                US Navy communications and manoeuvring procedures.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D15 to suit US Navy

                                identity for destroyers.

 

April                       Nominated for escort of Logistics Group (Task Force 112) in support of operations

                                by Task Force 57. Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D15.

                                Passage to Manus to join Task Force 112 for escort duty in SW Pacific.

 

May                        Deployed for escort of Logistics Group during air operations against airfields in

                                Sakashima Gunto Group (Operation ICEBERG).

                9th          Detached for temporary screening duties with Task Force 57 ships.

                14th        After release from Fleet screen deployed in Area COOLIE with HM Escort Aircraft

                                Carriers RULER and STRIKER, HM Sloops PHEASANT, CRANE and WOODCOCK for

                                defence of tankers during replenishment of ships of Task Force.

                                (For details see THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton and Naval Staff History.)

                31st         On completion of ICEBERG II Fleet Train took passage to Australia for R&R.

 

June                        Maintenance and Leave period in Australia.

                                (Note : Some ships remained in Brisbane. See above references.)

                28th        Took passage for Fleet Train escort duties during BPF operations against targets in Japan.

 

July                         Pacific Fleet deployment in continuation.

                                (Note : Main British Pacific Fleet units, now designated Task Force 37 and part of

                                US 3rd Fleet, arrived at Manus on 4th July.)

                20th        Part of screen for Logistics Group during refuelling and replenishment of BPF.

                                (Note : Escort for the tankers and Stores Issuing Snips included HM Escort Carriers

                                RULER, STRIKER, HM Destroyers NAPIER, HM Sloops PHEASANT, WHIMBREL,

                                REDPOLE, HM Frigate FINDHORN and HM Minesweeper GAWLER.)

                26th        Part of escort for Logistics Group during Fleet replenishment.

                                (Note : An additional tanker was available but not fully operational.

                                Escort for Group had been increased. See above references.)

                                For details of British Pacific Fleet operations see above references, TASK

                                FORCE 57 by P Smith. and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C. Barnett.)

 

August

                6th          Part of escort for Logistics Group during Fleet replenishment.

                                (Note : Other warships in Group included HM Escort Carriers ARBITER, CHASER, RULER,

                                HM Destroyer NORMAN, HM Sloops PHEASANT, CRANE and HM Minesweepers

                                BURNIE and BALLARAT. Hospital Ship ss TJITJALENGA was deployed in Group.)

                11th        After RN warships were withdrawn from operations due to lack of fuel from British tankers,

                                transferred to Task Group 38.5 with HM Destroyer NAPIER (RAN) and continued

                                escort duty with Support Group.

                                (For details of formation of the British Token Force which was retained in the 3rd US

                                Fleet. .See above references.)

                20th        Provided personnel for Commonwealth component of Third Fleet Allied Landing Force

                                which occupied the Japanese naval base on the island of Azuma.

                23rd        Joined HM Battleship KING GEORGE V, HM Cruisers GAMBIA and NEWFOUNDLAND

                                with HMS NAPIER and US destroyers UHLMANN and BENHAM in re-introduced Task

                                Force 37 for the formal entry into Japanese waters.

                 27th       Anchored in Sagami Wan with TF37 after delay.

                                (Note : Ship flew Australian Flag at the Main.)

                 29th       Proceeded into Tokyo Bay with allied Flagship Groups.

                                (Note : HM Destroyer QUALITY and Hospital Ship TJITJALENGA had joined Group. in

                                September.

 

September

                2nd         Present at formal surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay with representative ships of the

                                British Pacific Fleet with HM Aircraft Carrier INDEFATIGABLE, HM Battleship KING

                                GEORGE V, HM Cruisers NEWFOUNDLAND, HOBART (RAN), SHROPSHIRE (RAN) and

                                GAMBIA (RNZN), HM Destroyers BARFLEUR, WRANGLER, WAKEFUL, TROUBRIDGE,

                                TERMAGANT, TENACIOUS, TEAZER, NAPIER (RAN), BATAAN (RAN) and WARRAMUNGA

                                (RAN)

 

P o s t    W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS NIZAM remained in Japanese waters after the surrender ceremony and embarked PoW from Wakatama with HMNZS GAMBIA. On release from duties associated with collection of PoW and allied nationals the ship returned to Sydney and was handed back to the Royal Navy in October 1945. She then sailed to UK and after arrival at Sheerness on 13th December 1945 was reduced to Reserve status. Placed in Reserve Fleet at Harwich she remained there until 1953 when moved to Chatham. The ship was put on the Disposal List in 1955 and sold to T&W Ward for breaking-up at Grays, Essex where she arrived on 16th November that year.