N-Class destroyer ordered from J I Thornycroft at Woolston, Southampton with the
1939 Programme on 15th April 1939
with HMS NORSEMAN of the same Class. This ship was laid down on 27th July 1939
and launched on 30th October
1940 as the second RN ship to carry the name which was introduced in 1916 for
destroyer which was sold for
demolition in 1921. It had also been used for trawlers requisitioned in WW1. In
November 1940 it was revealed that
she would be manned by the Royal Australian Navy on loan with sisters HMS
NAPIER, NEPAL, NIZAM and
NESTOR. She was commissioned for service in the Royal Australian Navy on
15th September 1941 and was adopted
by the civil community of Hitchin, Hertfordshire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign
in March 1942. Her completion was delayed by late delivery of fire control
equipment and the higher priority
given to warship repair work after the evacuation operations from the Norway
and the continent in 1940. (Note
: HMS NORSEMAN was later renamed HMAS NEPAL.)
B a t t l e H
o n o u r s
H e r a l d i c
D a t a
Badge : On a Field Blue, a Norman helmet proper,
garnished Gold.
D e t a i l s
o f W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 4 1
September Contractors trials
15th Commissioned for service as HMAS
NORMAN.
29th Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
October Passage to Scapa Flow for work-up
with ships of Home Fleet on completion of trials and
Storing.
7th Work-up suspended and took passage
to Seidisfjord. Iceland to embark Trades Union
delegation/
(Note : HM
Destroyer ANTELOPE which was to have taken the delegation to Archangel
had
been unable to sail due to machinery defects.
14th Passage to Archangel with delegation
17th During passage from Archangel to
Scapa Flow ordered to return to Archangel to embark
delegation for
return to UK on completion of their visit.
21st
Deployed in North Russia
for anti—submarine patrols in White Sea.
27th Embarked delegation and took
passage to Scapa Flow.
November Resumed work-up at Scapa Flow.
Nominated for
foreign service in Indian Ocean with 7th Destroyer Flotilla.
December
8th On completion of work-up took
passage to build yard in Woolston for repair of defects
and installation
of radar equipment.
12th
Under repair.
1 9 4 2
January
4th On completion of dockyard work
carried out trials
17th Joined military convoy WS15 with HM
Battleship RESOLUTION and Polish Destroyer ORP
GARLAND as Ocean
Escort during passage to Freetown.
(Note : WS15
comprised 27 ships taking troops to Middle East, India and Malaya.)
25th Detached from WS15 on arrival at
Freetown and made independent passage to Simonstown
after refuelling.
February
2nd At Simonstown.
14th Rejoined Ocean Escort for WS15 during
passage from Capetown to Durban.
17th Deployed with HM Cruiser CERES and HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser CHESHIRE as Ocean
Escort in Indian
Ocean passage from Durban
(Note : Ships of
WS15 intended to go to Singapore were diverted to Batavia after the surrender.)
22nd Deployed with HM Battleship RAMILLIES
as Ocean Escort for ships of Convoy DM3 during
passage in Indian
Ocean to Batavia.
(Note : The nine
ships in DM3 had been part of WS15 )
28th Detached from DM3 and took passage to
Addu Atoll to refuel..
29th Rejoined DM3 escort which included HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser CORFU.
March
2nd Orders for DM3 destination changed and
detached with HMS RAMILLIES to escort five ships
during passage to
Colombo
4th Detached from DM3 ships on arrival
at Colombo and joined 7th Flotilla.
Took passage to
join Eastern Fleet ships at Addu Atoll.
(Note : Eastern
Fleet had been formed in December 1941 when East Indies Station was disbanded
See WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).)
On arrival
deployed for Fleet duties including screening of major units,
22nd Escorted to Colombo tanker CAN
CIRILO, badly damaged after being hit by torpedo from a
Japanese
submarine but able to proceed under own power
31st Assigned to Force “B” of Eastern
Fleet.
April
1st Took part in search by Force B for
Japanese warships reported on passage towards Ceylon
and deployed with
HM Destroyers GRIFFIN, FORTUNE, ARROW, VAMPIRE (RAN),
DECOY, SCOUT and
Dutch ISAAC SWEERS as screen for HM Battleships RESOLUTION,
RAMILLIES, ROYAL SOVEREIGN,
REVENGE, HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES, HM
Cruisers CALEDON,
DRAGON and Dutch JACOB VAN HEEMSKERK.
(Note : Ships
refuelled at Addu Atoll during this search.)
8th Search abandoned and transferred
with Force B to Kilindini.
(Note :Force “B”
major warships and some of the destroyers were considered to be unsuitable
for offensive operations because of poor
speed capability or armament. For details of this
operation and other events in the theatre see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY
by C Barnett,
OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray and above reference.)
May Deployed with Flotilla
based at Kilindini for Eastern Fleet screening and convoy defence duties.
25th Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
as re-inforcement after losses in Greece and Crete.
Took passage to
Alexandria with HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM. HM Destroyers FORTUNE,
NIZAM and
PAKENHAM.
June On arrival deployed with
HMS NAPIER, NESTOR and NIZAM for screening and patrol in
Eastern
Mediterranean, based at Alexandria.
9th Nominated for escort of Malta
relief convoy MW11 and took passage to Haifa to join Convoy
MW11A during passage from
Haifa to join other mercantiles for westward passage covered
by Mediterranean
Fleet.
11th Sailed from Haifa with HM
Destroyers NAPIER, NIZAM, INCONSTANT, HOTSPUR,
HM
Fleet
Minesweepers BOSTON and SEAHAM as escort for five ships of MW11A during
passage to join
MW11B during passage from Port Said.
Detached from
MW11A and took passage to join Mediterranean Fleet ships after refuelling,
Sailed from
Alexandria with HM Destroyers HASTY, HERO, INCONSTANT. JAVELIN,
JERVIS, KELVIN,
NAPIER, NESTOR, NIZAM, PAKENHAM, PALADIN, SIKH and
ZULU as screen
for HM Cruisers ARETHUSA, BIRMINGHAM, CLEOPATRA, DIDO,
EURYALUS,
HERMIONE and NEWCASTLE.
14th Joined ships of merged Convoy
MW11 with Fleet units from Alexandria.
Under heavy and
sustained air attacks during which one mercantile was sunk and another
damaged.
Threat of an
attack by an Italian battle squadron confirmed by aircraft reports.
15th Convoy ordered to reverse course
by orders from shore authority.
Under night
attacks by E-Boats during which HMS NEWCASTLE and HMS HASTY were
hit. Enemy craft were driven off
by HM Destroyers AIREDALE and ALDENHAM of convoy
Close Escort .
(Note : HMS
HASTY had to be sunk by HMS HOSTILE
later and HMS NEWCASTLE.
withdrawn
from operation and returned to Alexandria.).
Convoy ordered
to resume westward passage after optimistic reports of successful attack on
Italian warships
by BEAUFORT aircraft but ignored by Admiral Vian in command of the
Operation.
When Italian
force retreated westward shore authority again ordered convoy to resume
passage to Malta but this was disregarded
by Admiral Vian because of low stock of anti
aircraft
ammunition which would prejudice defence of convoy if heavy air attacks were
renewed.
Operation VIGOROUS
aborted and ships returned to Alexandria with escort and covering force.
For full details
of this disastrous operation and its conflicting instructions from shore, see
MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman, THE
BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D
MacIntyre and Naval Staff History.)
16th Arrived at Alexandria with Fleet
units.
July Passage to rejoin
Eastern Fleet for convoy defence
8th Resumed Indian Ocean convoy
defence with Flotilla based at Kilindini.
Nominated for
service with Eastern Fleet ships for planned operation.
21st Sailed from Kilindini
for Colombo with HM Destroyers NIZAM, INCONSTANT and Dutch
VAN GALEN as
screen for HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS
FORMIDABLE, HM
Cruisers BIRMINGHAM and MAURITIUS during passage to Colombo
for operation.
22nd HMS NAPIER (Cdre D) joined for passage to Colombo
28th At Colombo and
joined by Dutch 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 as Force A 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 with
Force A ships before taking passage to Kilindini to
prepare
for planned
landings in French occupied Madagascar.
(Note : See
above reference for explanation
of early return by Force A ships.)
Took part in preparatory exercise TOUCHSTONE.
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 landing
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.
Transferred to
Cape of Good Hope area and took passage from Kilindini
(Note : German
submarine operations against shipping in this area were planned and
U-
Boat Group EISBAR was on passage to begin attacks on shipping.
This move may have been intended to
counter the threat by reinforcing
HM
Destroyers ACTIVE, ARROW, FOXHOUND and sister NIZAM
based at Simonstown..)
Deployed for convoy defence
off South Africa.
October Cape of Good Hope convoy
escort and patrol in continuation.
21st Rescued survivors from ss EMPIRE
NOMAD which had been sunk by U159 on 13th
30th Joined escort for military convoy
WS23 with HM Corvettes THYME and ROCKROSE
during passage in
South Atlantic from Freetown to Durban.
(Note : WS23 was
taking troops to Bombay and Middle East.)
31st HM Cruiser DESPATCH and HM Sloop
MILFORD which had escorted WS23 detached.
(Note : Greek
destroyer KANARIS remained with WS23.)
November
5th Detached from WS23 on arrival at
Durban,
29th Joined escort of military convoy
WS24 during passage in Indian Ocean.
(Note : This
convoy unusually had been diverted to Bahia, Brazil instead of calling at
Freetown.
Ocean Escort
from Bahia comprised HM Armed Merchant Cruisers QUEEN OF
BERMUDA and ALCANTARA with HM Destroyer ROTHERHAM.)
December
4th Arrived at Durban and detached
from WS24 with HMS ROCKROSE, HMS NEPAL which
had joined escort
on passage.
Resumed local
escort duties with Flotilla.
1 9 4 3
January Indian Ocean deployment in
continuation.
February Deployed for escort of military
convoy during passage in Indian Ocean with troops of 9th
Australian
Division which was returning to Australia after being withdrawn from service
in the Middle
East because of Japanese threat to Australia (Operation PAMPHLET)
(Note : This
convoy included rms QUEEN MARY, rms AQUITANIA, French liner ILE DE
FRANCE and Dutch liner NIEUW AMSTERDAM. Eastern Fleet major warships
included HM Battleships WARSPITE, RESOLUTION, REVENGE, HM Cruiser
MAURITIUS
screened by HM Australian Destroyers, NEPAL, NIZAM. NORMAN
and
three other Eastern Fleet destroyers. See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
Took passage to
Simonstown for refit on release from
PAMPHLET.
March
3rd Arrived at Simonstown.
8th Taken in hand for refit by HM
Dockyard.
April Under refit.
May On completion of post
refit trials resumed convoy defence duties.
18th Deployed with HM Destroyers
QUADRANT and REDOUBT as escort for troopships
ALMANZORA,
ATHLONE CASTLE, PARDO and SILVERWALNUT during passage
from Capetown to Durban.
(Note : These
ships had been part of military convoy WS29 from UK.)
20th Detached from troopships on
arrival at Durban
25th Joined military convoy WS29 with
HM Destroyers QUADRANT and REDOUBT as
escort during
initial stage of passage in Indian Ocean from Durban to Aden and Bombay.
26th HM Cruiser KENYA joined as Ocean
Escort.
29th Detached from WS29 and took
passage to Durban with HMS QUADRANT and REDOUBT.
June Passage to Atlantic
Ocean to meet military convoy WS30 on passage to Durban.
9th Joined Ocean Escort for WS30
comprising HM Cruiser SUFFOLK, HM
Destroyer
CATTERICK, HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser CARNARVON CASTLE
with HMS
QUADRANT and HMS
REDOUBT as part of Ocean Escort.
15th HMS NIZAM joined escort.
19th Detached from WS30 on arrival at
Capetown.
25th Rejoined WS30 with HM Destroyers
QUICKMATCH and ROTHERHAM as escort during
passage to Durban
28th HM Armed Merchant Cruiser CANTON joined
WS30.
30th Detached from WS30 and took passage
to Durban with HMS QUICKMATCH and HMS
ROTHERHAM.
July Deployed for Local
convoy escort.
August Passage to join military
convoy WS32 during passage to Durban from Freetown.
12th Joined escort for WS32 with HM
Destroyers QUIBERON, RAPID and RELENTLESS.
18th Detached from WS32 with same ships
on arrival at Capetown.
Passage to
Durban.
28th Rejoined WS32 with HMS QUIBERON and
HMS RAPID as escort on departure from
Durban as escort
during passage in Indian Ocean.
September
3rd Detached from WS32 with HMS
QUIBERON and RAPID on relief by HM Cruiser
as Ocean Escort
during passage to Bombay.
(Note : Four of
the five ships were destined for Bombay, rms STRATHMORE detached
on 6th
and took passage independently to Aden.)
Transferred to Trincomalee with ships of Flotilla for defence of convoys
and Fleet screening.
October Flotilla duties in
continuation based at Trincomalee
to November (Note : During this period the MONSUN
U-Boat Group was active in the Indian Ocean and
special precautions taken to increase convoy size and to provide air
cover.
See
WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO)
December Deployed as escort for HM
Battleship RAMILLIES during passage to Aden from Trincomalee.
(Note HMS RAMILLIES was returning to UK for service
in Home waters after refit.)
Passage from Aden
to resume Fleet duties,
1 9 4 4
January Deployed with Flotilla for Eastern Fleet
duties based at Trincomalee.
to February
March
8th Carried out offensive sweep in Bay
of Bengal with ships of Flotilla
12th Returned to Trincomalee.
21st Joined HM Destroyers QUALITY,
QUEENBOROUGH, QUIBERON, QUILLIAM, NAPIER,
NEPAL, PATHFINDER,
Dutch destroyers VAN GALEN and TJERK HIDDES as screen for
HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, HM
Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers CEYLON, CUMBERLAND,
GAMBIA and LONDON during passage
in Indian Ocean to meet US warships
being deployed with Eastern Fleet for planned operations.
(Operation
DIPLOMAT)
24th Began replenished from tankers of
Eastern Fleet.
26th Completed replenishment and took
passage to rendezvous.
27th Met US Navy Task Unit 58.5 comprising
aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA, destroyers
USS CUMMINGS,
DUNLAP and FANNING.
Took passage to
Trincomalee as screen for Fleet units and US Navy ships.
April
4th Arrived at Trincomalee
with joint force.
Took passage to
Australia for refit.
Taken in hand for
refit at Sydney on arrival
May Under refit
June Carried out post refit harbour and sea
trials.
July Passage from Sydney to
Fremantle for work-up prior to resuming service in Eastern Fleet.
August Passage from Fremantle to rejoin 7th Flotilla at Trincomalee.
September Rejoined Eastern Fleet for Flotilla
duties.
October Nominated for screening duties
during planned diversionary operation by Eastern Fleet
(Operation MILLET
–Diversion during US landings on Leyte Island. For details see
WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO) and THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton.)
15th Sailed from Trincomalee
with Task Force 63 and deployed in Task Group 63.2 with HM
Destroyers RAIDER,
RELENTLESS (Cdre D) and Dutch destroyer VAN GALEN as
screen for HM
Cruisers CUMBERLAND, LONDON and SUFFOLK.
16th Refuelled from HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN with other destroyers of Force 63
17th
Took part in bombardment
of shore targets in the Malacca area with Task Group 63.2.
Detached from Force
63 with HMS LONDON and Dutch VAN GALEN to carry out
night bombardment
of Car Nicobar.
18th Took part in bombardment and on
completion returned to Trincomalee
(Note : It is not
known whether ship rejoined Task Force 63 which came under air
attacks
on 19th. These were repelled by aircraft from HM Aircraft Carriers
INDOMITABLE and HMS VICTORIOUS OF Task Group 63.3.
See
above references. )
30th Resumed Flotilla duties based at
Trincomalee.
November
22nd Retained in redesignated
East Indies Fleet with Flotilla when British Pacific Fleet was
formed from Eastern
Fleet which was significantly reinforced after September 1944.)
December Nominated for support of military
operations in Burma and convoy defence in
Bay of Bengal.
1 9 4 5
January Military support and convoy
defence in continuation with Flotilla.
16th Joined Task Force 64 for escort and
support of landings by British 7th and Indian
71st Brigades in northern part of Ramree Island
off Arakan, Burma with HMS
QUEEN ELIZABETH, HM
Escort Aircraft Carrier AMEER, HM Cruiser PHOEBE,
and HM Destroyers
PATHFINDER and RAIDER (Operation MATADOR).
18th Sailed from Trincomalee
with HMS PATHFINDER as screen for HMS QUEEN
ELIZABETH.
19th Deployed as screen for HMS AMEER
during provision of cover of bombardment
force off assault
area.
Took passage to
Akyab on release from MATADOR.
24th Sailed from Akyab
with HM Frigates SPEY, TEVIOT and HMS RAIDER to provide
naval gunfire
support prior to landings of Royal Marines on Cheduba Island, north
of Ramree.(Operation SANKEY).
26th Provided support bombardment at Cheduba with HM Destroyers RAIDER, PALADIN
and RAPID (Operation
CROCODILE)
30th
Landed troops on island
of Sagu south of Ramree
with HMS RAIDER and four Landing Craft
supported by HMS
NEPAL and HMS PATHFINDER.
February Nominated for service in Pacific
and released from duty with 7th Destroyer Flotilla, East
Indies Fleet.
Passage to Sydney
with HMS NEPAL as escort for HM Escort Aircraft Carriers RULER
and FENCER with call
at Fremantle.
March
16th
Arrived at Sydney with same
ships.
Nominated for
service with Fleet train.
Prepared for service
with BPF.
(Note : Pennant
Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D16.)
April Passage to Manus
18th Joined Fleet Train off Sakishima
Gunto with HMAS NEPAL and HMAS NAPIER for escort
of tankers and
supply ships.
23rd Returned to Leyte
with Fleet Train on completion of first Phase of attacks
(Operation ICEBERG
ONE)
May
1st Sailed from Leyte
with Fleet Train for support Task Force 57 ships during second Phase of
operations off
Sakishima Gunto (Operation ICEBERG TWO).
(Note : Fleet Train
designated Task Force 112 escort comprised HM Sloops CRANE, WHIMBREL
and
PHEASANT, HM Destroyers NAPIER (RAN), NORMAN (RAN) and NEPAL (RAN),
HM
Frigate AVON and HM Escort Aircraft Carriers RULER and STRIKER)
6th Deployed with Fleet Train during
replenishment in Area COOTIE.
7th Detached as escort for RFA WAVE
MONARCH and WAVE KING for passage to Leyte.
Returned to
operational area as escort for same ships
18th Deployed with Fleet Train during
replenishment of Task Force 57 ships.
20th Detached from Fleet Train to take
HM Destroyer QUILLIAM in tow after damage by collision
with HM Aircraft
Carrier INDOMITABLE during fuelling in dense fog.
Resumed Fleet train
duties when tow transferred to HM Cruiser BLACK PRINCE.
22nd Deployed as escort for Tug ENVOY
during tow of HMS QUILLIAM to Leyte.
28th Passage to resumed Fleet Train
duties from Leyte
June Fleet Train deployment in
continuation.
16th ICEBERG TWO completed and ship
returned to Australia.
24th Fleet Train ships sailed for
Japan with call at Manus.
July Passage to operational area
from Manus as escort for Fleet Train.
31st
Deployed with HM Escort
Aircraft Carriers RULER CHASER and SPEAKER, HM Sloops
PHEASANT, REDPOLE,
WOODCOCK and CRANE, HM Destroyer QUEENBOROUGH (RAN)
HM Frigates ODZANI,
DERG and HM Australian Minesweeper PIRIE as escort for
Logistic Support
Group during replenishment off Japan.
August
6th Deployed with HM Escort Carriers
ARBITER, CHASER and RULER, HM Sloops
PHEASANT and CRANE,
HM Destroyer NIZAM (RAN), HM Frigate BARLE, HM
Minesweepers BALLARAT
(RAN) and BURNIE as escort for Logistics Support Group
during replenishment
off Japan.
10th Passage to Manus
with Fleet Train ships.
After VJ took passage
to Australia.
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMAS
NORMAN reverted to RN control in October 1945 and
took passage to UK with call at Fremantle in November. The ship arrived at Plymouth on 12th December and
Paid-off. Placed in Reserve early the next year she was laid up in the Reserve Fleet at Plymouth until August 1950 when
transferred to Chatham. Later that year she returned in tow to Devonport where she remained
until January 1953 prior to transfer to lay-up at Penarth. During 1956
consideration was given for possible use
as a drill ship in an RNR Division but this was rejected and she was put on the
Disposal List. Sold to BISCO for demolition
by Cashmore this destroyer arrived in tow at the breaker’s yard in Newport,
Monmouth on 1st April 1958.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMAS
NORMAN
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
Date
convoy Joined convoy
Convoy
No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
27/02/42 02/03/42 DM 003 19/02/42 06/03/42
12/06/42 16/06/42 MW 011 11/06/42 16/06/42
04/08/43 11/08/43 CF 013 04/08/43 11/08/43
05/09/43 13/09/43 MC 009A 05/09/43 13/09/43
14/11/43 17/11/43 AB 020F 10/11/43 17/11/43
08/01/44 11/01/44 AB 027A 08/01/44 14/01/44
04/03/44 06/03/44 KR 009 24/02/44 06/03/44
06/04/44 09/04/44 XC 018 06/04/44 09/04/44
09/08/44 14/08/44 AB 043 09/08/44 14/08/44
15/09/44 20/09/44 ABF 004 15/09/44 20/09/44
25/09/44 28/09/44 BM 101 25/09/44 28/09/44
(Note on Convoys)
