HNoMS Otra (1939)

	Otra in November 1939.
History
Norway
Name	Otra
Namesake	The river Otra
Builder	Nylands Verksted, Oslo
Launched	5 August 1939
Commissioned	September 1939
Captured	by the Germans 10 April 1940
History
Germany
Name	Togo
Namesake	German Togo
Acquired	10 April 1940
Fate	Handed over to the German Mine Sweeping Administration after VE Day
Service record
Operations:	list error: <br /> list (help); Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany; German Mine Sweeping Administration
History
Norway
Name	Otra
Acquired	18 January 1946
Commissioned	30 October 1946
Decommissioned	21 August 1959
Fate	Scrapped 1963
General characteristics as built
Class and type	Otra class minesweeper
Displacement	355 tons
Length	51 m (167.32 ft)
Beam	7 m (22.97 ft)
Draft	1.8 m (5.91 ft)
Propulsion	Two 900 hp Triple expansion steam engines, two shafts
Speed	15 knots (27.78 km/h)
Range	1,400 nautical miles (2,592.80 km) at 9 knots (16.67 km/h)
Complement	25 men
Armament	list error: <br /> list (help); 1 × 76 mm gun; 2 × anti-aircraft machine guns
General characteristics after German rebuild
Class and type	Vorpostenboot and minelayer
Displacement	355 tons
Length	51 m (167.32 ft)
Beam	7 m (22.97 ft)
Draft	1.8 m (5.91 ft)
Propulsion	Two 900 hp Triple expansion steam engines, two shafts
Speed	15 knots (27.78 km/h)
Range	1,400 nautical miles (2,592.80 km) at 9 knots (16.67 km/h)
Complement	25 men
Armament	list error: <br /> list (help); 2 × 76 mm guns; 2 × 2 cm AA guns; 2 × machine guns; Mines
General characteristics after April 1949 Norwegian rebuild
Class and type	Otra class minelayer training ship
Displacement	355 tons
Length	51 m (167.32 ft)
Beam	7 m (22.97 ft)
Draft	1.8 m (5.91 ft)
Propulsion	Two 900 hp Triple expansion steam engines, two shafts
Speed	15 knots (27.78 km/h)
Range	1,400 nautical miles (2,592.80 km) at 9 knots (16.67 km/h)
Complement	25 men
Armament	list error: <br /> list (help); 2 × 76 mm guns; 2 × 2 cm AA guns; 2 × machine guns; Mines

Otra and Rauma were two purpose-built minesweepers constructed at Nylands Verksted in Oslo. Both ships were completed and commissioned only a short time before the German invasion of Norway. The Otra class vessels used the Oropesa system of mine sweeping.^[2] As the threat of war in Europe became ever more clear the decision was made to improve the Royal Norwegian Navy's mine warfare capabilities. At first a number of 2. class gunboats were rebuilt into minelayers and mine sweepers, but with war looming it soon became clear that more capable vessels were required.^[5]

The invasion

Prelude

Shortly before the German invasion the UK announced that the Royal Navy had laid a number of minefields along the coast of Norway to interfere with the German import of Swedish iron ore through the North Norwegian port of Narvik. The British government claimed to have mined three areas; off Stad, Hustadvika, and Landegode north of Bodø. In response to this report, the Norwegian government ordered the minesweepers Otra and Rauma to sail north from their base in Horten and sweep the minefields on 9 April 1940.^[5]

Otra spots the invasion force

Before the order to go north could be carried out, however, the German invasion of Norway took place in the early hours of 9 April. As reports of intruding warships started coming in Otra was sent out to investigate, and at 0410hrs report that the intruders were Germans. The invasion flotilla blocked Otra's return to Horten.^[5]

Capture

While her sister ship, HNoMS Rauma, was fighting the German naval forces in Horten Otra was cut off and isolated from the action. The next morning, 10 April, she was captured while at anchor in Filtvet.^[2]^[5]

German service as Togo

After capture Otra was renamed Togo and put in service as a Vorpostenboot^[5] and minelayer for the rest of the war.^[4] First Togo served in as part of Hafenschutzflotille Tromsø guarding that northern city's harbour. Later she was transferred to Hafenschutzflottille Oslo. In 1941 Togo was part of 59th Vorpostenflottille as V 5908, where she served until April 1944 when she transferred to 65th Vorpostenflottille as V 6512. After the German surrender she was part of the German Mine Sweeping Administration (GM-SA).^[2]

Post-war service

On 18 January 1946 Togo was returned to the Royal Norwegian Navy at Bogen and on 30 October 1946 was renamed HNoMS Otra. In April 1949 she was rebuilt as a minelayer training ship. 21 August 1959 saw her decommissioning and she was laid up at Horten until put out of service and sold in April 1963.^[2]

Footnotes

^ "Otra (6110878)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Abelsen 1986: 100
^ Berg 1997: 15
^ ^a ^b ^c Emmerich, Michael. "Togo". German Naval History. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Otra og Rauma". Norwegian Armed Forces (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 February 2009. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

Bibliography

Abelsen, Frank (1986). Norwegian naval ships 1939–1945 (in Norwegian and English). Oslo: Sem & Stenersen AS. ISBN 82-7046-050-8. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
Berg, Ole F. (1997). I skjærgården og på havet – Marinens krig 8. april 1940 – 8. mai 1945 (in Norwegian). Oslo: Marinens krigsveteranforening. ISBN 82-993545-2-8. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[miramar-1] "Otra (6110878)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 9 October 2013.

[Abelsen100-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Abelsen 1986: 100

[3] Berg 1997: 15

[Togo-4] Emmerich, Michael. "Togo". German Naval History. Retrieved 20 February 2009.

[NDF-5] "Otra og Rauma". Norwegian Armed Forces (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 February 2009. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

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