HNoMS Draug (1908)
| Plan of Draug-class destroyer Draug at some point before the Second World War. Note QF guns in blisters along the side to allow forward fire. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Norway | |
| Name | Draug |
| Namesake | The sea revenant Draugr |
| Builder | The Royal Norwegian Navy's shipyard at Karljohansvern in Horten |
| Yard number | 103 |
| Launched | 18 March 1908 |
| Commissioned | 1908 |
| Decommissioned | 19 November 1943 |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping in 1944 |
| Service record | |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | 1 ship (7,624 tons) sunk |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Draug-class destroyer |
| Displacement | 578 tons standard |
| Length | 69.2 m (227.03 ft) |
| Beam | 7.3 m (23.95 ft) |
| Draft | 2.9 m (9.51 ft) |
| Propulsion | Triple expansion steam engine with 7500 hp |
| Speed | 27 knots (50.00 km/h) |
| Complement | 76 men |
| Armament |
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HNoMS Draug was the lead ship of the three-ship Draug class of destroyers built for the Royal Norwegian Navy in the years 1908–1913. The four-stacked destroyer was kept in service long after she was obsolete, and took part in the defence of Norway during the German invasion in 1940.
In the early hours of 9 April 1940, Draug intercepted and captured the clandestine German transport Main. After deciding that the outdated Draug could do little to oppose the invading German forces, the ship's captain decided to sail to the United Kingdom, bringing the captured German ship with him. After being subjected to a German bombing attack, Main was sunk and Draug proceeded to the United Kingdom with the German crew as prisoners. In exile in the United Kingdom Draug served as a guard ship, convoy escort, MTB mother ship and depot ship. Decommissioned in late 1943, Draug was sold for scrapping in 1944.