HNoMS Garm

HNoMS Garm was the third destroyer built for the Royal Norwegian Navy, and was a Draug class destroyer. Garm was constructed several years after her two sister ships, but to the same plans. She was built at the naval shipyard in Horten, with yard number 107. Reactivation at the outbreak of the Second World War Garm was mothballed after she became obsolete, but was recommissioned 28 August 1939 and took part in the defence of Norway after the German invasion in 1940. She was deployed to the 2nd Naval District's 1st destroyer division, a district covering an area roughly the same as the Vestlandet and Trøndelag regions. Neutrality duties and the Altmark Incident On 15 February 1940 Garm was the third and final Royal Norwegian Navy warship to search the German tanker and POW ship after she entered Norwegian territorial waters up until the Altmark Incident. Garm transported the commanding admiral of the 2nd Naval District, Admiral Carsten Tank-Nielsen, to the German vessel, then in the Hjeltefjord, so could personally approve the decision to let the ship proceed. After this final cursory inspection Garm let the German ship continue southwards. Norwegian Campaign service On 9 April 1940 Garm was stationed at Norway's second largest city, Bergen, and the vessel operated in the Sognefjord after the Germans had occupied Bergen.