# R.N. ex German Destroyer 1945



## robandbarbara (Jul 29, 2005)

In Portsmouth Dockyard in 1945/46 I noted two ex German Destroyers. 
One was HMS Nonsuch (D 207) ex German Z 38.
The other one was R 92. I dont know if this was a Royal Navy Pennant Number (which seems unlikely as Aircraft Carriers had 'R' as flag superior at that time), or was it a German Number?
HMS Nonsuch was scrapped in 1949.
Can anyone enlighten me regarding R92 please ?


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## peter.r (Nov 6, 2007)

robandbarbara,HMS Nonsuch was the German destroyer Z38,and was used in tests after the war,she was broken up in 1949.The other one is
Z4 Richard Beitzen, also used for tests.After being used for explosive shock trials at Loch Striven (I think) she was towed to Gateshead to be broken up.
Hope this what you want.
peter


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## jodalo (Sep 24, 2005)

In my pennant numbers list I have R92 as Z10 a war prize which according to Wikpedia is the Hans Lody, which was used by Britain as a trials ship from '46 and scrapped in '49.


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## robandbarbara (Jul 29, 2005)

Thanks for your help. Now I have a choice of two identities for the R92. All I can say is that the mention of Hans Lody rang a bell somehow, but I cannot remember why!!.
Rob.


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## Hawkeye (Dec 7, 2005)

robandbarbara said:


> In Portsmouth Dockyard in 1945/46 I noted two ex German Destroyers.
> One was HMS Nonsuch (D 207) ex German Z 38.
> The other one was R 92. I dont know if this was a Royal Navy Pennant Number (which seems unlikely as Aircraft Carriers had 'R' as flag superior at that time), or was it a German Number?
> HMS Nonsuch was scrapped in 1949.
> Can anyone enlighten me regarding R92 please ?


The letter 'R' was allocated to Carriers around 1947/48. Before this, it was one of the letters used for destroyers. The T, U, V, W, Z, CA, CH, CO, CR & the first class of Battles all had 'R' numbers. For Aircraft Carriers, they didn't have letters, just numbers as did the Battleships. Escort Carriers used the letter 'D'.
R 92 isn't in this list, but I haven't given up looking for it.


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## Steve Woodward (Sep 4, 2006)

92 has been used by destroyers ; G92 was Quickmatch, H92 Glowworm and Rocket , However I have sever seen R92 allocated to a destroyer, either side of it R93 was Vigilant and Cheviot was R90 - be interesting to see if the number was used
Steve


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## jodalo (Sep 24, 2005)

THE relevant section of my list.
R85	CAMBRIAN (EX SPITFIRE)
R86	IMPLACABLE A/C
R87	WHIRLWIND
R87	ILLUSTRIOUS A/C
R87	FORMIDABLE A/C
R89	TERMAGANT
R90	CHEVIOT
R91	CHILDERS
R92 Z 10 (WAR PRIZE)
R93	VIGILANT
R95	ZENITH (EX WESSEX)
R95	POWERFUL A/C
R96	NOOTKA RCN
R97	GRENVILLE


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## jodalo (Sep 24, 2005)

> Z10 was awarded to the United Kingdom as a war reparation. She was originally used as an instructional hulk to train engineering personnel in the working of the high-pressure boiler system. Her last German crew member remained with her in this capacity until November, 1946. She then was used as an accommodation ship in Southhamption. She was broken up at T. Young in Sunderland beginning 17 July, 1949.


jdjdjd


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## Riptide (Aug 21, 2007)

Must have been there about the same time as me,1946 the Vanguard was still screaned off.I went on board the King George the v,my uncle was onboard at the time & my father was in the R.N.Kenny.


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## bobs (Aug 12, 2006)

My late father-in-law was a RN ‘regular’ from 1938-47, finishing up as CPO. Having been through, it seems, just about every major naval event of the war eg: Narvik; Dunkirk; Operation Torch, Atlantic convoys, D-Day and more, he had the distinction of being on the last RN ship to be sunk by enemy action, the Algerine-class minesweeper VESTAL, sunk by a Kamikaze plane off Phuket in 1945.
After the war, he was based on a depot ship in the Clyde and while there had occasion to visit one of these ex-German destroyers that were used in tests – some of them indeed sunk – in Loch Striven. He always raved about how well-built they were and so far advanced on RN ships. Stainless steel was used instead of brass (less ‘bull****’ polishing) and that the crew accommodation was far superior to that on RN vessels. He always reckoned that these Germans should have been kept by the RN and its own old destroyers used in the tests.


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