HMAS Nepal: The chameleon, 1939-43

By Allan a Murray and Allan A. Murray

This third book in Allan A. Murray's Series, 'Men and Ships at War', is a description of the service in early World War II of the Australian-crewed destroyer HMAS Nepal when Allan's great uncle, Bobby Forbes, was a crew member. A chameleon, ever changing in form and identity, the destroyer started life intended for the British Royal Navy as the Norseman, she was then earmarked briefly for service with the Royal Netherlands Navy before ultimately being commissioned into the Australian Navy as HMAS Nepal. Soon after commissioning, she played the role of the fictional HMS Torrin in the 1942 film 'In Which We Serve'. In addition to the identity changes there were a number of changes of form. Originally intended as a torpedo destroyer, for a brief period after commissioning her anti-aircraft capabilities were bolstered before then having her torpedo capability restored. Similarly, she was originally intended as a mine sweeping destroyer but after commissioning her anti-mine capabilities were replaced with depth charges to fight submarines. HMAS Nepal was the last of the N Sub-class destroyers to commission into the Australian Navy. She was laid down in the first week of the War and after a brief time working up with the Home Fleet, HMAS Nepal transferred to the Indian Ocean spending most of the War there before serving in the Pacific Ocean in 1945. She survived the War and was in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender. Her story is the most interesting and varied of Australia's five N Sub-class destroyers, particularly in her first four years which is the focus of this book.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 152190457X
• ISBN13: 9781521904572
• Release Date: July 2017
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"