HMS Lawson (K516)

HMS Lawson (K516) was a British Captain-class frigate of the Royal Navy in commission during World War II. Originally constructed as the United States Navy Evarts-class destroyer escort DE-518, she served in the Royal Navy from 1943 to 1946.

History
United States
Name: unnamed (DE-518)
Builder: Boston Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts
Laid down: 9 July 1943
Launched: 13 August 1943
Completed: 15 November 1943
Commissioned: never
Fate: Transferred to United Kingdom 15 November 1943
Acquired: Returned by United Kingdom 20 March 1946
Fate: Sold 31 January 1947 for scrapping
United Kingdom
Class and type: Captain class frigate
Name: HMS Lawson (K516)
Namesake: Sir John Lawson (c. 1615-1665), British naval officer who was commanding officer of the Commonwealth of England frigate Fairfax during the First Anglo-Dutch War of 1652-1654[1]
Acquired: 15 November 1943
Commissioned: 15 November 1943[2]
Fate: Returned to United States 20 March 1946
General characteristics
Displacement: 1,140 tons
Length: 289.5 ft (88.2 m)
Beam: 35 ft (11 m)
Draught: 9 ft (2.7 m)
Propulsion:
  • Four General Motors 278A 16-cylinder engines
  • GE 7,040 bhp (5,250 kW) generators (4,800 kW)
  • GE electric motors for 6,000 shp (4,500 kW)
  • Two shafts
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h)
Range: 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement: 156
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • SA & SL type radars
  • Type 144 series Asdic
  • MF Direction Finding antenna
  • HF Direction Finding Type FH 4 antenna
Armament:
Notes: Pennant number K516

Construction and transfer

The ship was laid down by the Boston Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts, on 9 July 1943 as the unnamed U.S. Navy destroyer escort DE-518 and launched on 13 August 1943. The United States transferred the ship to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 15 November 1943.

Service history

The ship was commissioned into service in the Royal Navy as HMS Lawson (K516) under the command of Lieutenant John Plomer Somerville, RN, on 15 November 1943[2] simultaneously with her transfer. She served on patrol and escort duty in the North Atlantic Ocean for the remainder of World War II, and also supported the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944.

After the conclusion of the war, the Royal Navy steamed Lawson to the United States, bringing her into port at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 12 March 1946. The United Kingdom officially returned her to United States custody on 20 March 1946.

Disposal

The United States sold Lawson on 31 January 1947 for scrapping.

References
  1. Captain Class Frigate Association HMS Lawson K516 (DE 518)
  2. uboat.net HMS Keats (K 482)


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