HMS Lawson

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
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
Acquired	15 November 1943
Commissioned	15 November 1943
Fate	Returned to United States 20 March 1946
General characteristics
Displacement	1,140 long tons (1,158 t)
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	3 × 3 in (76 mm) /50 Mk.22 guns 1 × twin Bofors 40 mm mount Mk.I 7–16 × 20 mm Oerlikon guns Mark 10 Hedgehog antisubmarine mortar Depth charges QF 2-pounder naval gun
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) on 15 November 1943 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

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive DE-518 HMS Lawson (K-516)
• uboat.net HMS Lawson (K 516)
• Captain Class Frigate Association HMS Lawson K516 (DE 518)

External links

• Photo gallery of HMS Lawson (K516)