Allied Warships

HMS Laconia (F 42)

Armed Merchant Cruiser

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeArmed Merchant Cruiser
Class[No specific class] 
PennantF 42 
Built bySwan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. (Wallsend-on-Tyne, U.K.): Wallsend 
Ordered 
Laid down 
Launched9 Apr 1921 
Commissioned6 Jan 1940 
End service1 Oct 1941 
History

On 5 September 1939 the passenger ship Laconia of the Cunard White Star Ltd, Liverpool was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to an armed merchant cruiser. Conversion was completed on 6 January 1940.

Displacement: 19695 BRT
Armament: 8x 152mm, 2x 76mm
Speed: 17 knots

Career:
January 40 - May 40: Halifax Escort Force
June 40 - April 41: Bermuda and Halifax Escort Force
May 41 - October 41: North Atlantic Escort Force

On 1 October 1941 returned and used as troopship by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

 

Hit by U-boat
Sunk on 12 Sep 1942 by U-156 (Hartenstein).

U-boat AttackSee our U-boat attack entry for the HMS Laconia

Commands listed for HMS Laconia (F 42)

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CommanderFromTo
1Capt. (retired) Gilbert George Pearse Hewett, RN15 Nov 193930 Sep 1941

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