HMS Lapwing

Yard No: 605
Shipbuilder: Scotts Greenock
Propulsion: steam, turbines, 4300 shp, 20 knots
Built: 1943
Ship Type: Sloop
Tonnage: 1250 tons
Length: 229.5 feet
Breadth: 38 feet
Draught: 8.8 feet
Owner: Royal Navy
Status: Torpedoed & Sunk - 20/03/1945
 

Torpedoed and sunk off Northern Russia, there where 61 survivors, 158 men died. In the afternoon on 20 March 1945, U-968 attacked the convoy JW-65 and reported a destroyer and a Liberty sunk and another Liberty ship torpedoed. In fact, the sloop HMS Lapwing of the 7th Escort Group and the Liberty ship Thomas Donaldson were sunk. HMS Lapwing was hit amidships at 13:25 and sank 20 minutes later.

Typical Liberty Ship

http://www.shipmodel.com/art-Phillip-Reed.htm

http://www.paulmanning.net/convoy.htm

HMS Lapwing - LtCdr. A.H. Gye listed incorrectly as a Destroyer here: http://www.westfront.de/skagerra.htm

http://www.fact-index.com/l/li/list_of_royal_navy_ship_names.html