.jpg) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USSLaub |
| Namesake | Henry Laub |
| Builder | Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation,Squantum Victory Yard |
| Laid down | 20 April 1918 |
| Launched | 28 August 1918 |
| Commissioned | 17 March 1919 |
| Decommissioned | 8 October 1940 |
| Stricken | 8 January 1942 |
| Identification | DD-263 |
| Fate | Transferred to the United Kingdom, 8 October 1940 |
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSBurwell |
| Acquired | 8 October 1940 |
| Identification | Pennant number: H94 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, March 1947 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Clemson-classdestroyer |
| Displacement | 1,190 tons |
| Length | 314 ft 5 in (95.83 m) |
| Beam | 31 ft 8 in (9.65 m) |
| Draft | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 35 kn (65 km/h; 40 mph) |
| Range | 4,900 nmi (9,100 km; 5,600 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 120 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
|
The firstUSSLaub (DD-263) was aClemson-classdestroyer in theUnited States Navy and transferred to theRoyal Navy where she served asHMSBurwell (H94) duringWorld War II. She was named forHenry Laub.
Laub waslaid down byBethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation,Squantum, Massachusetts, on 20 April 1918. The destroyer waslaunched on 28 August 1918, sponsored by Miss Marjorie Mohan, a collateral descendant of Henry Laub. The ship wascommissioned on 17 March 1919.
Assigned to the Atlantic destroyer force out ofNewport, Rhode Island,Laub was dispatched 2 to 17 May 1919 to take up position offNewfoundland as plane guard, and navigational aid during theNC-4 transatlantic flight. The destroyer continued exercises off the east coast until 30 June when she sailed for European service. ArrivingBrest 17 July,Laub operated with the fleet offWestern Europe until she sailed late in August for duty in the easternMediterranean. Upon arrival atConstantinople 2 September,Laub operated with the Food Commission, bringing relief to Europe. She sailed for America on the 17th, arriving New York City 4 October. Her stay on the east coast was a brief one as she sailed 2 weeks later to join thePacific Fleet, arrivingSan Diego, California 27 November.
From December 1919 until she decommissioned 15 June 1922,Laub performed torpedo experiments and reserve training cruises along the Pacific coast.
Laub recommissioned 18 December 1939. After shakedown out of San Diego, the destroyer arrivedGuantanamo 7 April 1940 to join theCaribbeanNeutrality patrol. Following 2 months' duty out of Guantanamo, she sailed toGalveston, Texas, for patrol operations in theGulf of Mexico. Following 4 months of operations in the gulf and along the Atlantic coast,Laub arrived atHalifax, Nova Scotia, 5 September. She decommissioned there 8 October 1940.
Laub was transferred to Great Britain the following day as part of thedestroyer-bases agreement. DuringWorld War II she served in theRoyal Navy protecting Allied shipping in the North Atlantic under the nameHMSBurwell. AsBurwell was modified for trade convoy escort service by removal of three of the original4"/50 caliber guns and one of the tripletorpedo tube mounts to reduce topside weight for additionaldepth charge stowage and installation ofHedgehog.[1]In this roleBurwell was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attacking U-boats which attacked ships in convoy, and rescuing survivors.
In sixteen months serviceBurwell escorted 24 Atlantic and three Gibraltar convoys, of which seven were attacked, and she was involved in two major convoy battles; around SC 52 in November 1941 and KMS 10 in March 1943.A notable incident during this period was her involvement in the capture of the German U-boatU-570 in August 1941.
In October 1943Burwell was withdrawn to the Reserve and converted to an Air target Ship. She continued in this function until January 1945 when she was withdrawn completely and laid up. In March 1947Burwell was sold for scrap.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere. Royal Navy |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Canadian Navy | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
