HMS Shearwater (L39)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Shearwater.

HMS Shearwater was a Kingfisher-class sloop of the Royal Navy. Shearwater was laid down at J. Samuel White, Cowes on 15 August 1938. She was launched on 18 April 1939 and commissioned on 7 September 1939. She served during the Second World War and was adopted by Farnborough Urban District Council during Warship Week in 1942. Her anti-aircraft armament was augmented during the war, with the addition of two single 20mm Oerlikon cannon atop the aft shelter. She survived the war and sold for scrapping on 21 April 1947. She was broken up by Stockton Ship & Salvage Company.

HMS Shearwater
History
United Kingdom
Name	Shearwater
Builder	J. Samuel White, Cowes
Laid down	15 August 1938
Launched	18 April 1939
Commissioned	7 September 1939
Identification	Pennant number L39 (later K39)
Fate	Sold for scrapping on 21 April 1947
General characteristics
Class & type	Kingfisher-class sloop
Displacement	580 long tons (590 t) 750 long tons (760 t) (full)
Length	234 ft (71 m)
Beam	26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Draught	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Propulsion	2 × Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boilers Parsons geared steam turbines Two shafts 3,600 shp (2,700 kW)
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range	160 long tons (160 t) oil
Complement	60
Armament	1 × QF 4-inch (100 mm) Mark V L/45 gun 4 × QF .5 in Mark III Vickers machine guns

She was the fictional HMS Winger in Nicholas Monsarrat's book 'Corvette Command' of the Three Corvettes series. This vessel was also the first sloop to be commanded by an RNVR officer from June 1944 until July 1945, Desmond Henry Cope, DSC(1943).^[1]