HMS Lapwing Memorial Service

HMS Lapwing Memorial Service

On Sunday 22 March, the Mayor of Saffron Walden met with the President of the Royal British Legion at The Close Garden, Saffron Walden to hold a Service and lay a wreath in remembrance of the crew of HMS Lapwing.

A two-minute silence was held, and two wreaths were laid in remembrance.

The Mayor, Cllr Ahmed, said “It was a very moving service which honoured not only a vessel of war, but also the courage, sacrifice and enduring spirit of all who served aboard HMS Lapwing. We will never forget.”

HMS Lapwing was a convoy escort vessel which had been built at Scotts Yard on Clydebank in 1941. She was eventually commissioned at St Stevens Yard, Govan on 10th March 1944, and was almost immediately sent to assist with the D Day landings from 6th June until 10th September 1944. Lapwing saw action on both Sword and Omaha beaches and was very much in the frontline of the action. The ship belonged to the escort group holding the record for the number of German U-boats sunk during the whole of the war. After the Normandy Landings, Lapwing was assigned to convoy duties in the Northern waters, where she made eight such journeys.

Lapwing was again, to proceed north on her ninth foray up to the frozen north, as part of convoy JW65 bound for Russia.

She left the Clyde on 11th March, and the convoy made good time, but then on the 20th of March at 10.58 GMT, when just two miles from her destination, the Kola Islet, Murmansk, she was hit by a torpedo fired by a German submarine, U968. She sank, just twelve minutes later.

At the time of the sinking Lapwing had a crew of 219. 158 Officers and men were lost and several others although pulled from the water subsequently died.

Picture by the Walden Local.