HMS Anson (79)

HMS Anson at Devonport, March 1945
History
United Kingdom
Name	Anson
Builder	Swan Hunter, Tyne and Wear
Laid down	20 July 1937
Launched	24 February 1940
Commissioned	14 April 1942
Decommissioned	November 1951
Stricken	18 May 1957
Motto	Nil desperandum ("Never Despair")
Fate	Scrapped, 17 December 1957
Notes	Pennant number 79
General characteristics
Class and type	King George V-class battleship
Displacement	42,600 long tons (43,300 t) Trials 45,360 long tons (46,090 t) Deep load
Length	744 ft 11.50 in (227.1 m) Overall 740 ft 0 in (225.6 m) Waterline
Beam	103 ft 0.62 in (31.4 m)
Draught	34 ft 2.25 in (10.4 m)
Installed power	110,300 shp (82,300 kW) (trials)
Propulsion	4 shafts, 4 sets Parsons geared turbines 8 Admiralty 3-drum small-tube boilers
Speed	29.25 knots (54.17 km/h; 33.66 mph)
Range	6,100 nmi (11,300 km; 7,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	1,553–1,558 peacetime 1,900 war
Armament	10 × BL 14-inch (356 mm) Mark VII 16 × QF 5.25-inch (133 mm) Mk. I 6 × 8-barrelled QF 2-pounder 1.575-inch (40.0 mm) Mk. VIII 18 × 20-millimetre (0.8 in) Oerlikon.
Armour	Main Belt: 14.7 inches (370 mm) Lower belt: 5.4 inches (140 mm) Deck: 5–6 inches (127–152 mm) Main turrets: 12.75 inches (324 mm) Barbettes: 12.75 inches (324 mm) Bulkheads: 10–12 inches (254–305 mm) Conning tower: 3–4 inches (76–102 mm).[1]
Aircraft carried	Two Supermarine Walrus seaplanes, one double-ended catapult (removed early 1944)

HMS Anson was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after Admiral George Anson. She was built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Shipyard on the River Tyne and launched on 24 February 1940, being completed on 22 June 1942. Her completion was delayed to allow the fitting of fire-control radar and additional anti-aircraft weapons. She was originally to have been named Jellicoe, but was renamed Anson in February 1940.

Anson saw service in the Second World War, escorting nine Russian convoys in the Arctic by December 1943. She took part in diversionary moves to draw attention away from Operation Husky in July 1943. In October the same year she took part in Operation Leader. In February 1944 she provided cover for Operation Tungsten, the successful air strike against the German battleship Tirpitz. Rear Admiral Cecil Harcourt accepted the surrender of Japanese forces occupying Hong Kong on board Anson in August 1945, and after the end of the war the vessel became the flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron of the British Pacific Fleet.

Anson arrived back in British waters on 29 July 1946, spending the next three years in active service with the post-war navy. She was finally placed in reserve and "mothballed" in 1949, spending eight years in this condition. On 17 December 1957 she was purchased for scrap by Shipbreaking Industries, Faslane.