SIMON VAN DER STEL SAS D-237 (South Africa)

[D. v. Nieuwenhuijzen]

Built in 1942-'44 by R. & W. Hawthorn, Lesley & Co., Hebburn-on-Tyne, #656, for the Royal Navy as HMS WHELP, laid down 01-05-'42, launched 03-06-'43, completed 26-04-'44.
Destroyer 'W' class, displacement:1710/2530 tons, Loa:110.60m. Lwl:103.47m. B:10.88m. Draft:3m. 2 Admiralty boilers, 2 Parsons geared steam turbines:40.000 hp. built by R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. Ltd., Newcastle, 2 shafts, 37 kn.
Armament:4 x 1 - 4.7" QF, 1 x 4 - 2pdr QF, 1 x 2 - 40mm, 4 - AA guns,
2 x 4 - 21" torpedoes, 4 - depth charge throwers.
On 23-02-'52 Government of South Africa, renamed SAS SIMON VAN DER STEL, commissioned into South African Navy: 23-04-'53, in '62-'63 converted to a fast helicopter carrying anti-submarine escort, displacement:2205/2850 tons, Draft:5.20m. 2 Westland 'Wasp' helicopters, '72 into reserve, '76 broken up at Durban.

(Tristan da Cunha 2020, £1.50, StG.?)
Internet + JFS 73/74