Dates: 1943 - 1947

CAPTAIN Class Turbo-Electric Buckley frigate ordered under the UK/US Lease-Lend Agreement on 10th January 1942 and laid down on 15th September1943 by the Bethlehem Steel Shipyard at Hingham, Mass. USA. The ship that had been intended for US Navy service as DE563, was launched on 16th October 1943. She was the third RN ship to carry this name, commemorating the service of Admiral Sir Edward Spragge whom lost his life at Texel in August 1673. Introduced later 1673 for a Fireship, lost in 1677 it was selected for a destroyer being built in 1919 but the order was cancelled before launch. Build was completed on14th January 1944 and was initially manned by Royal Canadian Navy personnel who steamed the ship to Londonderry for transfer to the Royal Navy at Lisahally on 28th February 1944. Details of manning arrangements made for commissioning of this Class of warship in the USA are given in THE CAPTAIN CLASS FRIGATES IN WW2 by D Collingwood.

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