HMS Lassoo (1915)
# HMS Lassoo (1915)

HMS Lassoo was a Laforey-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the 1910s.

## Description

The Laforey class were improved and faster versions of the preceding Acasta class. They displaced 965–1,010 long tons (980–1,026 t). The ships had an overall length of 268 feet 10 inches (81.9 m), a beam of 27 feet 8 inches (8.4 m) and a draught of 10 feet 6 inches (3.2 m). Lassoo was powered by two Parsons direct-drive steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by four Yarrow boilers. The turbines developed a total of 24,500 shaft horsepower (18,300 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph). The ships carried a maximum of 280 long tons (280 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 1,750 nautical miles (3,240 km; 2,010 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ships' complement was 74 officers and ratings.

The ships were armed with three single QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mark IV guns and two QF 1.5-pounder (37 mm) anti-aircraft guns. These latter guns were later replaced by a pair of QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" anti-aircraft guns. The ships were also fitted with two above-water twin mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.

## Construction and service

She was built during the First World War as part of an emergency program of naval construction, to an Admiralty design by William Beardmore & Company, Dalmuir. She was originally to have been named Magic but she was renamed Lassoo on 15 February 1915 before being launched on 24 August 1915. She was sunk by the German U-boat SM UB-10 on 13 August 1916 off the Maas lightship in the North Sea.

