Construction
Six Lion-class ships were planned, two each in the 1938, 1939, and 1940 Naval Programmes. The first pair, Lion and Temeraire, were ordered on 28 February 1939 from Vickers Armstrongs and Cammell Laird respectively. Lion was laid down at Vickers' Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne shipyard on 4 July while Temeraire preceded her at Birkenhead on 1 June. Contracts for Conqueror and Thunderer were awarded on 15 August to John Brown and Fairfield. It is uncertain if Conqueror was actually ordered, but Thunderer was not. Neither ship was ever laid down.
After the start of World War II in September, construction continued desultorily until October when it was suspended by the Admiralty for one year to release labour and material for escorts needed to protect merchant convoys. Construction of the 16-inch guns and their turrets was to continue, however. The question was raised again on 12 November 1940 and the decision to suspend construction was reaffirmed. All three ships ordered were cancelled in 1942, but Lion's keel was not scrapped until after the end of the war. Only four 16-inch guns, and no turrets, were ever completed.
Read more about this topic: Lion Class Battleship
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