HMS Lion (C34)

1961.

HMS Lion was a light cruiser of the Royal Navy, originally ordered in 1942 as one of the Minotaur-class and laid down that same year as HMS Defence by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Co at Greenock in Scotland on 6 June 1942.

1944 Launched partially complete on 2 September 1944

1946 work was suspended. Still named Defence, she was laid up at Gareloch.

Construction of Defence and two other cruisers was later resumed to a revised Tiger-class design.

1957 Defence was renamed Lion and construction continued at the Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson yards at Wallsend.

1960 HMS Lion was finally commissioned in July 1960.

Sources of Information