HMS Stalker in 2010
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Stalker
Builder	Yarrows Ltd., Esquimalt
Launched	16 December 1944
Commissioned	1947
Decommissioned	May 1970
Renamed	Was LST 3515 until 1947
Reclassified	Submarine support ship in 1958
Fate	Sold for scrapping in 2002 Scrapped in 2010
General characteristics
Type	Landing Ship, Tank Mk III
Tonnage	2,256 long tons (2,292 t) (light) 4,980 long tons (5,060 t) (deep load)
Length	345.57 ft (105.33 m)
Beam	53.97 ft (16.45 m)
Draught	12 ft 5 in (3.78 m)
Depth	11.51 ft (3.51 m)
Propulsion	2 shafts vertical triple expansion 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers 5500ihp
Speed	13.5 knots (25.0 km/h)
Range	1400 tons of oil
Capacity	170 troops 15 × 40 ton tanks or 20 x 25-ton tanks 14 × 3-ton lorries
Complement	118-190
Armament	4 × 40mm Bofors (2 x 2) 6 × 20mm guns

HMS Stalker was a Mark III LST (Landing Ship, Tank)^[1] that was built during the later part of the Second World War, and became the last steam-driven LST to be scrapped.^[2] She initially entered service under the designation LST 3515, but was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1947 as HMS Stalker.

The ship was built by Canadian Yarrow at Esquimalt.^[3] She was completed too late to see action in the war, and eventually served in a submarine support role in Northern Ireland.^[3]

Scrapping

The ship was added to the Royal Navy’s scrapping list in May 1970.^[4] She was sold to Pounds of Portsmouth in 2002, arriving there to be scrapped on 10 December 2002. She was offered for preservation between 2004 and 2005, but it was confirmed in January 2006 that she would be broken up. After further discussions with heritage and preservation groups, in 2008 her bow doors were removed^[2] and she was broken up in 2010 at Pounds scrap yard, a process recorded by National Historic Ships.^[5]

In popular culture

Whilst awaiting disposal at Pounds of Portsmouth, she was used for the filming of episodes 55 & 56 of Silent Witness, as the fictitious ship Galle. The fictitious name can be seen painted on the bow in the photo above.^{[citation needed]}