The fourth HMS Tobago (K585), ex-Hong Kong, was a Colony-class frigate of the United Kingdom which served in the Royal Navy during World War II. She originally was ordered by the United States Navy as the Tacoma-class patrol frigate USS Holmes (PF-81) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Holmes |
| Namesake | A British name assigned in anticipation of delivery of the ship to the United Kingdom |
| Reclassified | Patrol frigate, PF-81, 15 April 1943 |
| Builder | Walsh-Kaiser Company, Providence, Rhode Island |
| Laid down | 17 August 1943[1] |
| Renamed | Hong Kong, 1943 |
| Namesake | Hong Kong |
| Renamed | Tobago, 1943 |
| Namesake | Tobago |
| Launched | 27 September 1943 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. D. W. Ambridge |
| Commissioned | never |
| Identification | PG-189 |
| Fate | Transferred to the United Kingdom, 12 August 1944 |
| Acquired | Returned by United Kingdom 13 May 1946 |
| Fate |
|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Tobago |
| Namesake | Tobago |
| Acquired | 12 August 1944 |
| Commissioned | 12 August 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 1945[2] |
| Identification | K585 |
| Fate | Returned to United States, 13 May 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Colony/Tacoma-class patrol frigate |
| Displacement | 1,264 long tons (1,284 t) |
| Length | 303 ft 11 in (92.63 m) |
| Beam | 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m) |
| Draft | 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Complement | 190 |
| Armament |
|
Construction and acquisition
editThe ship, originally designated a "patrol gunboat," PG-189, was ordered by the United States Maritime Commission under a United States Navy contract as the first USS Holmes. She was reclassified as a "patrol frigate," PF-81, on 15 April 1943 and laid down by the Walsh-Kaiser Company at Providence, Rhode Island, on 17 August 1943.[1] Intended for transfer to the United Kingdom, the ship was first renamed Hong Kong and then Tobago by the British prior to launching and was launched on 27 September 1943, sponsored by Mrs. D. W. Ambridge of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Service history
editTransferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 12 August 1944, the ship served in the Royal Navy as HMS Tobago (K585) on patrol and escort duty until 1945.[2]
Disposal
editThe United Kingdom returned Tobago to the U.S. Navy on 13 May 1946. She subsequently was sold to the Boston Metals Company of Baltimore, Maryland, for scrapping, but her scrapping was cancelled and in 1950 she was resold to Khedivial Mail Lines of Alexandria, Egypt, for use as a civilian passenger vessel. She was sunk as a blockship in the Suez Canal in 1956.
Citations
edit- ^ a b uboat.net HMS Tobago (K 585)
- ^ a b According to uboat.net HMS Tobago (K 585), Tobago is not listed as an active unit on the October 1945 Navy List, strongly implying that the Royal Navy decommissioned her sometime earlier that year.
References
edit
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.- NavSource Online: Frigate Photo Archive: HMS Tobago (K 585) ex-Hong Kong ex-Holmes ex-PF-81 ex-PG-189
