 HMSHibiscus, in service during the Second World War (image reversed). | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSHibiscus |
| Namesake | Hibiscus flower |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff,Belfast |
| Laid down | 14 November 1939 |
| Launched | 6 April 1940 |
| Commissioned | 21 May 1940 |
| Decommissioned | 2 May 1942 |
| Identification | Pennant number: K24 |
| Fate | Transferred to United States Navy |
 United States | |
| Name | USSSpry |
| Commissioned | 20 May 1942 |
| Decommissioned | 20 August 1945 |
| Identification | Hull number: PG-64 |
| Fate | Returned to Royal Navy |
| United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSHibiscus |
| Fate | Sold into civilian service, 1947, scrapped 1955 |
| General characteristics[1] | |
| Class & type | Flower-classcorvette |
| Displacement | 925long tons (940 t; 1,036 short tons) |
| Length | 205 ft (62.48 m)o/a |
| Beam | 33 ft 2 in (10.11 m) |
| Draught | 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 16.5knots (30.6 km/h) |
| Range | 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km) at 12 knots (22.2 km/h) |
| Complement | 85 |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
HMSHibiscus was aFlower-classcorvette, built for theRoyal Navy during the Second World War, and was in service in theBattle of the Atlantic.In 1942 she was transferred to theUnited States Navy as part of theReverse Lend-Lease arrangement and renamedUSSSpry, one of theTemptress-class gunboats.With the end of hostilities she was returned to the Royal Navy and sold into mercantile service.
Hibiscus was built atHarland & Wolff,Belfast, as part of the 1939 War Emergency building programme. She was laid down on 14 November 1939 and launched 6 April 1940. She was completed and entered service on 21 May 1940, being named for theHibiscus flower.As built,Hibiscus had the shortforecastle that was a feature of the early Flowers, and which adversely effected their habitability. She also had the merchant-style enclosed wheelhouse, and the foremast stepped ahead of the bridge, of the original design.
After working up,Hibiscus was assigned to the Western Approaches Escort Force for service as a convoy escort. In this role she was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attacking U-boats which attacked ships in convoy, and rescuing survivors.In two years serviceHibiscus escorted 29 North Atlantic, 7 Gibraltar and 7 South Atlantic convoys,[2][3] assisting in the safe passage of over 1300 ships.She was involved in three major convoy battles: In October 1940Hibiscus was part of the escort forHX 79, which was attacked by a U-boat pack, losing 12 ships sunk.[4] In November 1940 she was withOB 244, which saw 6 ships sunk and one U-boat destroyed.[5] In September 1941 she was withHG 73, which lost nine merchant and one warship sunk.[6]
Following the entry of the United States into the war the US Navy was in need of anti-submarine warfare vessels, and to meet this need a number of ships were transferred from the Royal Navy as part of a reverse Lend-Lease arrangement.[7]Hibiscus was commissioned into the USN on 2 May 1942 as USSSpry. After an overhaulSpry was employed as escort on convoy routes in theCaribbean, and betweenTrinidad andRecife,Brazil. In 1944 she was reassigned to escort duty and weather reporting in the North Atlantic. In August 1945Spry was decommissioned and returned to the Royal Navy.[8]
Hibiscus was stricken in 1947 and sold into commercial service as the merchant shipMadonna. She was scrapped atHong Kong in 1955.[8]
