HMS Somaliland (K594)

HMS Somaliland (K594) was a Colony-class frigate of the United Kingdom that served during World War II. She originally was ordered by the United States Navy as the Tacoma-class patrol frigate USS Popham (PF-90) and was transferred to the Royal Navy prior to completion.

HMS Somaliland at Greenock, Scotland, on 21 September 1944.
History
United States
Name: USS Popham
Namesake: British name assigned in anticipation of ship's transfer to United Kingdom
Reclassified: Patrol frigate, PF-90, 15 April 1943
Builder: Walsh-Kaiser Company, Providence, Rhode Island
Laid down: 11 October 1943[1]
Renamed: Somaliland, 1943
Namesake: British Somaliland
Launched: 11 November 1943
Commissioned: never
Identification: PG-198
Fate: Transferred to United Kingdom 22 February 1944[1] or 24 July 1944[2]
Acquired: Returned by United Kingdom 22 May 1946
Fate: Scrapped 1947
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Somaliland
Namesake: British Somaliland
Acquired: 22 February 1944[1] or 24 July 1944[2]
Commissioned: 22 February 1944[1] or 24 July 1944[2]
Identification: K594
Fate: Returned to United States 22 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:
  • 3 × boilers
  • 2 × turbines, 5,500 shp (4,100 kW) each
  • 2 shafts
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement: 190
Armament:

Construction and acquisition

The ship, originally designated a "patrol gunboat," PG-198, was ordered by the United States Maritime Commission under a U.S. Navy contract as USS Popham. She was reclassified as a "patrol frigate," PF-90, on 15 April 1943 and laid down by the Walsh-Kaiser Company at Providence, Rhode Island, on 11 October 1943.[1] Intended for transfer to the United Kingdom, the ship was renamed Somaliland by the British prior to launching and was launched on 11 November 1943.

Service history

Transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on, according to different sources, either 22 February 1944[1] or 24 June 1944,[2] the ship served in the Royal Navy as HMS Somaliland (K594) on patrol and escort duty.

Disposal

The United Kingdom returned Somaliland to the U.S. Navy on 22 May 1946. She was scrapped in 1947.

References

Notes
  1. uboat.net HMS Somaliland (K 594)
  2. Navsource Online: Frigate Photo Archive HMS Somaliland (K 594) ex-Popham ex-PF-90 ex-PG-198 ]

Bibliography
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