HMS FLAMINGO
HMS FLAMINGO: HISTORY
HMS Flamingo was one of the Black Swan Class of Sloops laid down in the late 1930s.
She was the second of two ships of the Royal Navy that have been named HMS Flamingo, after the bird.
The first Flaming was a composite screw gunvessel launched in 1876, sent to harbour service in 1893, and sold 1923.
The second Flamingo (U03) was a Black Swan Class sloop. She was laid down by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Scotstoun in Glasgow on 26 May 1938, launched on 18 April 1939, completed on 3 November 1939 and commissioned 3 December 1939.
During the 2nd World War, Flamingo was engaged on a large number of convoy duties.
After the 2nd World War, HMS Flamingo returned to Devonport, and after paying off was put into reserve. In 1949, the ship was brought out of reserve for service in the Persian Gulf and she served in that area until 1955 often flying the flag of the Senior Naval Officer Persian Gulf (SNOPG) a Commodore by rank. HMS Flamingo finally returned to Devonport in December of that year and subsequently went on the Disposal List.
HMS Flamingo was sold to West Germany in January 1959, and renamed Graf Spee.
Heraldic data
Badge: On a Field Gold, upon water in base barry wavy Blue
and White. a flamingo proper.
HMS Flamingo (Pennant F18, Call-sign GGGZ) was the last white frigate in the Royal Navy and stationed almost permanently in the Persian Gulf. Fresh crews were flown out via Nice, Nicosia, Athens, Baghdad and Bahrain, a trip taking two days in 1955. We used to say that you must have done something pretty awful to get a draft like this - except, of course, for those who volunteered!
The pictures depict the ship's company, the ships crest mounted on the bridge, and HMS Flamingo berthed alongside at Karachi. The two pictures right and left above are interesting studies and one wonders what the photographer said that had us all so amused.
As we left Bahrain, we received a signal from SNOPG’s Staff bidding us farewell in the slightly altered words of Percy Byshe Shelley:
“Farewell to thee, blithe spirit!
Bird thou never wert—
That from heaven or near it
Pourest thy full heart
In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.
In the golden light'ning
Of the sunken sun,
O'er which clouds are bright'ning,
Thou dost float and run,
Like an unbodied joy whose race is just begun.”
The final picture immediately below is of HMS Flamingo flying her paying off pennant as she leaves Sliema Creek, Malta, en route to Plymouth.
The Last White Ship
