HMS Gannet (1927)

HMS Gannet was a river gunboat of the Royal Navy built by Yarrow Shipbuilders in 1927 for Yangtze Patrol.[1][2] HMS Gannet is the sister ship of HMS Peterel.[2]

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Gannet.

History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Gannet
Builder:	Yarrow Shipbuilders
Launched:	10 November 1927
Commissioned:	January 1928
Decommissioned:	March 1942
In service:	1928
Out of service:	March 1942
Fate:	Given to the Nationalist Chinese Navy in March 1942
Status:	Decommissioned
History
Nationalist China
Name:	Ying Shan (英山)
Acquired:	March 1942
Commissioned:	March 1942
Decommissioned:	30 November 1949
In service:	March 1942
Out of service:	30 November 1949
Captured:	30 November 1949
Fate:	Defected to Communist China
Status:	Decommissioned
History
Communist China
Name:	Nu River
Acquired:	30 November 1949
Commissioned:	30 November 1949
Decommissioned:	1975
In service:	1949
Out of service:	1975
Fate:	Retired in 1970s
General characteristics
Displacement:	310 tons
Length:	184 ft (56 m)
Beam:	29 ft (8.8 m)
Draught:	3.2 ft (0.98 m)
Propulsion:	Four Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company geared steam turbines Two Yarrow 3-drum boilers 2,250 shp
Speed:	16 knots (30 km/h)
Complement:	55
Armament:	3-in gun x 2 Machine guns x 8

Originally functioning in the area of Hong Kong, HMS Gannet was damaged by Japanese aircraft and went to the Chinese wartime capital Chongqing for repair. The British decided to present both the gunboat and its sister ship HMS Peterel to China as gifts, with official transfers occurring in February 1942.[1] The following month, both gunboats officially joined ROCN and HMS Gannet was renamed as Ying Shan (英山, literal translation = British Mountain).

The gunboat served with the ROCN until 30 November 1949, when the ROCN Riverine Flotilla commander defected to advancing communist force that blocked the Yangtze River, taking seven boats to the communist side, including Gannet/Ying San.[2] After joining the PLAN, the gunboat was once again renamed Nu River.[3]

She served until being retired in 1975.

References

1. "HMS Gannet (1927)". Retrieved 3 August 2015.
2. "HMS Gannet". Archived from the original on 27 June 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
3. Raymond V B Blackman (ed.). Jane's Fighting Ships 1963-4,. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd. p. 54.

Publications

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.