Dates: 1944 - 1946
H.M.S. Labuan (K584)
ex - H.M.S. Gold Coast (K584)
ex - Harvey (PG-188)
ex - PF-80
H.M.S. Labuan (K584) was a Tacoma Class Patrol Frigate/British Colony Class Frigate of the United Kingdom during World War II. She was originally named Harvey and designated a Patrol Gunboat (PG-188), was built under Maritime Commission contract by Walsh-Kaiser Co., Inc., Providence, Rhode Island.
Intended for use by the United Kingdom, she was reclassified as a Patrol Frigate (PF-80) on 15th April 1943, renamed H.M.S. Gold Coast (K584), and launched on 21st September 1943.
H.M.S. Labuan was completed and transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 5th February 1944 as part of the 21-ship "Colony" class. She served as a patrol vessel and escort until being returned to U.S. custody on 2nd May 1946 she travelled back to the United States on 13th May 1948 where she retained the name Labuan, she was eventually sold for scrapping 9th July 1957 to Heggie Iron & Metal Co., Dorchester, Mass.
Notable actions that H.M.S. Labuan took part in;
On February 27th 1945 with H.M. Frigate LOCH FADA and the Black Swan class sloop H.M.S. WILD GOOSE, H.M.S. LABUAN sank the U-Boat U327 in position 49.46N 05.47W, there were no survivors from the submarine.
A note on Colony Class Frigates
The design Colony class frigate was based on that of the Tacoma class frigates used by the United States Navy (some sources state that these vessels were identical). That design was in itself an adaptation of the Royal Navy River class frigate, with modifications made mainly to use materials and parts more readily available in the United States. For example, American 3-inch guns were used as the main surface armament in the Tacoma and Colony class frigates instead of the British 4-inch guns of the River class.
They were mass-produced to mercantile standards to enable their speedy construction in shipyards that did not normally build warships. Post-war, all were returned to the U.S. by the end of 1946 and most scrapped during 1947, as they were considered obsolescent even before the end of the war.
Below is a list showing the fate of all Colony class Frigates with the date returned to the US (unless otherwise stated). All scrapped 1947, unless stated.
H.M.S. Anguilla (K500): 31 May, 1946; scrapped 1949
H.M.S. Antigua (K501): 2 May, 1946
H.M.S. Ascension (K502): 31 May, 1946.
H.M.S. Bahamas (K503): 11 June, 1946.
H.M.S. Barbados (K504): 11 June, 1946.
H.M.S. Caicos (K505): 12 December 1945; sold to Argentina as Santisima Trinidad later Comodoro Augusto Lasserre, sold 1970 or 1971
H.M.S. Cayman (K506): 23 April, 1946
H.M.S. Dominica (K507): 23 April, 1946
H.M.S. Labuan (K584), (ex-H.M.S. Gold Coast): 18 May, 1948
H.M.S. Montserrat (K586): 11 June, 1946
H.M.S. Nyasaland (K587): 15 April, 1946
H.M.S. Papua (K588): 13 May, 1946; sold to Egypt and scuttled as a blockship in the Suez Canal, 1956
H.M.S. Perim (K593), (ex-H.M.S. Sierra Leone): 22 May 1946
H.M.S. Pitcairn (K589): 11 June, 1946
H.M.S. Sarawak (K591): 22 May 1946
H.M.S. Seychelles (K592): June 1946
H.M.S. Somaliland (K594): 22 May 1946
H.M.S. St Helena (K590): 8 April, 1946
H.M.S. Tobago (K585), (ex-H.M.S. Hong Kong): 13 May, 1946; sold to Egypt and scuttled as a blockship in the Suez Canal, 1956
H.M.S. Tortola (K595): 22 May, 1946
H.M.S. Zanzibar (K596): 31 May 1946
