HMS Hollyhock originally served as escort protection in the Atlantic as part of EG3 (3rd Escort Group), Western Approaches Command Fleet. She was a Flower Class Corvette, built by John Crown & Sons in Sunderland, England (job No. J4027), and finished by N.E. Marine. She was commissioned on 19th August 1940 and completed on 19th November 1940.
The Drawing Office
The picture on the home page of this site was kindly sent to me by Mr. H. Oxman of Sunderland. He sent an original photo of HMS Hollyhock as she was in the final stages of ‘fitting out’, along with a copy of her scale general arrangement plans.
Mr. Oxman was an apprentice draughtsman at the John Crown and Sons shipbuilders and actually drew up the ‘scale general arrangement plans’ for the Hollyhock (and still retains them to this day). I cannot thank Mr. Oxman enough; his photo was the only one I knew of in existence — neither the Imperial War Museum, the Portsmouth Naval Museum, nor the PRO office have any photos of the Hollyhock.
Adopted by Abergele
It has since come to my attention that the town of Abergele in North Wales, in March 1942, adopted the Hollyhock (as part of the national ‘Warships Week’ savings scheme), and was presented with a picture of the ship along with a commemorative plaque.
“Presented by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to Abergele Urban District Council to commemorate the adoption of H.M.S. Hollyhock and H.M.S. Derg during Warship Week, March 1942.” — The brass plaque
The Latin “SIG OFF MAG ADM MAG BRIT” translates roughly to ‘Official Seal of His Britannic Majesty’s Admiralty’.
Specification
- Pennant
- K64
- Class
- Flower
- Displacement
- 1,170 tons
- Speed
- 16 knots
- Power Plant
- Vertical triple expansion, 1 shaft
- Horsepower
- 2,750 hp
- Fuel
- Oil (230 tons)
- Boilers
- 2 × Admiralty 3-drum
- Armament
- 1 × 4″ Breach Loading Mk IX
- Depth Charges
- 40
- Builder
- John Crown & Sons, Sunderland
- Finished by
- N.E. Marine