HMS Hibiscus (K24)

After working up, Hibiscus was assigned to the Western Approaches Escort Force for service as a convoy escort. In this role she was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attacking U-boats which attacked ships in convoy, and rescuing survivors. In two years service Hibiscus escorted 29 North Atlantic, 7 Gibraltar and 7 South Atlantic convoys,[2][3] assisting in the safe passage of over 1300 ships. She was involved in three major convoy battles: In October 1940 Hibiscus was part of the escort for HX 79, which was attacked by a U-boat pack, losing 12 ships sunk.[4] In November 1940 she was with OB 244, which saw 6 ships sunk and one U-boat destroyed.[5] In September 1941 she was with HG 73, which lost nine merchant and one warship sunk.[6]

Following the entry of the United States into the war the US Navy was in need of anti-submarine warfare vessels, and to meet this need a number of ships were transferred from the Royal Navy as part of a reverse Lend-Lease arrangement.[7] Hibiscus was commissioned into the USN on 2 May 1942 as USS Spry. After an overhaul Spry was employed as escort on convoy routes in the Caribbean, and between Trinidad and Recife, Brazil. In 1944 she was reassigned to escort duty and weather reporting in the North Atlantic. In August 1945 Spry was decommissioned and returned to the Royal Navy.[8]