ROYAL NAVY SOUTH ATLANTIC COMMAND - ROYAL NAVY S T 12 SHIPS
3)SOUTHERN GEM (A S WHALER)
Picture kindly sent by Brian Lindley - UK.
Completed: 1936
Displacement: 593 tons
Length: 162 ft
Beam: 32 ft
Draught: 17 ft
Propulsion: Triple exp. 4 Cyl. Steam, 850 HP
Armament: 1 × 4 inch BL Mk.IX single gun, 2 × Vickers .50 machine guns (twin), 2 × .303 inch Lewis machine gun (twin), 2× Mk.II depth charge throwers, 2 × depth charge rails with 40 depth charges, originally fitted with minesweeping gear, later removed.
Complement: 85
Speed: 15 kts
HMS Southern Gem was deployed with her sister Southern Pride at Freetown as part of an antisubmarine and coastal patrol group. In post war years it was decommissioned and returned to its previous role as a whale catcher. Scrapped in 1962. This information was provided by Brian Lindley in UK.
