The troop ship HMS Tamar arrived in Hong Kong in 1897 and remained in the British territory until it was scuttled (to avoid being used by the invading Japanese Imperial forces) during the Battle of Hong Kong during World War II in 1941.

HMS Tamar History

The first ship to bear the Tamar name was built by Snook of Saltash in 1758. Renamed as Pluto and became a fire-ship, it was later captured by the French in 1780.

The second Tamar was built in Chatham in 1796, but it served only until 1803.

The third Tamar began service in 1814 and served until 1827. It was decommissioned from the Royal Navy in 1828 and became a coal depot ship in 1833.

HMS Tamar (Hong Kong) History

HMS Tamar was the name of the Royal Naval station in the British territory of Hong Kong.

Tamar I 

HMS Tamar, a RN troop ship was built in Millwall and launched in Samuda, Poplar, 1863. At 3,650 tons, it was the fifth ship to bear this name since 1758 and named after a river in South West England. The ship became the RN's base in the territory from 1887 to 1941.

Tamar II 

At the end of World War II, the RN re-established their naval base at Wellington Barracks , vacated by the British Army.

Tamar III 

From 1959 to 1962, the Wellington Barracks was upgrade to better serve the colony and reflect the changing times for the Royal Navy in the Pacific region.

Tamar IV 

The RN decided to demolish the Wellington Barracks and rebuild a modern naval facility in Hong Kong. The Prince of Wales Building was completed in 1978 and became the new HMS Tamar.

Tamar V 

The last base to bear the Tamar name was relocated to Stonecutter's Island, off Kowloon, prior to the handover in 1997.

Following the departure of British forces in 1997, the Tamar basin was filled in and the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China occupied the Prince of Wales Building (now Central Barracks). The last Tamar is now a government marine facility.

Squadrons in Hong Kong

The following is a list of naval squadrons and fleet names that called Tamar home:

• China Squadron 1844–1941, 1945–1992
• Far East Fleet/HK Sqdn 1969–1971
• Dragon Squardon 1971–1992
• 3 Raiding Royal Marines
• Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves 1967–1996; merged with RNR 1971
• British Regular — Garrison and Fleet
• LEP 1905–1996
• Side Girls Party 1933–1997
• Dragon Squadron
• 120th Minesweeping Squadron 1958–1966; transferred to Singapore
• 6th Mine Countermeasure Squadron 1969–1997
• 6th Patrol Craft Squadron 1970–1997
• Operations and Training Base 1934–1997
• 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines
• 47 Royal Marines
• British Pacific Fleet 1840s–1948; to Singapore as Far East Station
• HK Flotilla 1840s–1941, 1948–1992
• China Station — 4th Submarine Flotilla, Yangtse Flotilla, West River Flotilla, 8th Destroyer Flotilla
• 5th Cruiser Squadron
• 1st Escort Flotilla
• 4th Frigate Flotilla ?–1952
• Frigate Squadron 1952–1976
• Light Cruiser Squadron

Naval Facilities

A list of facilities used or built by the RN in Hong Kong:

• Prince of Wales Building 1978–1997; now Central Barracks of the PLA

• Lamont and Hope Drydocks
• Aberdeen Docks — destroyed
• Dry Dock 1902–1959
• Taikoo Dockyards — Hong Kong United Dockyards
• Royal Navy Dockyards 1902–1959

• Sai Wan Barracks 1844–1846
• Wellington Barracks 1946–1978, as HMS Tamar (demolished)
• North Barracks 1850s–1856, 1887–1959; from the Army and to HK Government 1959
• Victoria Barracks

• Redoubt and Lei Yue Mun Fortifications 1885–1887
• Lei Yue Mun Fort 1887–1987
• Reverse, Central, West and Pass Batteries 1880s

• Brennan Torpedo station 1890 — Lei Yue Mun

• Royal Naval Hospital, Wan Chai; now Ruttonjee Sanatorium
• Seaman's Hosptial 1843–1873; replaced by Royal Naval Hospital
• RMS Queen Mary 1945–1946, as a hosptial
• War Memorial Hospital (Matilda) 1946–1959
• British Military Hospital 1959–1995
• Island Grop Practice 1995–1997, replaced British Military Hospital

• HMS Charlotte and HMS Victor Emmanuel — Receiving Ships
• Tidal Basin 1902–1959
• Boat Basin 1902–1959
• HM Victualling Yards 1859–1946

A list of facilities used or built by the RN in Hong Kong:

• Lamont and Hope Drydocks
• Aberdeen Docks
• Royal Naval Hospital, Wan Chai; now Ruttonjee Sanatorium
• Seaman's Hospital 1843–1873; replaced by Royal Naval Hospital
• HMS Charlotte and HMS Victor Emmanuel — Receiving Ships
• HMS Tamar — Receiving ship 1897–1941
• HMS Minden 1841–mid-1840s — hospital ship
• HMS Alligator 1840s–1873 — hospital ship
• HMS Melville 1860s–1873 — hospital ship (East Indies Sqdn)
• HMS Audaicous 1840s — Receiving Ship

See also

• British Forces Overseas Hong Kong
• Prince of Wales Building
• Royal Navy

• Military of Hong Kong

References

• HMS Tamar
• China Fleet
• Naval forces of the British Empire: Ships: Troopships: HMS Tamar, 1882
• Sailing Ships of the Royal Navy

• White Ensign Red Dragon, edited by Commodore P J Melson , CBE, 1997