HMS Palomares
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MV Palomares was built by Doxford and Sons, Sunderland yard in 1937 and sailed as a merchant fruit carrier ship (13.5 knot banana boat) for service on the MacAndrews Line in January 1938 with their Spanish service.
She was purchased by the British Admiralty in 1940. In 1941 the Admiralty converted her and 7 others to Antiaircraft Artillery ships and eventually Fighter Direction Ships (seagoing Anti Aircraft Auxiliaries). Most likely the conversion took place at Fairfields yard in Govan on the Clyde with her sister ship Pozarica.
In March 1942, she sailed with sister HMS Pozarica, and Corvettes Poppy, Lotus, La Malouine and Dianella for the port of Seydhisfjordur.
In June 1942, she sailed as an escort in the infamous Convoy PQ-17.
During operation Torch (The North African Landings by the Allies) she was badly damaged in the Mediterranean and eventually towed back to Belfast. Surviving the war, HMS Palomares was returned to the MacAndrews Line, where she continued service until the mid 1950's.
