| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Frigate |
| Class | Colony |
| Pennant | K 503 |
| Built by | Walsch-Kaiser Co., Inc. (Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A.) |
| Ordered | 10 Jun 1943 |
| Laid down | 7 Apr 1943 |
| Launched | 17 Aug 1943 |
| Commissioned | 6 Dec 1943 |
| End service | |
| History | Returned to the USN on 11 June, 1946. |
| Former name | Hotham |
Commands listed for HMS Bahamas (K 503)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | T/A/Lt.Cdr. Walter Smith Thomson, RNR | Nov 1943 | mid 1945 |
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Notable events involving Bahamas include:
12 Oct 1944
HMS Upshot (Lt. H.W. Wilkinson, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Tortola (T/A/Lt.Cdr. G.C.L. Payne, RNVR), HMS Sarawak (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Rayner, RD, RNR) and HMS Bahamas (T/A/Lt.Cdr. W.S. Thomson, RNR). (1)
11 Nov 1944
British destroyer HMS Cassandra (Cdr. P.F. Powlett, DSO and Bar, DSC, RN) was hit by a Gnat torpedo fired by German U-boat U-365 in position 71°57'N, 32°04'E. The entire bow of the destroyer was blown off. Cassandra was taken in tow (stern first) by the British frigate HMS Bahamas (T/A/Lt.Cdr. W.S. Thomson, RNR). Later the tow was passed over to a Soviet tug which towed her to the Kola Inlet.
23 Nov 1944
HMS Virulent (Lt. S.J. Fovargue, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Larne with HMCS North Bay (T/A/Lt.Cdr. B. Hynes, RCNVR), HMCS Atholl (T/Lt. W.G. Garden, RCNVR), HMS Bahamas (T/A/Lt.Cdr. W.S. Thomson, RNR) and HMS Somaliland (A/Lt.Cdr. K.B. Hopkins, DSC, RNVR). (2)
11 Dec 1944
British destroyer HMS Cassandra (Cdr. P.F. Powlett, DSO and Bar, DSC, RN) was hit by a Gnat torpedo fired by German U-boat U-365. The entire bow ahead of the forward magazine, including 'A' gun turret were blown off and the structure abaft this to the forward bulkhead of the fuel tanks was wrecked. Cassandra was taken in tow (stern first) by the British frigate HMS Bahamas (T/A/Lt.Cdr. W.S. Thomson, RNR). Later the tow was passed over to a Soviet tug which towed her to the Kola Inlet. 62 men lost their lives in this attack.
Sources
- ADM 173/19300
- ADM 173/19411
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.