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Hms Tamar (shore Station)




HMS ''Tamar'' was a 4,650 ton Troopship launched in Britain in 1863. She had been Hulk ed as a base ship and was dispatched to Hong Kong in 1897.

The ''Tamar'' served as the Royal Navy's base in the territory until 1941 when it was scuttled (to avoid being used by the invading Japan ese Imperial forces) during the Battle Of Hong Kong during World War II in 1941. A mast from this ship has been erected outside Murray House in Stanley .

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

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

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''.

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

Shortly before 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 Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building , or 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 Royal Naval Reserve (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 18441846

  • Wellington Barracks 19461978 , as HMS ''Tamar'' (demolished)

  • North Barracks 1850s1856 , 18871959 ; from the Army and to HK Government 1959

  • Victoria Barracks


  • Redoubt and Lei Yue Mun Fortifications 18851887

  • Lei Yue Mun Fort 18871987

  • 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 18431873 ; replaced by Royal Naval Hospital

  • RMS ''Queen Mary'' 1945–1946, as a hosptial

  • War Memorial Hospital (Matilda) 19461959

  • British Military Hospital 19591995

  • Island Grop Practice 19951997 , replaced British Military Hospital



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



SEE ALSO




REFERENCES


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