The name on the stamp, SPIREA, is mis-spelt.
Name: HMS SPIRAEA
Ordered: 21 September 1939; Builder: Inglis, Glasgow; Laid down: 31 May 1940; Launched: 31 October 1940; Commissioned: 27 February 1941; Decommissioned: 1945; Identification: Pennant number: K08; Fate: Sold to Greece, renamed THESSALONIKI – civilian use
General characteristics:
Class and type: Flower-class corvette, Displacement: 925 long tons, Length: 205 ft (62 m) o/a, Beam: 33 ft (10 m), Draught: 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m), Propulsion: 1 × 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine, 2 × fire tube Scotch boilers, Single shaft, 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW), Speed: 16 kn (30 km/h), Range: 3,500 nmi (6,500 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h), Complement: 85, Sensors and, processing systems: 1 × SW1C or 2C radar, 1 × Type 123A or Type 127DV sonar, Armament: 1 × BL 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mk.IX gun, 2 × Vickers .50 cal machine gun (twin), 2 × Lewis .303 cal machine gun (twin), 2 × Mk.II Depth charge throwers, 2 × Depth charge rails with 40 depth charges
HMS SPIRAEA was a Flower-class corvette of the British Royal Navy. Named for a genus of shrub, SPIRAEA served in the Second World War as an escort.
13 Mar 1943
HMS SPIRAEA picks up four survivors from the British merchant OPORTO and the sole survivor from the Dutch merchant ship SEMBILANGAN that were torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-107 in the convoy OS-44 190 nautical miles west of Cape Finisterre in position 42.45'N, 13.31'W.
1 Oct 1943
HMS SPIRAEA and HMS ALISMA together pick up 68 survivors from the British merchant ship FORT HOWE that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-410 east of Bougie in position 37.19'N, 06.40'E.
Sold August 1945. 1948 converted to cargo ship, 1165gt and renamed THESSALONIKI
Disposal Data: deleted 1999
Sources: Wikipedia. http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5550.html.
http://www.cbrnp.com/profiles/naval/Flo ... vettes.htm.
http://theflowerclasscorvetteforums.yuk ... iraea.html.
http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/v ... sp?id=2083.
Information Mr P Crichton.