HMS Gannet (1927)

HMS Gannet was a river gunboat of Royal Navy built by Yarrow Shipbuilders in 1927 for Yangtze Patrol. HMS Gannet is the sister ship of HMS Peterel (1927).

Originally functioning in area of Hong Kong, HMS Gannet was damaged by Japanese aircraft and went to the Chinese wartime capital Chongqing for repair. British decided to present both the gunboat and its sister ship HMS Peterel to China as gifts, with official transfer occurred in February 1942. The following month, both officially gunboats joined ROCN and HMS Gannet was renamed as Ying Shan (英山, literal translation = British Mountain).

The gunboat served with the ROCN until November 30, 1949, when the ROCN Riverine Flotilla commander defected to advancing communist force that blocked the Yangtze River, taking seven boats to the communist side, including Gannet/Ying San. After joining the PLAN, the gunboat was once again renamed Nu River.

She served until being retired in 1975.