HMS Pheasant (U49)

HMS Pheasant (U49) was a Modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Yarrow Shipbuilders, Scotstoun, Glasgow on 13 July 1942, launched on 21 December 1942, and commissioned on 12 May 1943.

The Modified Black Swan-class sloops were specialised convoy-defence vessels, with anti-aircraft and anti-submarine capability. They were designed to have a longer range than a destroyer at the expense of a lower top speed, while remaining capable of outrunning the German Type VII and Type IX U-boats when they were surfaced.

The Pheasant had a top speed of 20 knots - their prey, the German U-Boats, could only manage 18 kn on the surface and no more than 8 kn submerged.

In the latter part of the war she was sent to the Pacific theatre. There Pheasant served in a task force with the escort carriers HMS Striker (D12) and HMS Ruler (D72) from April to August 1945.