HMS Pandora was a Royal Navy ship that served during the 20th century, primarily in World War II. She was originally built as a gunboat for China in 1931 but was requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1939. The ship was armed with four 4-inch guns and anti-aircraft weapons. HMS Pandora participated in various operations during the war, including convoy duties and anti-submarine patrols. In 1942, HMS Pandora was assigned to escort and support the Allied landings in North Africa. She also took part in the Battle of Madagascar, where she provided gunfire support to ground forces. The ship later returned to the Mediterranean and was involved in escorting convoys to Malta. HMS Pandora had a relatively short service life, as she was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat in June 1942 while on a convoy escort mission in the Mediterranean. The ship's sinking resulted in the loss of most of her crew, with only a few survivors rescued by a nearby British warship. HMS Pandora's wreck was discovered in 2004 off the coast of Egypt, and efforts have been made to preserve and document the site as a war grave. Overall, HMS Pandora played a significant role in the naval operations of World War II, particularly in the Mediterranean and North African theaters. Her sinking stands as a testament to the dangers faced by naval vessels during the conflict.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.