"plym" was built to the royal navy's specifications as a group ii . she was laid down by smiths dock co. at their yard in south bank-on-tees on 1 august 1942 and launched on 4 february 1943. she was commissioned into the royal navy on 16 may 1943 as hms "plym" (k271) and was named after the river plym in devon, england which flows into the english channel at plymouth.