belgian ship patrol vessel french small class naval operated belgium second world war originally built british_royal_navy ship notable role evacuating belgian gold reserves england battle belgium success operation allowed belgian government exile fund operations deprived german important asset support war effort belgian surrender vessel crew interned neutral spain vessel crew released ship scrapped soon background later renamed purchased having previously served british_royal_navy world war hms john vessel class naval built launched october displacing long tons vessel feet long draught metres fitted engines capable producing horsepower travel knots complement armed ship maxim machine guns bridge gun stern waiting scrapped deteriorating international situation caused german led belgium neutral status early stages second world war large belgian painted hull word dutch belgium white prevent mistaken ship belgium invaded german forces evacuation belgian gold interwar period belgium created gold based currency called ran parallel belgian intended international trading meant amassed considerable gold reserves amounting tonnes escalating international tensions 1930s belgian government began moving large amounts gold united_states great_britain canada forced retain gold country maintain value time germans invaded belgium tonnes gold left belgium held bank offices port ship available area commanded vessel loaded gold avoiding bombed luftwaffe headed british coast accompanied ship carrying refugees transferred port port concerns safety cargo unloading gold landed plymouth days belgian surrender gold finally deposited carried civil servant charged overseeing evacuation gold england future governor fact belgian gold rescued german occupation allowed belgian government exile finance operations unlike exiled governments rely british financial support aftermath belgium officially surrendered official belgian government existed england crew took ship neutral spain avoid having return belgium german prisoners war arrived spain june spent rest war interned control ship returned belgium scrapped role evacuation gold awarded order
Belgian ship A4