All three sisters were laid down in 1937 and launched in 1938. HMS Auckland was originally intended to carry the name Heron before her planned New Zealand survey role prompted the change. William Denny built Auckland, Thornycroft built Pelican, and J. Samuel White of Cowes built Egret. White had a strong reputation for building small Royal Navy warships and had also built the related HMS Bittern. The construction history connects a peacetime survey plan with the specialist yards that produced the armed sloops.
Notable Point · 3:02-6:37
Three sisters, changing names, and specialist small-ship builders
The class history begins with Auckland, Pelican, and Egret's 1937-38 construction, including Auckland's intended name and Egret's builder, J. Samuel White.