It was one of four corvettes of this type transferred to Greece during World War II.

The ship was named after Iakovos Tombazis (Greek: Ιάκωβος Τομπάζης, 1782–1829), a merchant and shipowner, the first commander of the revolutionary fleet during the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829).

Tombazis provided convoy escort in the Atlantic and participated in the Normandy landings alongside the Greek Flower-class corvette Kriezis.

During the first 20 days of the landings, Tombazis escorted seven convoys from Portsmouth, England to Normandy.

[citation needed] From 25 June to 7 July 1944, Tombazis escorted seven convoys along the route from Wales to the Cornwall peninsula, and from then until 10 August, she escorted nine more convoys from Portsmouth to Normandy.