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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

ESCORTS   

"FLOWER" corvettes (1940 - 1942, 1942 / 1944)

Midland 1942

Buttercup 1942 as minesweeper

Buttercup 1942

Campanula 1942

Heather 1942

Project history: The ships, played a huge role in battle for Atlantic and become one of the symbols of a victory in the UK.

Early 1939 Admiralty formulated requirements to new patrol ship for operations in a coastal areas. Anti-submarine protection of merchant shipping should become her basic task, so new ship had to had powerful anti-submarine armament and 16-17kts speed, not yielding to surface speed of submarines.

From several design one, created by Smith's Dock`s Ltd South Bank in Middlesborough, has been chosen. It was created on the basis of 160ft whaler Southern Pride, built by the same yard. As the order for the new patrol ships was from beginning supposed to be placed on the yards which do not have experience of naval shipbuilding and not familiar with Admiralty standards, the design was made according to standards of merchant shipbuilding more habitual for builders (Lloyd Register standards). Machinery with the same purpose have chosen enough conservative: well familiar to reservists triple expansion engine which without changes have borrowed at a prototype. The steam was produced by single-side fire-tube boilers of so-called "Scottish" type. Perhaps, transition to oil-firing became a unique innovation.

The hull of the patrol ship, in comparison with a prototype, was lengthened by 30ft for propulsion improvement. Simultaneously it allowed to increase number of watertight compartments and additional internal volume can be used for placing of magazines and increased crew.

They were re-classified from patrols to corvettes just before lead ship was laid down.

The 1939 Programme provided building of 56 ships, as names of flowers were used, and all series received non-proprietary name "Flower".

The beginning of war has led to order increase: under "War Emergency Programme" have built 50, and under the 1940 Programme 25 more ships. Besides, Royal Navy was replenished with three corvettes of this class ordered by France and requisitioned 1.7.1940; the fourth ship La Bastiaise was lost on a mine 22.6.1940 during sea trials, formally being still the property of the builder. Seven early-built ships received minesweeping equipment.

Trials of a lead corvette in April, 1940 have opened both strong, and weaknesses of "Flower" class. The ship differed phenomenal manoeuvrability: tactical diameter on full speed was about two hull lengths at only 3° list. At the same time it became clear, that her seaworthiness was insufficient for operations in the high sea: on a wave crew very quickly were seasick, and because of a short forecastle a deck around a superstructure strongly slpashed. With last lack they have consulted, significantly having prolonged a forecastle towards a stern. Besides protection against waves, it has increased the covered volume of the hull which was used for placing increased more than in one and a half time, in comparison with the original design, crew (from 50 to 85 men). A forecastle have extended on all incomplete ships which degree of readiness supposed it (part of "War Emergency Programme" ships and the majority of the 1941 Programme).

Canada also built "Flowers". At first Royal Navy has ordered 10 ships, however they were transferred to RCN before completion. Canadians built for themselves 70 more corvettes, the majority from which was extra equipped with the minesweeping equipment.

The last 10 (reconsidered 1940-1941 Programme, 3rd group) differed from an original design a little: they were longer and had more stretched forecastle. All Canadian corvettes of the 1940-1941 Programme (except Dundas) had modern water-tube boilers instead of fire-tube ones.

Many ships with a short forecastle latter received extended (including almost all RCN ships).

9 ships from 131 British-built corvettes were transferred to US Navy, feeling shortage of escorts in beginning of war. This delivery was realised by so-called "reverse" lend-lease.

Modernizations: 1941-1942, almost all survived early ships: + type 271 radar

1943 - 1945, all survived ships: had 1 x 1 - 102/45 BL Mk IX or 1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk XIX, (0 - 1) x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I/II/V or (0 - 1) x 1 - 76/45 20cwt QF Mk I/II/III/IV, (1 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV) or (1 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV) or 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV or 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV or (2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV), (0 - 1) x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL (some ships), 4 DCT and 2 DCR (up to 72 DC)

1943 - 1944, about 30 RN ships: + 2 x 1 - 57/40 6pdr Hotchkiss Mk I

1943-1944, some: - type 286 or type 271 radar; + type 273 or type 291 radar

1/1946: 1 x 1 - 102/45 CP Mk I or 1 x 1 - 76/40 HA/LA Mk IX, 2 x 1 - 57/40 Mk VI (on some), (1 x 1 - 40/39 Mk VIII, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III) or (1 x 1 - 40/39 Mk VIII, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III) or 3 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III or 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III or (2 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III), 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog ASWRL (on some), 4 DCT, 2 DCR (72), type 271 or type 273 or type 291 radar, type 123 or type 128 or type 144 sonar

1956, Sackville was converted to controlled minelayer, as follows:

Naval service: Submarines sunk Picotee (German submarine U568 12.8.1941), Zinnia (German submarine U564 23.8.1941), Levis (German submarines U74 and U552 19.9.1941), Fleur De Lys (German submarine U206 14.10.1941), Gladiolus (German submarine U558 16.10.1941), Salvia (German submarine U568 24.12.1941), Arbutus (U136 5.2.1942), Spikenard (U136 10.2.1942), Charlottetown (U517 11.9.1942), Samphire (Italian submarine Platino 30.1.1943), Polyanthus (German submarine U952 20.9.1943), Asphodel (U575 9.3.1944), Shawinigan (U1228 25.11.1944), Bluebell (U711 17.2.1945) and Vervain (U1208 20.2.1945).

On mines were lost Auricula (mined 5.5.1942, and was sunk next day), Erica (9.2.1943), Weyburn (22.2.1943), Regina (8.8.1944 or sunk by German submarine U667) and Albernie (21.8.1944). Pink (27.6.1944) and Orchis (21.8.1944) were badly damaged by mines and stricken as constructive total loss.

There were sunk by aircraft Hollyhock (Japanese carrier aircraft 9.4.1942), Marigold (Italian air torpedo 9.12.1942), Snapdragon (German bombs 19.12.1942) and Louisburg (Italian air torpedo 16.2.1943).

Were lost as a result of collisions: Godetia (6.9.1940, with s/s Marsa), Windflower (7.12.1941, with s/s Zypenberg), Gardenia (9.11.1942, with s/s Fluellen) and Rose (26.10.1944).

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.

Clematis 1940

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-15