home

fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

ESCORTS

'FLOWER' ANCHUSA convoy sloops (1917-1918)

Coreopsis 1918

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
ordered 1.1917
Anchusa (Cashel, Winstree) T01 917 Armstrong-Whitworth, High Walker 2.1917 21.4.1917 6.1917 sunk 16.7.1918
Bergamot   918 Armstrong-Whitworth, High Walker 2.1917 5.5.1917 7.1917 sunk 13.8.1917
Candytuft (Pavitt) T17 919 Armstrong-Whitworth, High Walker 2.1917 19.5.1917 8.1917 sunk 18.11.1917
Convolvulus (Abney, Manton) T23 551 Barclay Curle, Whiteinch 1917 19.5.1917 1917 sold 12.1921
Ceanothus (Caird, Linksman), 5.1922-  Elphinstone (5/1922- RIM) T19 920 Armstrong-Whitworth, High Walker 2/1917 2.6.1917 9/1917 wrecked 29.1.1925
Eglantine (Aldwych, Hickory) T31 552 Barclay Curle, Whiteinch 1917 22.6.1917 1917 sold 12.1921
Syringa T3A, T83   Workman Clark, Belfast 1917 29.9.1917 1917 to Egypt 3.1920 (السلوم  [Sollum])
Spiraea (Airblast, Caleb) T81 609 Simons, Renfrew 1917 1.11.1917 11/1917 sold 9.1922
ordered 2.1917
Arbutus (Sprigg) T94 926 Armstrong-Whitworth, High Walker 1917 8.9.1917 11.1917 sunk 16.12.1917
Coreopsis (Beardsley, Bigott) T93 555 Barclay Curle, Whiteinch 1917 15.9.1917 1917 sold 9.1922
Auricula (Hempseed) T98 927 Armstrong-Whitworth, High Walker 5/1917 4.10.1917 12/1917 sold 2.1923
Sweetbriar (Ayres, Brangwyn) T83 1042 Swan Hunter, Low Walker 1917 5.10.1917 11/1917 sold 10.1927
Rhododendron T95 591 Irvine, West Hartlepool 1917 15.10.1917 2.1918 sunk 5.5.1918
Cowslip (Brigand) T05 556 Barclay Curle, Whiteinch 1917 19.10.1917 12.1917 sunk 25.4.1918
Bryony (Cookcroft) T96 928 Armstrong-Whitworth, High Walker 7/1917 27.10.1917 12/1917 sold 4.1938
Ivy T21   Blyth SB, Cowpen Quay 1917 31.10.1917 4.1918 sold 2.1920
Chrysanthemum T98 929 Armstrong-Whitworth, High Walker 7/1917 10.11.1917 2.1918 target towing 5.1920, RNVR drill ship 1938
Tuberose (Scatliff) T2A 1044 Swan Hunter, Low Walker 1917 16.11.1917 1.1918 sold 1.1923
Marjoram T51 381 Greenock & Grangemouth 1917 26.12.1917 4.1918 wrecked 1.1921
Mistletoe T99 382 Greenock & Grangemouth 1917 17.11.1917 5.1918 sold 1.1921
Dianthus (Dhoby)   557 Barclay Curle, Whiteinch 1917 1.12.1917 12.1917 sold 6.1921
Gardenia T11 558 Barclay Curle, Whiteinch 1917 27.12.1917 1918 sold 1.1923
Saxifrage T97 827 Lobnitz, Renfrew 1917 29.1.1918 3.1918 RNVR drill ship 1921
Silene T67 610 Simons, Renfrew 1917 13.3.1918 3.1918 sold 12.1921
Gilia   559 Barclay Curle, Whiteinch 1917 15.3.1918 1918 sold 1.1923
Pelargonium T0A 354 Hamilton, Port Glasgow 1917 18.3.1918 5.1918 sold 1.1921
Windflower T1A   Workman Clark, Belfast 1917 12.4.1918 1918 sold 10.1927
Harebell T03 560 Barclay Curle, Whiteinch 1917 10.5.1918 1918 BU 12.1939

 

Displacement normal, t

1290

Displacement full, t

1493

Length, m

80.0

Breadth, m

10.7

Draught, m

3.51

No of shafts

1

Machinery

1 VTE, 2 cylindrical boilers

Power, h. p.

2500

Max speed, kts

17.5

Fuel, t

coal 130

Endurance, nm(kts) 2000(15)

Armament

2 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV or 2 x 1 - 102/44 BL Mk IX or 2 x 1 - 102/45 BL Mk X, 2 x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I/II, 2 DCT, 2 DCR

Complement

119

Project history: Similar to the Aubrietia type, and like them, varied according to the builders' ideas; Armstrongs had at least three designs, Barclay Curle at least two. When merchant ships were defensively armed many ships of these types received a dummy gun on the poop to maintain the disguise. In addition to concealed guns they had anti-submarine weapons, including depth-charges dropped through traps under the poop, and bomb-throwers of various types mounted on deck, usually behind breastworks where they could not be seen easily. The first six were ordered on 6 January 1917 (four from Armstrongs and two from Barclay Curle), followed by Syringa and Spiraea on the 13th and the remainder (Arbutus etc) on 21 February 1917, and they came into service between June 1917 and June 1918.

Modernizations: 1930s, may be some: + type 121 or type 124 sonar

Naval service: Anchusa was sunk 16.7.1918 by German submarine U54 off W coast of Ireland. Bergamot was sunk 13.8.1917 by German submarine U84 in Atlantic. Candytuft was torpedoed 18.11.1917 by enemy submarine and stranded near Bougie, North Africa. Elphinstone wrecked 29.1.1925 at Nicobar Islands. Arbutus was sunk 16.12.1917 by German submarine UB65 in St. Georges Channel. Cowslip was sunk 25.4.1918 by German submarine UB105 off Cape Spartel. Marjoram was to become RNVR drill ship President in 1921 but wrecked in January, 1921 at Flintstone Head on passage to fit out. Rhododendron was sunk 5.5.1918 by German submarine U70 in the North Sea. Chrysanthemum was converted to target towing tender in May 1920 and became RNVR TS in 1938.

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

Coreopsis

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-13