Flower-class corvette
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Typical BL 4 inch Mk IX gun mounting, here seen on HMS Vervain
The Flower-class corvette[1][2][3] (also referred to as the Gladiolus class after the lead ship)[4] was a British class of 267 corvettes used during World War II, specifically with the Allied navies as anti-submarine convoy escorts during the Battle of the Atlantic. Royal Navy ships of this class were named after flowers, hence the name of the class.
The majority served during World War II with the Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). Several ships built largely in Canada were transferred from the RN to the United States Navy (USN) under the lend-lease programme, seeing service in both navies, some corvettes transferred to the USN were manned by the US Coast Guard.[5] The vessels serving with the US Navy were known as Temptress and Action-class patrol gunboats. Other Flower-class corvettes served with the Free French Naval Forces, the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Royal Norwegian Navy, the Royal Indian Navy, the Royal Hellenic Navy, the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Royal Yugoslav Navy, and, immediately post-war, the South African Navy.
After World War II many surplus Flower-class vessels saw worldwide use in other navies, as well as civilian use. HMCS Sackville is the only member of the class to be preserved as a museum ship.
Contents
Class designation[edit]
The term "corvette" was originally a French name for a small sailing warship, intermediate between the frigate and the sloop-of-war; in the 1830s the term was adopted by the RN for sailing warships of roughly similar size, primarily operating in the shipping protection role. With the arrival of steam power, paddle- and later screw-driven corvettes were built for the same purpose, growing in power, size, and armament over the decades; in 1877 the RN abolished the "corvette" as a traditional category; corvettes and frigates were then combined into a new category, "cruiser".
The months leading up to World War II saw the RN return to the concept of a small escort warship being used in the shipping protection role, the Flower class was based on the design of Southern Pride, a whale-catcher, and were labelled "corvettes", thus restoring the title for the RN, although the Flower-class has no connection with pre-1877 cruising vessels.
There are two distinct groups of vessels in this class: the original Flower-class, 225 vessels ordered during the 1939 and 1940 building programmes; and the modified Flower-class, which followed with a further 69 vessels ordered from 1940 onward. The modified Flowers were slightly larger and somewhat better armed.
All Flower-class vessels, of original or modified design, that saw service with the USN are known as Action-class gunboats, and carried the hull classification symbol PG ("patrol gunboat").
Design[edit]
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Officers on the open bridge of HMCS Trillium
In early 1939, with the risk of war with Nazi Germany increasing, it was clear to the Royal Navy that it needed more escort ships to counter the threat from Kriegsmarine U-boats. One particular concern was the need to protect shipping off the east coast of Britain. What was needed was something larger and faster than trawlers, but still cheap enough to be built in large numbers, preferably at small merchant shipyards, as larger yards were already busy. To meet this requirement, the Smiths Dock Company of Middlesbrough, a specialist in the design and build of fishing vessels, offered a development of its 700-ton, 16 knots (18 mph; 30 km/h) whale catcher Southern Pride.[6][7] They were intended as small convoy escort ships that could be produced quickly and cheaply in large numbers, despite naval planners' intentions that they be deployed for coastal convoys, their long range meant that they became the mainstay of Mid-Ocean Escort Force convoy protection during the first half of the war.
The Flower class became an essential resource for North Atlantic convoy protection until larger vessels such as destroyer escorts and frigates could be produced in sufficient quantities, the simple design of the Flower class using parts and techniques (scantlings) common to merchant shipping meant they could be constructed in small commercial shipyards all over the United Kingdom and Canada, where larger (or more sophisticated) warships[8] could not be built. Additionally, the use of commercial triple expansion machinery instead of steam turbines meant the largely Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve crews that were manning the corvettes would be familiar with their operation.
Flower-class vessels were slow for a warship, with maximum speed of 16 kn (30 km/h). They were also very lightly armed as they were intended solely for anti-submarine warfare; many of the RCN's original Flower-class ships were initially fitted with minesweeping equipment, while virtually all of the modified Flowers were fitted with a limited anti-aircraft capability.
The original Flowers had the standard RN layout, consisting of a raised forecastle, a well deck, then the bridge or wheelhouse, and a continuous deck running aft. The crew quarters were in the foc'sle while the galley was at the rear, making for poor messing arrangements.[9]
The modified Flowers saw the forecastle extended aft past the bridge to the aft end of the funnel, a variation known as the "long forecastle" design. Apart from providing a very useful space where the whole crew could gather out of the weather, the added weight improved the ships' stability and speed and was retroactively applied to a number of the original Flower-class vessels during the mid and latter years of the war.
The original Flowers had a mast located immediately forward the bridge, a notable exception to naval practice at that time, the modified Flowers saw the mast returned to the normal position immediately aft of the bridge; however, this does not seem to have been done in all of the modified builds or conversions of the original vessels.
A cruiser stern finished the appearance for all vessels in the class.
Orders[edit]
Early Flower corvettes had a mast before the wheel house
Later ones had more flare at the bow and a longer forecastle
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The RN ordered 145 Flower-class corvettes in 1939, the first 26 on 25 July with a further batch of 30 on 31 August, all under the 1939 Pre-War Programme. Following the outbreak of World War II, the British Admiralty ordered another 20 on 19 September (all from Harland & Wolff) under the 1939 War Programme. This was followed by an order for a further ten Flower-class corvettes from other British shipbuilders two days later. Another 18 were ordered on 12 December and an additional two on 15 December, again from British shipbuilders, the RN ordered the last ten vessels (under the 1939 War Programme) from Canadian shipbuilders in January 1940.
Thus, by the end of January 1940, a total of 116 ships were building or on order to this initial design, the 10 vessels ordered from Canadian shipbuilders were transferred to the RCN upon completion. Another four vessels were ordered at Smiths Dock Company for the French Navy, the first ship being completed for the Free French Naval Forces in mid-1940 and the other three being taken over by the RN. Another 31 Flowers were ordered by the RN under the 1940 War Programme, but six of these (ordered from Harland & Wolff) were cancelled on 23 January 1941.
The RN ordered 27 modified Flower-class corvettes under the 1941 and 1942 War Programmes. British shipbuilders were contracted to build seven of these vessels under the 1941 Programme and 5 vessels under the 1942 Programme; however, two vessels (one from each year's Programme) were later cancelled. Additionally the RN ordered 15 modified Flowers from Canadian shipyards under the 1941 programme; eight of these were transferred to the USN under the Lend-Lease Programme.
The RCN ordered 70 original and 34 modified Flower-class vessels from Canadian shipbuilders, the Canadian shipbuilders also built seven original Flowers ordered by the USN; however, these vessels were transferred to the RN under the Lend-Lease Programme upon completion as wartime shipbuilding production in the United States had reached the level where the USN could dispense with vessels it had ordered in Canada. The RCN vessels had several design variations from their RN counterparts: the "bandstand," where the aft pom-pom gun was mounted, was moved to the rear of the superstructure; the galley was also moved forward, immediately abaft the engine room.
Shortly after the outbreak of war the French Navy ordered 18 Flower-class vessels;[10] 12 from UK yards, two from Ateliers et Chantiers de France at Dunkirk and four from Chantiers de Penhoët at Saint-Nazaire.[11] The two At. & Ch. de France ships are listed as "cancelled"[12] but the four Penhoët ships were under construction at the time of the Fall of France and were seized by Nazi Germany. Three were completed for Kriegsmarine service and commissioned in 1943–44 as the PA-class patrol ships.[11][13]
Armament[edit]
QF2 Mk. VIII pom-pom gun, from HMCS Kamloops, on display in the Lebreton Gallery of the Canadian War Museum
The original Flower class were fitted with a 4-inch (102 mm) gun on the bow, depth charge racks carrying 40 charges on the stern, a minesweeping winch, and a 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom gun on a "bandstand" over the engine room.
Due to initial shortages, a pair of Lewis guns was sometimes substituted for the pom-pom, which would have left the ship very vulnerable to aircraft attack in its envisaged role of coastal convoy escort and patrol in the North Sea, the long-range endurance of the vessels, coupled with early war-time shortages of larger escort warships, saw Flowers assigned to trans-Atlantic convoy escort where Luftwaffe fighter-bombers were rarely encountered. Vessels assigned to the Mediterranean Sea usually had their anti-aircraft capability significantly upgraded.
Underwater detection capability was provided by a fixed ASDIC dome; this was later modified to be retractable. Subsequent inventions such as the High Frequency Radio Detection Finder (Huff-Duff) were later added, along with various radar systems (such as the Type 271), which proved particularly effective in low-visibility conditions in the North Atlantic.
The Flower class had been designed for inshore patrol and harbour anti-submarine defence; therefore, many required minor modifications when the Allied navies began deploying these vessels as trans-Atlantic convoy escorts. These small warships could be supported by any small dockyard or naval station, so many ships came to have a variety of different weapons systems and design modifications depending upon when and where they were refitted; there is really no such thing as a 'standard Flower-class corvette'
Several of the major changes that vessels in the class underwent are indicated below, in a typical chronological order:
- Original twin mast configuration changed to single mast in front of the bridge, then moved behind the bridge for improved visibility.
- Heavy minesweeping gear removed for deep-sea escort work and to improve range.
- Galley relocated from the stern to midships.
- Extra depth charge storage racks were fitted at the stern. Later, more depth charges stowed along walkways.
- Hedgehog fitted to enable remote attacks while keeping ASDIC contact.
- Surface radar fitted in a "lantern" housing on the bridge.
- Forecastle lengthened to midships to provide more accommodation and better seaworthiness. Several vessels were given a "three-quarters length" extension.
- Increased flare at the bow. This and the above modification created the modified Flower design for subsequent orders.
- Various changes to the bridge, typically lowering and lengthening it. Enclosed compass house removed.
- Extra twin Lewis guns mounted on the bridge or engine room roof.
- Oerlikon 20 mm cannons fitted, usually two on the bridge wings but sometimes as many as six spread out along the engine-room roof, depending on the theatre of operations.
Any particular ship could have any mix of these, or other specialist one-off modifications. Ships allocated to other navies such as the RCN or USN usually had different armament and deck layouts.
A major difference between the RN vessels and the RCN, USN, and other navies' vessels was the provision of upgraded ASDIC and radar, the RN was a world leader in developing these technologies, and thus RN Flowers were somewhat better-equipped for remote detection of enemy submarines. A good example of this is the difficulty that RCN Flowers had in intercepting U-boats with their Canadian-designed SW1C metric radar, while the RN vessels were equipped with the technologically advanced Type 271 centimetric sets; in addition, RCN vessels were incapable of operating gyrocompasses, making ASDIC attacks more difficult.
Operations[edit]
Flower-class corvettes were used extensively by both the RN and RCN in the war-long Battle of the Atlantic, they also saw limited service elsewhere with the RN, as well as the USN and several Allied navies such as the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Royal Norwegian Navy, the Royal Hellenic Navy, the Free French Naval Forces, the Royal Indian Navy, and the Royal New Zealand Navy. The Belgian Navy manned some of these vessels during World War II, and have continued to use Flower names for their minehunters to this day.
Most Royal Navy Flower-class ships drew their officers and crew from the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). Many RN Flowers had captains drawn from the Merchant Navy.
Service on Flowers in the North Atlantic was typically cold, wet, monotonous and uncomfortable, every dip of the forecastle into an oncoming wave was followed by a cascade of water into the well deck amidships.[14] Men at action stations were drenched with spray, and water entered living spaces through hatches opened to access ammunition magazines.[14] Interior decks were constantly wet and condensation dripped from the overheads,[14] the head (or sanitary toilet) was drained by a straight pipe to the ocean; and a reverse flow of the icy North Atlantic would cleanse the backside of those using it during rough weather.[14] By 1941 corvettes carried twice as many crewmen as anticipated in the original design.[14] Men slept on lockers or tabletops or in any dark place that offered a little warmth,[14] the inability to store perishable food meant a reliance on preserved food such as corned-beef and powdered potato for all meals.[15]
The Flowers were nicknamed "the pekingese of the ocean", they had a reputation of having poor sea-handling characteristics, most often rolling in heavy seas, with 80-degree rolls, 40 degrees each side of upright, being fairly common; it was said they "would roll on wet grass".[16] Many crewmen suffered severe motion sickness for a few weeks until they acclimatised to shipboard life,[14] although poor in their sea-handling characteristics, the Flowers were extremely seaworthy; no Allied sailor was ever lost overboard from a Flower during World War II, outside combat.
A typical action by a Flower encountering a surfaced U-boat during convoy escort duties was to run directly at the submarine, forcing it to dive and thus limiting its speed and manoeuvrability, the corvette would then keep the submarine down and pre-occupied with avoiding depth charge attacks long enough to allow the convoy to pass safely. The 16-knot (30 km/h) top speed of the Flower-class ships made effective pursuit of a surfaced U-boat (about 17 knots) impossible, though it was adequate to manoeuvre around submerged U-boats or convoys, both of which ran at a typical maximum of 8 knots, and sometimes much less in poor weather. The low speed also made it difficult for Flowers to catch up with the convoy after action.[9]
This technique was hampered when the Kriegsmarine began deploying its U-boats in "wolf-pack" attacks, which were intended to overwhelm the escort warships of a convoy and allow at least one of the submarines to attack the merchant vessels. Upgrades in sensors and armament for the Flowers, such as radar, HF/DF, depth charge projectors, and ASDIC, meant these small warships were well equipped to detect and defend against such attacks, but the tactical advantage often lay with the attackers, who could operate a cat-and-mouse series of attacks intended to draw the defending Flower off-station.
Success for the Flowers, therefore, should be measured in terms of tonnage protected, rather than U-boats sunk. Typical reports of convoy actions by these craft include numerous instances of U-boat detection near a convoy, followed by brief engagements using guns or depth charges and a rapid return to station as another U-boat took advantage of the initial skirmish to attack the unguarded convoy. Continuous actions of this kind against a numerically superior U-boat pack demanded considerable seamanship skills from all concerned, and were very wearing on the crews.
The Free French Memorial on Lyle Hill in Greenock, looking out to the west of the Tail of the Bank anchorage, has a plaque commemorating the loss of the corvettes Alyssa and Mimosa.[17]
Thirty-six ships in the class were lost during World War II, many due to enemy action, some to collision with Allied warships and merchant ships. One, sunk in shallow water, was raised and repaired. Of the vessels lost to enemy action, 22 were torpedoed by U-boats, five were mined, and four were sunk by enemy aircraft, the Flower-class corvettes are credited with participating in the sinking of 47 German and four Italian submarines.
Construction of the Flower-class was superseded toward the end of the war as larger shipyards concentrated on River-class frigates, and smaller yards on the improved Castle-class corvette design.
The Flower class represented fully half of all Allied convoy escort vessels in the North Atlantic during World War II.
Ships[edit]
The following tables list all Flower-class corvettes which served in the Allied navies during World War II.
Flower-class (original)[edit]
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aconit | Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Troon | 25 March 1940 | 31 March 1941 | 23 July 1941 | 30 April 1947 | Formerly HMS Aconite. Transferred on 23 July 1941 to the Free French Navy. Returned to RN on 30 April 1947. Sold and rebuilt as buoy boat (towing vessel) Terje 11 for United Whalers. 1951 converted to a whale catcher. 1960 sold and renamed Southern Terrier. 1963 sold to Norway and 1967 scrapped in Belgium. |
| Alysse | George Brown & Co., Greenock | 24 June 1940 | 3 March 1941 | 17 June 1941 | 9 February 1942 | Formerly HMS Alyssum. Transferred on 17 June 1941 to the Free French Navy. Torpedoed and sunk on 9 February 1942 by U-654 while escorting convoy ON-60 about 420 nautical miles (780 km) east of Cape Race at 46-00N, 44-00W. 36 crew were killed. |
| Commandant d'Estienne d'Orves | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol | 26 May 1941 | 17 January 1942 | 23 May 1942 | 31 May 1947 | Formerly HMS Lotus. Transferred on 23 May 1942 to the Free French Navy upon completion. Returned to RN on 31 May 1947 and sold. Rebuilt as buoy boat Southern Lotus for Christian Salvesen. 1953 converted to a whale catcher. 1966 in tow from Melsomvik to Bruges for scrapping stranded near Hvide Sande on the Jutland coast. |
| Commandant Detroyat | Hall, Russell & Co., Aberdeen | 19 September 1940 | 9 June 1941 | 16 September 1941 | 1947 | Formerly HMS Coriander. Transferred on 16 September 1941 to the Free French Navy. Returned to RN in 1947. |
| Commandant Drogou | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 17 December 1940 | 11 April 1941 | 15 January 1942 | May 1947 | Formerly HMS Chrysanthemum. Transferred on 26 January 1942 to the Free French Navy. Returned to RN in May 1947 Sold and rebuilt as buoy boat Terje 10 for United Whalers. 1959 sold to Portugal and renamed NRP Carvalho Araújo (A524) and used as survey vessel. 1975 to Angola. |
| La Bastiaise | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 18 November 1939 | 8 April 1940 | 22 June 1940 | 22 June 1940 | First and only Flower-class corvette commissioned into the French Navy before the Fall of France. Mined during sea trials off Hartlepool on day of her commissioning. |
| Lobelia | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen | 27 June 1940 | 15 February 1941 | 16 July 1941 | April 1947 | Formerly HMS Lobelia. Transferred on 16 July 1941 to the Free French Navy. Returned to RN in April 1947. Sold and rebuilt as whale catcher Thorgeir for A/S Thor Dahl. Continuous upgrading after the catching seasons until 1955. 1955 steam machinery replaced by a Sulzer diesel engine. 1970 scrapped in Norway. |
| Mimosa | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol | 22 April 1940 | 18 January 1941 | 11 May 1941 | 9 June 1942 | Formerly HMS Mimosa. Transferred on 11 May 1941 to the Free French Navy. Torpedoed and sunk on 9 June 1942 by U-124 while escorting convoy ONS-100 at 52-12N, 32-37W. 58 French and 6 British crew were killed; the French crew being largely from Saint Pierre and Miquelon. 4 survivors rescued by HMCS Assiniboine. |
| Renoncule | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 19 July 1940 | 25 June 1941 | 28 July 1941 | 1947 | Formerly HMS Ranunculus. Transferred on 28 July 1941 to the Free French Navy. Returned to RN in 1947 and sold. Converted to buoy boat Southern Lily. 1952 rebuilt as whale catcher and used in the Antarctic until 1963. 1967 scrapped in Belgium. |
| Roselys | J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen | 4 November 1940 | 28 May 1941 | 19 September 1941 | 1947 | Formerly HMS Sundew. Transferred on 19 September 1941 to the Free French Navy. Returned to RN in 1947. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid Off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agassiz | Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd., North Vancouver (city), British Columbia | 29 April 1940 | 15 August 1940 | 23 January 1941 | 14 June 1945 | Sold on 16 November 1945. |
| Alberni | Canadian Yarrow, Esquimalt, British Columbia | 29 April 1940 | 22 August 1940 | 4 February 1941 | 21 August 1944 | Torpedoed and sunk on 21 August 1944 by U-480 while escorting a convoy in the English Channel south of St. Catherine's Point at 50-18N, 00-51W. 59 crew killed and 31 rescued by RN motor torpedo boats. |
| Algoma | Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, Ontario | 18 June 1940 | 17 December 1940 | 11 July 1941 | 6 July 1945 | Transferred in 1945 to Venezuela as Constitucion. |
| Amherst | Saint John Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Saint John, New Brunswick | 23 May 1940 | 4 December 1940 | 5 August 1941 | 16 July 1945 | Wrecked in 1945 while under tow. |
| Arrowhead | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy, Quebec | 11 April 1940 | 8 August 1940 | 22 November 1940 | 27 June 1945 | Formerly HMS Arrowhead. Transferred to RCN 22 November 1940. Returned to RN 27 June 1945. |
| Arvida | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 28 February 1940 | 21 September 1940 | 22 May 1941 | 14 June 1945 | Sold in 1950 to Spain as mercantile La Ceie. |
| Baddeck | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 14 August 1940 | 20 November 1940 | 18 May 1941 | 4 July 1945 | Sold in 1947 as mercantile Efthai. |
| Barrie | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 4 April 1940 | 23 November 1940 | 12 May 1941 | 26 June 1945 | Sold in 1947 as mercantile Gasestado. |
| Battleford | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 30 September 1940 | 15 April 1941 | 31 July 1941 | 18 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 to Venezuela as Libertad. |
| Bittersweet | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 17 April 1940 | 12 September 1940 | 23 January 1941 | 22 June 1945 | Formerly HMS Bittersweet. Transferred to RCN 23 January 1941. Returned to RN 22 June 1945. |
| Brandon | Davie Shipbuildingg & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 10 October 1940 | 29 April 1941 | 22 July 1941 | 22 June 1945 | Sold on 5 October 1945. |
| Brantford | Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland, Ontario | 24 February 1941 | 6 September 1941 | 15 May 1942 | 17 August 1945 | Converted 1950 to whale catcher Olympic Arrow. |
| Buctouche | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 14 August 1940 | 20 November 1940 | 5 June 1941 | 15 June 1945 | Sold on 23 October 1945. Scrapped in 1949 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Calgary | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 22 March 1941 | 23 August 1941 | 16 December 1941 | 19 June 1945 | Sold 30 August 1946. Scrapped 1951 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Camrose | Marine Industries | 17 February 1940 | 16 November 1940 | 30 June 1941 | 22 July 1945 | Scrapped in Canada. |
| Chambly | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 20 February 1940 | 29 July 1940 | 18 December 1940 | 20 June 1945 | Sold in 1946. 1954 as Dutch whale catcher Sonia Vinkle (AM20) in service. Scrapped in October 1966 at Santander, Spain. |
| Charlottetown | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 7 June 1941 | 10 September 1941 | 13 December 1941 | 11 September 1942 | Torpedoed and sunk on 11 September 1942 by U-517 off Cap-Chat. |
| Chicoutimi | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 5 July 1940 | 16 October 1940 | 12 May 1941 | 16 June 1945 | Scrapped in 1946 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Chilliwack | Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd., North Vancouver (city) | 3 July 1940 | 14 September 1940 | 8 April 1941 | 14 July 1945 | Sold on 5 October 1945. Scrapped in 1946 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Cobalt | Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, Ontario | 1 April 1940 | 17 August 1940 | 25 November 1940 | 17 June 1945 | In the Netherlands 1953 as whale catcher Johanna W. Vinke (AM5²) in service. Scrapped 15 December 1961 in South Africa. |
| Collingwood | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 2 March 1940 | 27 July 1940 | 19 November 1940 | 23 July 1945 | Scrapped in 1950 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Dauphin | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 6 July 1940 | 24 October 1940 | 17 May 1941 | 20 June 1945 | Sold in 1949 to Honduras as mercantile Cortes. |
| Dawson | Victoria Machinery Depot Co. Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia | 7 September 1940 | 8 February 1941 | 6 October 1941 | 19 June 1945 | Scrapped in 1946 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Drumheller | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 4 December 1940 | 5 July 1941 | 13 September 1941 | 11 July 1945 | Scrapped in 1949 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Dundas | Victoria Machinery Depot Co. Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia | 19 March 1941 | 25 July 1941 | 1 April 1942 | 17 July 1945 | Sold on 23 October 1945. |
| Dunvegan | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 30 August 1940 | 11 December 1940 | 9 September 1941 | 3 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 to Venezuela as Independencia. Scrapped in 1953. |
| Edmundston | Canadian Yarrow, Esquimalt, British Columbia | 23 August 1940 | 22 February 1941 | 21 October 1941 | 16 June 1945 | Sold in 1948 to Liberia as mercantile Amapala. |
| Eyebright | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 20 February 1940 | 22 July 1940 | 26 November 1940 | 17 June 1945 | Formerly Eyebright. Transferred to RCN 26 November 1940. Returned to RN 17 June 1945. Became 1950 Dutch whale catcher Albert W. Vinke (AM2²). |
| Fennel | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 29 March 1940 | 20 August 1940 | 15 May 1941 | 12 June 1945 | Formerly HMS Fennel. Transferred to RCN 15 May 1941. Returned to RN 12 June 1945. 1948 sold to Norway and converted to buoy tender Milliam Khil by Howaldtswerke, Kiel, 1951 conversion to whale catcher in Kiel,1966 scrapped |
| Fredericton | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 22 March 1941 | 2 September 1941 | 8 December 1941 | 14 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 as mercantile Tra Los Montes. Resold in 1950 as whaler Olympic Fighter and in 1956 as Otori Maru No. 6 and thenKyo Maru No. 20. (?? HMCS Saskatoon ??) |
| Galt | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 27 May 1940 | 28 December 1940 | 15 May 1941 | 21 June 1945 | Sold on 5 October 1945. Scrapped in 1946 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Halifax | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 26 April 1941 | 4 October 1941 | 26 November 1941 | 12 July 1945 | Sold in 1945 as mercantile Halifax. |
| Hepatica | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 24 February 1940 | 6 July 1940 | 15 May 1941 | 27 June 1945 | Formerly HMS Hepatica. Transferred to RCN 15 May 1941. Returned to RN 27 June 1945. |
| Kamloops | Victoria Machinery Depot Co. Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia | 29 April 1940 | 7 August 1940 | 17 March 1941 | 27 June 1945 | Sold on 19 October 1945. |
| Kamsack | Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, Ontario | 20 November 1940 | 5 May 1941 | 4 October 1941 | 22 July 1945 | Sold in 1945 to Venezuela as Carabobo. Lost in December 1945. |
| Kenogami | Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, Ontario | 20 April 1940 | 5 September 1940 | 29 June 1941 | 9 July 1945 | Scrapped in January 1950 in Canada. |
| Kitchener | G T Davie, Lauzon, Quebec | 28 February 1941 | 18 November 1941 | 28 June 1942 | 11 July 1945 | Formerly Vancouver. Scrapped in September 1949 in Canada. |
| La Malbaie | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 22 March 1941 | 25 October 1941 | 28 April 1942 | 28 June 1945 | Formerly Fort William. Sold on 17 October 1945. |
| Lethbridge | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 5 August 1940 | 21 November 1940 | 25 June 1941 | 23 July 1945 | 1955 in service as Dutch whale catcher Nicolaas W. Vinke (AM22). Scrapped in September 1966 at Santander, Spain. |
| Levis | G T Davie, Lauzon, Quebec | 11 March 1940 | 4 September 1940 | 16 May 1941 | 19 September 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk 19 September 1941 by U-74 while escorting convoy SC-44 east of Cape Farewell at 60-07N, 38-37W. 18 crew killed and 91 rescued. |
| Louisburg | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 4 October 1940 | 27 May 1941 | 2 October 1941 | 6 February 1943 | Bombed and torpedoed on 6 February 1943 by Luftwaffe aircraft while escorting convoy KMF-8 off Cape Tenes in Mediterranean Sea at 36-15N, 00-15E. 59 crew killed, 50 rescued. |
| Lunenburg | G T Davie, Lauzon, Quebec | 28 September 1940 | 10 July 1941 | 4 December 1941 | 23 July 1945 | Scrapped in June 1946 in Canada. |
| Matapedia | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 2 February 1940 | 14 September 1940 | 9 May 1941 | 16 June 1945 | Scrapped in December 1950 in Canada. |
| Mayflower | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 20 February 1940 | 3 July 1940 | 15 May 1941 | 31 May 1945 | Formerly HMS Mayflower. Transferred to RCN 15 May 1941. Returned to RN 31 May 1945. |
| Midland | Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland, Ontario | 24 February 1941 | 25 June 1941 | 17 November 1941 | 15 July 1945 | Sold on 19 November 1945. Scrapped in 1946 at Fort William, Ontario. |
| Moncton | Saint John Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Saint John, New Brunswick | 17 December 1940 | 11 August 1941 | 24 April 1942 | 12 December 1945 | Sold in 1955 to the Netherlands as whale catcher Willem Vinke (AM21). Scrapped in 1966 at Santander, Spain. |
| Moose Jaw | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 12 August 1940 | 9 April 1941 | 19 June 1941 | 8 July 1945 | Scrapped in September 1949 in Canada. |
| Morden | Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, Ontario | 25 October 1940 | 5 May 1941 | 6 September 1941 | 29 June 1945 | Scrapped in November 1946 in Canada. |
| Nanaimo | Canadian Yarrow, Esquimalt, British Columbia | 27 April 1940 | 28 October 1940 | 26 April 1941 | 28 September 1945 | Sold in 1952 to the Netherlands, became whale catcher René W. Vinke (AM 7²). |
| Napanee | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 20 March 1940 | 31 August 1940 | 12 May 1941 | 12 July 1945 | Scrapped in June 1946 in Canada. |
| New Westminster | Victoria Machinery Depot Co. Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia | 4 February 1941 | 14 May 1941 | 31 January 1942 | 21 June 1945 | Sold in 1950 as mercantile Elisa. Resold in 1952 as mercantile Portoviejo and in 1954 as mercantile Azura. Scrapped in 1966 at Tampa, Florida. |
| Oakville | Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, Ontario | 21 December 1940 | 21 June 1941 | 18 November 1941 | 20 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 to Venezuela as Patria. |
| Orillia | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 4 March 1940 | 15 September 1940 | 25 November 1940 | 2 July 1945 | Scrapped in January 1951 in Canada. |
| Pictou | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 12 July 1940 | 5 October 1940 | 29 April 1941 | 12 July 1945 | 1950 converted to whale catcher Olympic Chaser. Resold in 1956 as Otori Maru No. 7. Converted in 1963 to a barge. |
| Port Arthur | Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, Ontario | 28 April 1941 | 18 September 1941 | 26 May 1942 | 11 July 1945 | Sold on 23 October 1945. Scrapped in 1948 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Prescott | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 31 August 1940 | 7 January 1941 | 26 June 1941 | 20 July 1945 | |
| Quesnel | Victoria Machinery Depot Co. Ltd., Victoria | 9 May 1940 | 12 November 1940 | 23 May 1941 | 3 July 1945 | Sold on 5 October 1945. Scrapped in 1946 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Regina | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 22 March 1941 | 14 October 1941 | 22 January 1942 | 8 August 1944 | Torpedoed and sunk on 8 August 1944 by U-667 off Trevose Head at 50-42N, 05-03W. 30 crew were killed. |
| Rimouski | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 12 July 1940 | 3 October 1940 | 26 April 1941 | 24 July 1945 | Scrapped in December 1950 in Canada. |
| Rosthern | Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, Ontario | 18 June 1940 | 30 November 1940 | 17 June 1941 | 19 July 1945 | Scrapped in June 1946 in Canada. |
| Sackville | Saint John Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Saint John, New Brunswick | 28 May 1940 | 15 May 1941 | 30 December 1941 | 8 April 1946 | Transferred in 1953 to Department of Fisheries as research ship Sackville. Acquired in 1982 by the Canadian Naval Corvette Trust and restored to 1944 configuration. Now a museum ship at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, operated by the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust. Sackville is the last remaining Flower-class corvette. |
| Saskatoon | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 9 August 1940 | 7 November 1940 | 9 June 1941 | 25 June 1945 | Sold in 1948 as whaling ship Tra los Montes. Resold in 1950 as mercantile Olympic Fighter, in 1956 as Otori Maru No. 6, and in 1961 as Kyo Maru No. 20 (same life to HMCS Fredericton) |
| Shawinigan | G T Davie, Lauzon, Quebec | 4 June 1940 | 16 May 1941 | 19 September 1941 | 25 November 1944 | Torpedoed and sunk with all hands 25 November 1944 by U-1228 in the Cabot Strait at 47-34N, 59-11W. |
| Shediac | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 5 October 1940 | 29 April 1941 | 8 July 1941 | 28 August 1945 | Sold in 1952 to the Netherlands, conversion to whale catcher Jooske W. Vinke (AM19). Scrapped in 1966 at Santander, Spain. |
| Sherbrooke | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 5 August 1940 | 25 October 1940 | 5 June 1941 | 28 June 1945 | Scrapped in May 1947 in Canada. |
| Snowberry | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 24 February 1940 | 8 August 1940 | 26 November 1940 | 8 June 1945 | Formerly HMS Snowberry. Transferred to RCN on 26 November 1940. Returned to RN on 8 June 1945. |
| Sorel | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 24 August 1940 | 16 November 1940 | 19 August 1941 | 22 June 1945 | Sold on 16 November 1945. |
| Spikenard | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 24 February 1940 | 10 August 1940 | 15 May 1941 | 11 February 1942 | Formerly HMS Spikenard. Transferred to RCN 15 May 1941. Torpedoed and sunk on 11 February 1942 by U-136 while escorting convoy SC-67 west of Malin Head at 56-10N, 21-07W. 8 crew survived. |
| Sudbury | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 25 January 1941 | 31 May 1941 | 15 October 1941 | 28 August 1945 | Sold in 1949 as mercantile as deep sea salvage tug Sudbury. Scrapped 1967. Refer to the book High Seas, High Risk: The Story of the Sudburys by Pat Norris for details of her career as a salvage tug. |
| Summerside | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 4 October 1940 | 7 May 1941 | 11 September 1941 | 6 July 1945 | Scrapped in June 1946 in Canada. |
| The Pas | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 7 January 1941 | 16 August 1941 | 21 October 1941 | 24 July 1945 | Sold on 16 September 1945. Scrapped 1946 at Hamilton, Ontario. |
| Timmins | Canadian Yarrow, Esquimalt, British Columbia | 14 December 1940 | 26 June 1941 | 10 February 1942 | 15 July 1945 | Sold in 1948 as mercantile Guayaquil. Lost on 3 August 1960. |
| Trail | Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd., North Vancouver (city) | 20 July 1940 | 16 October 1940 | 30 April 1941 | 17 July 1945 | Scrapped in August 1950 in Canada. |
| Trillium | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 20 February 1940 | 26 June 1940 | 31 October 1940 | 27 June 1945 | Formerly HMS Trillium. Transferred to RCN 31 October 1940. Returned to RN 27 June 1945. Converted 1950 to whale catcher Olympic Runner, 1956 resold as Otori Maru No. 10, then Kyo Maru No. 16 |
| Vancouver | Canadian Yarrow, Esquimalt, British Columbia | 16 June 1941 | 26 August 1941 | 20 March 1942 | 26 June 1945 | Formerly HMCS Kitchener. |
| Ville de Quebec | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 7 June 1941 | 12 November 1941 | 24 May 1942 | 6 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 as mercantile Dispina. Resold in 1947 as mercantile Dorothea Paxos, in 1948 as Tanya, and in 1949 as Medex. |
| Wetaskiwin | Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd., North Vancouver | 11 April 1940 | 18 July 1940 | 17 December 1940 | 19 June 1945 | Formerly HMCS Banff. Sold in 1946 to Venezuela as Victoria. |
| Weyburn | Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Port Arthur, Ontario | 21 December 1940 | 26 July 1941 | 26 November 1941 | 22 February 1943 | Mined on 22 February 1943 off Cape Espartel at 36-46N, 06-02W. 7 crew were killed. |
| Windflower | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 25 February 1940 | 4 July 1940 | 15 May 1941 | 7 December 1941 | Formerly HMS Windflower. Transferred to RCN 15 May 1941. Sunk 7 December 1941 while escorting convoy SC-58 after collision with freighter Zypenberg in dense fog on the Grand Banks at 46-19N, 49-30W. 23 crew were lost. |
| Woodstock | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 23 May 1941 | 10 December 1941 | 1 May 1942 | 27 January 1945 | Converted 1951 to whale catcher Olympic Winner. Resold in 1956 as Otori Maru 20 and in 1957 as Akitsu Maru. Scrapped in 1975 at Etajima. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abelia | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 19 August 1940 | 28 November 1940 | 3 February 1941 | Torpedoed and badly damaged on 9 January 1944 by a U-boat. Sold in 1947. Resold 1948 to Norway, converted in Kiel to buoy tender Kraft, 1951 converted to whale catcher. Resold in 1954 and renamed Arne Skontorp. Scrapped in 1966 in Norway. | |
| Acanthus | Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Troon | 21 December 1939 | 26 May 1941 | Transferred on 1 October 1941 before completion to Norway as HNoMS Andenes. 1956 sold and converted to whale catcher Colyn Frye. 1970 scrapped. | ||
| Aconite | Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Troon | 25 March 1940 | 31 March 1941 | FFL | Transferred on 23 July 1941 to the Free French Navy as Aconit. Returned to RN on 30 April 1947. Sold in July 1947 and rebuilt as whale catcher Terje 11, 1960 Southern Terrier, 1964 laid up and 1966 scrapped | |
| Alisma | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 19 August 1940 | 17 December 1940 | 13 February 1941[18] | Sold in 1947. Resold in 1949 as mercantile Laconia, in 1950 as mercantile Constantinos S, and in 1952 as mercantile Parnon. Sunk 16 July 1954. | |
| Alyssum | George Brown & Co., Greenock | 24 June 1940 | 3 March 1941 | Transferred on 17 June 1941 to the Free French Navy as Alysse. | ||
| Amaranthus | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley | 4 May 1940 | 17 October 1940 | 12 February 1941 | Sold in 1946 as mercantile ship. Scrapped in 1953 at Hong Kong. | |
| Anchusa | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 17 September 1940 | 15 January 1941 | 1 March 1941 | Sold in 1946. Resold in 1949 as mercantile Silverlord and in 1954 as mercantile Sir Edgar. Sunk 18 January 1960. Salvaged and scrapped in Mauritius. | |
| Anemone | Blyth Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Ltd., Blyth, Northumberland[19] | 26 October 1939[19] | 22 April 1940[19] | 12 August 1940[19] | Sold in November 1949. Resold on 3 October 1950 to Norway as buoy tender Pelkan, 1951 rebuilt as whale catcher, sold December 1963, renamed Østfold, Scrapped 1 November 1964. | |
| Arabis | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 30 October 1939 | 14 February 1940 | 5 April 1940 | 30 April 1942 | Transferred on 30 April 1942 to USN as Saucy. Returned to RN 26 August 1945 and renamed HMS Snapdragon. Sold in 1947 as mercantile Katina. |
| Arbutus | Blyth Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Ltd., Blyth, Northumberland[19] | 30 November 1939[19] | 5 June 1940[19] | 12 October 1940[19] | 5 February 1942[19] | Torpedoed and sunk on 5 February 1942 by U-136[20] west of Erris Head at 55-05N, 18-43W. Shared sinking of U-70 on 7 March 41. Probable shared sinking of U-47 same day. |
| Armeria | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 17 September 1940 | 16 January 1941 | 28 March 1941 | Sold in 1947. Resold in 1948 as mercantile Deppie, in 1950 as mercantile Canastel, in 1952 as mercantile Rio Blanco and in 1955 as mercantile Lillian. | |
| Arrowhead | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 11 April 1940 | 8 August 1940 | Transferred on 22 November 1940 before completion to RCN as HMCS Arrowhead. Returned RN 27 June 1945. Sold in May 1947. Resold in 1948 as whale catcher Southern Larkspur. 1953 laid up. Scrapped in November 1959 at Odense. | ||
| Asphodel | George Brown & Co., Greenock[19] | 20 October 1939[19] | 25 May 1940[19] | 11 September 1940[19] | 10 March 1944 | Torpedoed and sunk 10 March 1944 by U-575 de:U 575[21] while escorting convoys SL-150 and MKS-41 at 45-24N, 18-09W. 92 crew were killed, 5 survivors rescued by HMS Clover. |
| Aster | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 15 October 1940 | 12 February 1941 | 9 April 1941 | Scrapped on 29 May 1946 at Bo'ness. | |
| Aubretia | George Brown & Co., Greenock[19] | 27 October 1939[19] | 5 September 1940[19] | 23 December 1940[19] | Sold on 29 July 1946. Resold in October 1948 as buoy tender Arnfinn Bergan. Converted in 1951 to whale catcher. 1966 scrapped. | |
| Auricula | George Brown & Co., Greenock[19] | 25 November 1939[19] | 14 November 1940[19] | 5 March 1941[19] | 6 May 1942 | Mined on 6 May 1942 in Courrier Bay, Madagascar at 12-12S, 49-19E. Foundered the following day while under tow. |
| Azalea | Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley[19] | 15 November 1939[19] | 8 July 1940[19] | 27 January 1941 | Sold on 5 April 1946 as mercantile Norte. Sunk on 19 January 1955. | |
| Balsam | George Brown & Co., Greenock | 16 April 1941 | 30 May 1942 | 28 November 1942 | Formerly Chelmer. Scrapped on 20 April 1947 at Newport. | |
| Begonia | Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley[19] | 13 March 1940[19] | 18 September 1940[19] | 3 March 1941[19] | 10 March 1942 | Transferred on 10 March 1942 to USN as USS Impulse. Returned to RN on 22 August 1945. Sold on 22 July 1946 as mercantile Begonlock. Resold in 1949 as mercantile Fundiciones Molinao, in 1951as mercantile Astiluzu and in 1956 as mercantile Rio Mero. |
| Bellwort | George Brown & Co., Greenock | 17 September 1940 | 11 August 1941 | 20 November 1941 | Transferred on 3 February 1947 to the Irish Naval Service as the LÉ Cliona, pennant number 03. Taken out of service July 1969, she was decommissioned on 2 November 1970 and shortly afterwards was scrapped at Passage West, Cork Harbour. | |
| Bergamot | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 15 October 1940 | 15 February 1941 | 12 May 1941 | Sold in May 1946 as mercantile ship. Resold in 1947 as mercantile Syros, in 1951 as mercantile Delphini and in 1955 as mercantile Ekaterini. | |
| Bittersweet | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 17 April 1940 | 12 September 1940 | Transferred on 23 January 1941 before completion to RCN as HMCS Bittersweet on 23 January 1941. Returned to RN on 22 June 1945. Scrapped in November 1950. | ||
| Bluebell | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley[19] | 25 October 1939[19] | 24 April 1940[19] | 19 July 1940[19] | 17 February 1945[19] | Torpedoed and sunk on 17 February 1945 by U-711[22] off the Kola Inlet at 69-36N, 35-29E. |
| Borage | George Brown & Co., Greenock | 27 November 1940 | 22 November 1941 | 29 April 1942 | Transferred in 1946 to the Irish Naval Service and commissioned on 15 November 1946 as LÉ Macha. Taken out of service in December 1968 and decommissioned on 2 November 1970, sold for scrap on 22 November 1970. Scrapped at Passage West, Cork Harbour. | |
| Bryony | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 16 November 1940 | 15 March 1941 | 4 June 1942 | Bombed and sunk by the Luftwaffe on 15 April 1941 during sea trials. Raised and repaired. Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy in 1947, in service as weathership HNoMS Polarfront. | |
| Burdock | John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 13 June 1940 | 14 December 1940 | 27 March 1941 | Sold in June 1946. Scrapped in August 1946 at Hayle. | |
| Buttercup | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 17 December 1940 | 10 April 1941 | 24 April 1942 | 20 December 1944 | Served from 23 April 1942 to 20 December 1944 in the Royal Navy Section Belge, manned with Belgian volunteers. Transferred on 20 December 1944 to Royal Norwegian Navy as HNoMS Buttercup. Bought in 1946 by Norway and renamed HNoMS Nordkyn. 1956 sold and converted to diesel-driven whale catcher Thoris. 1969 scrapped. |
| Calendula | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 30 October 1939 | 21 March 1940 | 6 May 1940 | 12 March 1942 | Transferred on 12 March 1942 to USN as USS Ready. Returned to RN on 23 August 1945. Sold on 22 July 1946. Resold in 1948 as mercantile Villa Cisneros and in 1949 as mercantile Villa Bens. |
| Camellia | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 14 November 1939 | 4 May 1940 | 18 June 1940 | Shared sinking of U-70 7 March 1941. Probable shared sinking of U-47 same day. Sold on 9 August 1946. Resold in 1948 as whale catcher Hetty W. Vinkle (AM9). | |
| Campanula | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley[19] | 26 October 1939[19] | 23 May 1940[19] | 6 September 1940[19] | Scrapped on 21 August 1947 at Dunston. Nicholas Monsarrat served aboard as officer. | |
| Campion | John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 16 September 1940 | 20 June 1941 | 7 July 1941 | Sold on 20 April 1947 and scrapped at Newport. | |
| Candytuft | Grangemouth Dry Dock Co., Grangemouth[19] | 31 October 1939[19] | 8 July 1940[19] | 16 October 1940[19] | 4 March 1942 | Transferred on 4 March 1942 to USN as USS Tenacity. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. Sold on 9 July 1946. Resold in 1947 as mercantile Maw Hwa. |
| Carnation | Grangemouth Dry Dock Co., Grangemouth[19] | 26 February 1940[19] | 3 September 1940[19] | 22 February 1941[19] | Transferred on 26 March 1943 to the Royal Netherlands Navy as HNLMS Frisco. Returned to RN on 4 October 1944. Sold on 31 March 1948 as mercantile ship. Resold in 1949, became whale catcher Southern Laurel. Scrapped in 1966 at Stavanger. | |
| Celandine | Grangemouth Dry Dock Co., Grangemouth[19] | 30 April 1940[19] | 28 December 1940[19] | 30 April 1941[19] | Shared sinking of U-556 27 June 41. Sold in October 1948 and scrapped at Portaferry. | |
| Chrysanthemum | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 17 December 1940 | 11 April 1941 | Transferred on 26 January 1942 to the Free French Navy as Commandant Drogou. Returned to RN in May 1947. Sold on 7 August 1947. Resold in 1948 as mercantile Terje 10. Resold on 23 May 1959 to Portugal as hydrographic survey vessel NRP Carvalho Araújo (A524) until 3 September 1975 when she was transferred to the Angolan Navy. | ||
| Clarkia | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 30 October 1939 | 7 March 1940 | 22 April 1940 | Sold on 30 July 1947 for scrap. | |
| Clematis | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol[19] | 11 October 1939[19] | 22 April 1940[19] | 27 July 1940[19] | Scrapped in September 1949 at Charlestown. | |
| Clover | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley | 29 July 1940 | 30 January 1941 | 13 May 1941 | Sold on 17 May 1947 as mercantile Cloverlock. Resold to People's Republic of China as mercantile Kai Feng. | |
| Coltsfoot | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen | 4 September 1940 | 15 May 1941 | 1 November 1941 | Sold in 1947 as mercantile Alexandra. | |
| Columbine | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol[19] | 2 November 1939[19] | 13 August 1940[19] | 9 November 1940[19] | Sold on 9 August 1946. Resold and renamed Leif Welding in 1949, used as buoy tender, then whale catcher. Scrapped in 1966 at Grimstad. | |
| Convolvulus | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol[19] | 17 January 1940[19] | 22 September 1940[19] | 26 February 1941[19] | Sold on 21 August 1947 and scrapped on 5 October 1947 at Newport. | |
| Coreopsis | A. & J. Inglis Ltd., Glasgow[19] | 19 September 1939[19] | 23 May 1940[19] | 17 August 1940[19] | 10 November 1943 | Transferred on 10 November 1943 to the Royal Hellenic Navy as Kriezis. Returned to RN on 1 June 1952. Portrayed the fictional HMS Compass Rose (K49) in the 1953 film The Cruel Sea. Scrapped on 22 July 1952 at Sunderland. |
| Coriander | Hall, Russell & Co., Aberdeen | 19 September 1940 | 9 June 1941 | Transferred on 16 September 1941 to the Free French Navy as Commandant Detroyant. Returned to RN in 1947. Scrapped in 1948 at Troon. | ||
| Cowslip | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 16 January 1941 | 28 May 1941 | 9 August 1941 | Sold in July 1948. Scrapped in April 1949 at Troon. | |
| Crocus | A. & J. Inglis Ltd., Glasgow[19] | 26 October 1939[19] | 26 June 1940[19] | 20 October 1940[19] | Badly damaged U-333 by ramming her twice 6 October 1942. Sold on 22 July 1946 as mercantile Annlock. Scrapped in 1952 at Hong Kong. | |
| Cyclamen | J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen[19] | 30 November 1939[19] | 20 June 1940[19] | 30 September 1940[19] | Sold in 1947. Resold in 1948, became whale catcher Southern Briar. Wrecked 1966 at Thorsminde while under tow for demolition in Belgium. | |
| Dahlia | J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen[19] | 28 February 1940[19] | 31 October 1940[19] | 21 March 1941[19] | Scrapped on 28 October 1948 at Gelliswick Bay. | |
| Delphinium | Henry Robb Ltd., Leith[19] | 31 October 1939[19] | 6 June 1940[19] | 15 November 1940[19] | Scrapped in February 1949 at Pembroke Dock. | |
| Dianella | J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen[19] | 8 December 1939[19] | 3 September 1940[19] | 6 January 1941[19] | Formerly Daffodil. Scrapped on 24 June 1947 at Portaferry. | |
| Dianthus | Henry Robb Ltd., Leith[19] | 31 October 1939[19] | 9 July 1940[19] | 17 March 1941[19] | Sank U-379 single-handed by both ramming and depth-charging enemy 8 August 42. Sold in May 1947 as mercantile ship. Resold in June 1949 to Norway as buoy tender Thorslep. Rebuilt in 1950 to whale catcher. Scrapped in June 1969 at Grimstad. | |
| Eglantine | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 16 January 1941 | 11 June 1941 | Transferred on 29 August 1941 to Royal Norwegian Navy as Eglantine. Sold to Norway on 10 August 1946 as fishery protection service Soroy. | ||
| Erica | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 22 February 1940 | 18 June 1940 | 9 August 1940 | 9 February 1943 | Mined and sunk on 9 February 1943 while escorting a convoy in the Mediterranean Sea off Derna, Libya at 32-48N, 21-10E. Entire crew rescued by HMS Southern Maid. |
| Eyebright | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 20 February 1940 | 22 July 1940 | Transferred on 26 November 1940 before completion to RCN as HMCS Eyebright. Returned to RN on 17 June 1945. Sold on 17 May 1947. Resold in 1950 to the Netherlands as mercantile Albert W. Vinke. Scrapped in 1965 at Cape Town. | ||
| Fennel | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy | 29 March 1940 | 20 August 1940 | Transferred on 15 May 1941 before completion to RCN as HMCS Fennel. Shared sinking of U-744 6 March 44. Returned to RN on 12 June 1945. Sold 1948 to Norway as Milliam Kihl. Converted October 1948 as buoy tender, then 1951 in West Germany to whale catcher. Laid up 1960–61. Last whaling season 1964–65. Scrapped in 1966 at Grimstad. | ||
| Fleur de Lys | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 30 January 1940 | 21 June 1940 | 26 August 1940 | 14 October 1941 | Launched as La Dieppoise for the French Navy. Completed for RN after the Fall of France. Torpedoed and sunk by U-206[23] west of Gibraltar at 36-00N, 06-30W. There were 3 survivors. |
| Freesia | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 18 June 1940 | 3 October 1940 | 19 November 1940 | Sold on 22 July 1946 as mercantile Freelock. Sunk on 1 April 1947. | |
| Fritillary | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 15 February 1941 | 22 July 1941 | 1 November 1941 | Sold on 19 March 1946. Resold in 1947 as mercantile Andria and in 1949 as mercantile V.D. Chidambaram. Scrapped in 1955 in India. | |
| Gardenia | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew[19] | 20 September 1939[19] | 10 April 1940[19] | 24 May 1940[19] | 9 November 1942[19] | Rammed and sunk off Oran at 35-49N, 01-05W in collision with HMS Fluellen. |
| Genista | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 15 February 1941 | 24 July 1941 | 8 December 1941 | Sold in 1947 as weather ship Weather Recorder. Scrapped in 1961. | |
| Gentian | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 20 April 1940 | 6 August 1940 | 20 September 1940 | Scrapped on 21 August 1947 at Purfleet. | |
| Geranium | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew[19] | 21 September 1939[19] | 10 April 1940[19] | 24 June 1940[19] | Shared sinking of U-306 31 October 43. Transferred on 8 September 1945 to Royal Danish Navy as Thetis. | |
| Gladiolus | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees[19] | 19 October 1939[19] | 24 January 1940[24] | 6 April 1940 | 17 October 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk on 17 October 1941 by U-553[25] while escorting convoy SC-48 south of Iceland at 57-00N, 25-00W. All hands were lost. Shared sinkings of U-26 1 July 40 and U-556 27 June 41. |
| Gloriosa | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Cancelled on 23 January 1941. | ||||
| Gloxinia | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 21 March 1940 | 2 July 1940 | 22 August 1940 | Scrapped on 15 July 1947 at Purfleet. | |
| Godetia | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 4 January 1940 | 8 May 1940 | 15 July 1940 | 6 September 1940 | Rammed and sunk 3 miles (4.8 km) off Altacarry Head at 55-18N, 05-57W in collision with mercantile Marsa. |
| Godetia | John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 15 January 1941 | 24 September 1941 | 23 February 1942 | Formerly Dart. Served from 12 February 1942 to 16 Dezember 1944 in the Royal Navy Section Belge, manned with Belgian volunteers. Sold on 22 May 1947 and scrapped at Grays. | |
| Harebell | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Cancelled on 23 January 1941. | ||||
| Heartsease | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 14 November 1939 | 20 April 1940 | 4 June 1940 | 3 April 1942 | Transferred on 3 April 1942 to USN as Courage. Returned to RN on 23 August 1945. Sold on 22 July 1946. Resold in 1951 as mercantile Roskva, in 1956 as mercantile Douglas, and in 1958 as mercantile Seabird. Lost in December 1958. |
| Heather | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 22 May 1940 | 17 September 1940 | 1 November 1940 | Sold on 22 May 1947 and scrapped at Grays. | |
| Heliotrope | John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 23 October 1939 | 5 June 1940 | 12 September 1940 | 24 March 1942 | Transferred on 24 March 1942 to USN as Surprise. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. Sold as mercantile ship. Finally served in People's Liberation Army Navy as Lin I. |
| Hemlock | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Cancelled on 23 January 1941. | ||||
| Hepatica | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 24 February 1940 | 6 July 1940 | Transferred on 15 May 1941 before completion to RCN as HMCS Hepatica. Returned to RN on 27 June 1945. Scrapped on 1 January 1948 at Llanelly. | ||
| Hibiscus | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 14 November 1939 | 6 April 1940 | 21 May 1940 | 2 May 1942 | Transferred on 2 May 1942 to USN as Spry. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. Sold as mercantile Madonna. Scrapped in 1955 at Hong Kong. |
| Hollyhock | John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 27 November 1939 | 19 August 1940 | 19 November 1940 | 9 April 1942 | Bombed and sunk on 9 April 1942 by Japanese aircraft east of Ceylon at 07-21N, 81-57E. |
| Honeysuckle | Ferguson Bros. (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow | 26 October 1939 | 22 April 1940 | 14 September 1940 | Sold in 1950 and scrapped in November 1950 at Grays. | |
| Hyacinth | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 20 April 1940 | 19 August 1940 | 3 October 1940 | 24 October 1943 | Shared sinking of U-617 by gunfire after enemy ran aground 12 September 43. Transferred on 24 October 1943 to Royal Hellenic Navy as Apostolis. Returned to RN in 1952. |
| Hyderabad | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen | 24 December 1940 | 23 September 1941 | 23 February 1942 | Formerly Nettle. Shared sinking of U-436 26 May 43. Sold on 1 January 1948 and scrapped in October 1948 at Portaferry. | |
| Hydrangea | Ferguson Bros. (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow | 22 November 1939 | 4 September 1940 | 3 January 1941 | Shared sinking of U-401 3 August 41. Sold in 1947. Resold in 1948 as mercantile Hydralock. Wrecked on 25 February 1957 off Taiwan. | |
| Ivy | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Cancelled on 23 January 1941. | ||||
| Jasmine | Ferguson Bros. (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow | 23 December 1939 | 14 January 1941 | 16 May 1941 | Sold on 11 September 1948 for scrap. | |
| Jonquil | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley | 27 December 1939 | 9 July 1940 | 21 October 1940 | Sold in May 1946. Resold in 1947 as mercantile Lemnos. Resold in 1951 as Olympic Rider. Whale catcher sank in Antarctic waters on 1 December 1955 after collision with Olympic Cruiser. | |
| Kingcup | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 19 July 1940 | 31 October 1940 | 30 December 1940 | Sold on 31 July 1946. Resold in 1947 as mercantile Rubis and in 1954 as mercantile Seislim. Scrapped in 1959 at Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht. | |
| La Malouine | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 13 November 1939 | 21 March 1940 | 29 July 1940 | Launched and commissioned as La Malouine for the French Navy. Seized by and completed for RN after the Fall of France (name not changed). Scrapped on 22 May 1947 at Gelliswick Bay. | |
| Larkspur | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley | 26 March 1940 | 5 September 1940 | 4 January 1941 | 17 March 1942 | Transferred on 17 March 1942 to USN as Fury. Returned to RN on 22 August 1945. Sold on 22 July 1946 as mercantile Larkslock. Scrapped in 1953 at Hong Kong. |
| Lavender | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen | 30 April 1940 | 27 November 1940 | 16 May 1941 | Sold on 9 August 1946. Resold 1948 to the Netherlands and converted to whale catcher Eugene Vinke (AM10) | |
| Ling | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Cancelled on 23 January 1941. | ||||
| Lobelia | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen | 27 June 1940 | 15 February 1941 | Transferred on 16 July 1941 to the Free French Navy as Lobelia (name not changed). Sank U-609 single-handed 7 February 43. Returned to RN in April 1947. Sold on 3 May 1947 to Norway as mercantile ship. Resold in July 1948 as buoy tender Thorgeir. Rebuilt as whale catcher, since 1955 diesel-engined. Scrapped in 1969 at Grimstad. | ||
| Loosestrife | Hall, Russell & Co., Aberdeen | 9 December 1940 | 25 August 1941 | 25 November 1941 | Sold on 4 October 1946. Resold in 1947 as mercantile Kallsevni. | |
| Lotus | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol | 26 May 1941 | 17 January 1942 | 23 May 1942 | Transferred on 23 May 1942 to the Free French Navy as Commandant d'Estienne d'Orves. Returned to RN on 31 May 1947. Sold 23 October 1947. BU May 1951. | |
| Mallow | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 14 November 1939 | 22 May 1940 | 2 July 1940 | 11 January 1944 | Shared sinking of U-204 19 October 41. Transferred on 11 January 1944 to the Yugoslav Navy as Nada. Renamed in 1948 as Partizanka. Returned to RN in 1948. Transferred in 1948 to the Egyptian Navy as El Sudan. |
| Marguerite | Hall, Russell & Co., Aberdeen | 30 December 1939 | 8 July 1940 | 20 November 1940 | Sold in 1947 as a weather ship becoming Ocean Weather Ship (OWS) Weather Observer.[26][27] Scrapped on 8 September 1961 at Ghent. | |
| Marigold | Hall, Russell & Co., Aberdeen | 26 January 1940 | 4 September 1940 | 28 February 1941 | 9 December 1942 | Torpedoed and sunk on 9 December 1942 by the Aviazione Ausiliara per la Marina while escorting convoy KMS.3Y off Algiers at 36-50N, 03-00E. 40 crew were killed. |
| Marjoram | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | Cancelled on 23 January 1941. | ||||
| Mayflower | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 20 February 1940 | 3 July 1940 | Transferred on 15 May 1941 before completion to RCN as Mayflower. Returned to RN on 31 May 1945. Scrapped on 20 September 1949 at Inverkeithing. | ||
| Meadowsweet | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol | 12 August 1941 | 28 March 1942 | 8 July 1942 | Sold on 31 March 1951 to the Netherlands for conversion as whale catcher Gerrit W. Vinkle (AM 1²). | |
| Mignonette | Hall, Russell & Co., Aberdeen | 15 July 1940 | 28 January 1941 | 7 May 1941 | Shared sinkings of U-135 15 July 43 and U-1199 21 April 45. Sold in 1946. Resold in 1948 as mercantile Alexandrouplis. Sunk on 30 November 1948. | |
| Mimosa | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol | 22 April 1940 | 18 January 1941 | Transferred on 11 May 1941 to the Free French Navy as Mimosa (name not changed). | ||
| Monkshood | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley | 1 October 1940 | 17 April 1941 | 31 July 1941 | Sold in 1947. Resold in 1948 as buoy tender W.R. Strang. Converted to whale catcher. Resold in 1957 as Toshi Maru. Scrapped in Japan in 1965. | |
| Montbretia | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley | 16 November 1940 | 27 May 1941 | Transferred on 29 September 1941 to Royal Norwegian Navy as HNoMS Montbretia. | ||
| Myosotis | J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen | 21 June 1940 | 28 January 1941 | 30 May 1941 | Sold on 2 September 1946 to Faroe Islands as trawler Grunningur. Resold in 1949 as buoy tender, then diesel-engined whale catcher Thorørn. Scrapped in 1969 at Grimstad. | |
| Narcissus | J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen | 9 September 1940 | 29 March 1941 | 17 July 1941 | Sold in April 1946 as mercantile Este. | |
| Nasturtium | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 23 March 1940 | 4 July 1940 | 26 September 1940 | Launched as La Paimpolaise for the French Navy. Completed for RN after the Fall of France. Shared sinking of U-556 27 June 1941. Sold in 1946. | |
| Nigella | George Philip & Son Ltd., Dartmouth, Devon | 28 November 1939 | 21 September 1940 | 25 February 1941 | Sold in 1947 as mercantile Nigelock. Sunk on 10 March 1955. | |
| Orchis | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 18 June 1940 | 15 October 1940 | 29 November 1940 | 21 August 1944 | Sank U-741 single-handed 15 August 44. Mined and heavily damaged on 21 August 1944 off Courseulles-sur-Mer. Beached on Juno Beach and declared a total loss. |
| Oxlip | A. & J. Inglis Ltd., Glasgow | 9 December 1940 | 28 August 1941 | 28 December 1941 | Transferred in 1946 to the Irish Naval Service as the LÉ Maev, pennant number 02. Commissioned on 20 December 1946. By late 1970 she was unfit to put to sea and was decommissioned in 1971, she was sold for scrapping on 23 March 1972 and removed to Passage West, Cork Harbour the following day. | |
| Pennywort | A. & J. Inglis Ltd., Glasgow | 11 March 1941 | 18 October 1941 | 5 March 1942 | Sold in 1947. Scrapped in February 1949 at Troon. | |
| Pentstemon | George Philip & Son Ltd., Dartmouth, Devon | 28 November 1939 | 18 January 1941 | 31 July 1941 | Sold in 1946. Resold in 1947 as mercantile Galaxidi and in 1951 as mercantile Rosa Vlassi. | |
| Peony | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 24 February 1940 | 4 June 1940 | 2 August 1940 | 1943 | Transferred in 1943 to the Royal Hellenic Navy as Sachtouris. Returned to RN in September 1951. Scrapped on 21 April 1952. |
| Periwinkle | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 30 October 1939 | 24 February 1940 | 8 April 1940 | 15 March 1942 | Shared sinking of U-147 2 June 1941. Transferred on 15 March 1942 to USN as USS Restless. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. Sold in 1947 as mercantile Perilock. Scrapped in 1953 at Hong Kong. |
| Petunia | Henry Robb Ltd., Leith | 4 December 1939 | 19 September 1940 | 13 January 1941 | Sold in January 1946 to the Republic of China Navy as Fu Po. Sunk on 19 March 1947. | |
| Phlox | Henry Robb Ltd., Leith | ? | 16 January 1942 | May 1942 | Renamed Lotus (ii) April 1942 after transfer of Lotus (i) to France. Sold in 1947/January 1948 as mercantile Southern Lotus. Refitted in 1948 as a buoy tender. Refitted in 1950 as a whaling ship. Sold in December 1966 for scrapping in Belgium. Wrecked 18 December 1966 off Jutland, Denmark, while being towed from Norway to Belgium for scrapping together with her sister Southern Briar (ex-HMS Cyclamen). | |
| Picotee | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 21 March 1940 | 19 July 1940 | 5 September 1940 | 12 August 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk on 12 August 1941 by U-568[28] while escorting convoy ONS-4 south of Iceland at 62-00N, 16-01W. All hands were lost. |
| Pimpernel | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 19 July 1940 | 16 November 1940 | 9 January 1941 | Sold on 6 February 1948. Scrapped in October 1948 at Portaferry. | |
| Pink | Henry Robb Ltd., Leith | 20 May 1941 | 16 February 1942 | 2 July 1942 | 27 June 1944 | Torpedoed and heavily damaged on 27 June 1944 by U-988[29] off Normandy at 49-48N, 00-49W. Declared a total loss and scrapped in 1947 at Llanelly. |
| Polyanthus | Henry Robb Ltd., Leith | 19 March 1940 | 30 November 1940 | 24 April 1941 | 21 September 1943 | Torpedoed and sunk on 21 September 1943 by U-952[30] while escorting convoy ON-202 at 57-00N, 31-10W. 1 survivor rescued by Itchen but was killed when Itchen was torpedoed and sunk by U-666 on 23 September 1943. |
| Poppy | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen | 6 March 1941 | 20 November 1941 | 12 May 1942 | Sold in 1946 as mercantile Rami. Scrapped in 1956. | |
| Potentilla | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 28 February 1941 | 18 December 1941 | Transferred on 16 January 1942 to the Royal Norwegian Navy as Potentilla. Returned to RN on 13 March 1944. Sold on 13 March 1946 and scrapped at Gateshead. | ||
| Primrose | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 22 September 1939 | 8 May 1940 | 15 July 1940 | Sold on 9 August 1946. Resold in June 1949 as buoy tender Mek V. Resold in 1952 as whaling ship Norfinn. Sold in October 1965. Scrapped in June 1966 in Belgium. | |
| Primula | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 23 September 1939 | 22 June 1940 | 27 August 1940 | Sold on 22 July 1946. Resold in 1947 as mercantile Marylock. Scrapped in 1953 at Hong Kong. | |
| Ranunculus | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 19 July 1940 | 25 June 1941 | Transferred on 28 July 1941 to the Free French Navy as Renoncule. Returned to RN in 1947. Sold in 1947 as buoy tender, later whale catcher Southern Lily. 1963 Laid up. Scrapped on 9 January 1967 at Bruges. | ||
| Rhododendron | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 22 May 1940 | 2 September 1940 | 18 October 1940 | Sold on 17 May 1947. Resold 1950 to the Netherlands and converted to whale catcher Maj Vinke (AM15) | |
| Rockrose | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol | 28 October 1940 | 26 July 1941 | 4 November 1941 | Transferred on 4 October 1947 to the South African Navy as HMSAS Protea. | |
| Rose | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 3 September 1940 | 22 September 1941 | Transferred on 31 October 1941 to the Royal Norwegian Navy as Rose. | ||
| Salvia | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 26 September 1939 | 6 August 1940 | 20 September 1940 | 24 December 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk on 24 December 1941 by U-568[31] west of Alexandria at 31-46N, 28-00E. All hands were lost plus a number of the crew, servicemen and POW's rescued from the loss of SS Shuntien torpedoed and sunk by U-559 on 23 December 1941 |
| Samphire | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 4 December 1940 | 14 April 1941 | 30 June 1941 | 30 January 1943 | Shared sinking of U-567 21 December 41. Torpedoed and sunk on 30 January 1943 by Italian submarine Platino while escorting convoy TE-14 off Béjaïa at 36-56N, 05-40E. |
| Saxifrage | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol | 1 February 1941 | 24 October 1941 | 6 February 1942 | Transferred in August 1947 to Royal Norwegian Navy as Polarfront I. | |
| Snapdragon | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 27 September 1939 | 3 September 1940 | 28 October 1940 | 19 December 1942 | Bombed and sunk on 19 December 1942 by the Luftwaffe northwest of Benghazi at 32-18N, 19-54E. |
| Snowberry | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 24 February 1940 | 8 August 1940 | Transferred on 26 November 1940 before completion to RCN as Snowberry. Shared sinking of U-536 20 November 43. Returned to RN on 8 June 1945. Scrapped in August 1947 at Middlesbrough. | ||
| Snowdrop | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 4 February 1941 | 12 May 1941 | 30 July 1941 | Sold on 17 May 1947. Scrapped in September 1949 at Newcastle upon Tyne. | |
| Snowflake | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 19 May 1941 | 22 August 1941 | 2 November 1941 | Formerly Zenobia. Shared sinking of U-125 3 July 43 by gunfire. Sold in 1947 as weather ship Weather Watcher. Scrapped in May 1962 at Dublin. | |
| Spikenard | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 24 February 1940 | 10 August 1940 | Transferred on 15 May 1941 before completion to RCN as Spikenard. | ||
| Spiraea | A. & J. Inglis Ltd., Glasgow | 31 May 1940 | 31 October 1940 | 27 February 1941 | Sold in August 1947. Resold in 1948 as mercantile Thessalonika. | |
| Starwort | A. & J. Inglis Ltd., Glasgow | 11 June 1940 | 12 February 1941 | 26 May 1941 | Shared sinking of U-660 12 November 42 (scuttled). Sold in 1948, converted to whale catcher Southern Broom. 1963 laid up. Scrapped on 9 January 1967 at Bruges. | |
| Stonecrop | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 4 February 1941 | 12 May 1941 | 30 July 1941 | Shared sinking of U-124 2 April 43. Shared sinking of U-634 30 August 43. Sold on 17 May 1947. Resold in 1949 as mercantile Silver King. 1952 in Dutch service as whale catcher Martha W. Vinke (AM 6²). | |
| Sundew | J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen | 4 November 1940 | 28 May 1941 | Transferred on 19 September 1941 to the Free French Navy as Roselys. Returned to RN in 1947. Sold on 23 October 1947 and scrapped in May 1948 at Troon. | ||
| Sunflower | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 24 May 1940 | 19 August 1940 | 25 January 1941 | The most successful Royal Navy Flower-class. Shared sinking of U-282 29 October 43. Sank single-handed 2 U-boats: U-631 17 October 43 and U-638 5 May 43. Scrapped in August 1947 at Hayle. | |
| Sweetbriar | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 4 April 1941 | 26 June 1941 | 8 September 1941 | Sold on 29 July 1946. Resold in June 1949 as whale catcher Star IX. Scrapped in April 1966 at Bruges. | |
| Tamarisk | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley | 10 February 1941 | 28 July 1941 | 26 December 1941 | November 1943 | Formerly Ettrick, renamed before completion. Shared sinking of U-82 6 February 42. Transferred in November 1943 to Royal Hellenic Navy as Tombazis. Returned to RN in 1952. Scrapped on 20 March 1952 in the United Kingdom. |
| Thyme | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 30 April 1941 | 25 July 1941 | 23 October 1941 | Sold in 1947 as weather ship Weather Explorer. Resold in 1958 as mercantile Epos and scrapped in Hong Kong in 1962. | |
| Trillium | Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal | 20 February 1940 | 26 June 1940 | Transferred on 31 October 1940 before completion to RCN as HMCS Trillium. Returned to RN on 25 June 1945. Sold in 1950 as whale catcher Olympic Runner. Resold in 1956 as Otori Maru 10, then in 1959 as Kyo Maru No. 16. | ||
| Tulip | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 30 May 1940 | 4 September 1940 | 18 November 1940 | Sold in May 1947. Resold in 1950 as whale catcher Olympic Conqueror. Confiscated November 1954 by Peru; in 1956 sold to Japan as Otori Maru No. 8. Resold in 1957 as Thorlyn and in November 1964 to Sweden. Scrapped in 1965 in West Germany. | |
| Verbena | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 29 June 1940 | 1 October 1940 | 19 December 1940 | Sold on 17 May 1947. Scrapped on 1 October 1951 at Blyth, Northumberland. | |
| Veronica | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 9 July 1940 | 17 October 1940 | 18 February 1941 | 16 February 1942 | Transferred on 16 February 1942 to USN as Temptress. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. Sold in 1946 as mercantile Verolock. Sank in 1947. Raised in 1951 and scrapped at Blyth, Northumberland. |
| Vervain | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 16 November 1940 | 12 March 1941 | 9 June 1941 | 20 February 1945 | Formerly Broom. Torpedoed and sunk on 20 February 1945 by U-1276[32] southeast of Dungarvan at 51-47N, 07-06W. |
| Vetch | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 15 March 1941 | 27 May 1941 | 11 August 1941 | Shared sinking of U-252 14 April 42. Sank U-414 single-handed 25 May 43. Sold in August 1945. Resold in 1948 as mercantile Patrai, in 1951 as whale catcher Olympic Hunter and in 1956 as Otori Maru No. 18. | |
| Violet | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 21 March 1940 | 30 December 1940 | 3 February 1941 | 10 February 1946 | Shared sinking of U-651 29 June 41. Sank U-641 single-handed 19 January 44. Sold on 17 May 1947 as mercantile La Aguerra. Resold in 1949 to Spain as mercantile La Guera then in 1958 as mercantile Claudio Sabadell. Scrapped in October 1970 at Bilbao |
| Wallflower | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 23 July 1940 | 14 November 1940 | 7 March 1941 | Shared sinking of U-523 25 August 43. Sold on 29 July 1946. Resold in 1949 as buoy tender Asbjørn Larsen, 1950 converted to whale catcher. Scrapped in October 1966 at Grimstad. | |
| Windflower | Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd., Lauzon, Quebec | 25 February 1940 | 4 July 1940 | Transferred on 15 May 1941 before completion to RCN as Windflower. | ||
| Woodruff | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 29 April 1940 | 28 February 1941 | 7 April 1941 | Sold in 1947, converted to whale catcher. Resold in 1948 as buoy tender Southern Lupin and later as whale catcher. 1950 to 1952 and since 1954 laid up. Scrapped in 1959 at Odense. | |
| Zinnia | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 20 August 1940 | 28 November 1940 | 30 March 1941 | 23 August 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk on 23 August 1941 by U-564[33] while escorting convoy OG-71 west of Portugal at 40-25N, 10-40W. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protea | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol | 28 October 1940 | 26 July 1941 | 4 October 1947 | Formerly Rockrose. Transferred on 4 October 1947 to the South African Navy. Converted to a survey vessel. Scrapped in 1967. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friso | Grangemouth Dry Dock Co., Grangemouth | 31 October 1939 | 8 July 1940 | 26 March 1943 | 4 October 1944 | Formerly Carnation. Transferred on 26 March 1943 to the Royal Netherlands Navy. Returned to RN on 4 October 1944. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andenes | Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Troon | 21 December 1939 | 26 May 1941 | 1 October 1941 | 1956 | Formerly HMS Acanthus. Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy on 1 October 1941. Bought by Norway in 1946 as a fishery protection ship. Reclassified in 1950 as a frigate with pennant number F307. Sold in 1956 as whale catcher Colin Frye. Resold in 1957 as Toshi Maru No. 2. Scrapped in 1970 in Japan. |
| Buttercup | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 17 December 1940 | 10 April 1941 | 20 December 1944 | November 1957 | Formerly HMS Buttercup. Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy on 20 December 1944. Bought by Norway in 1946 as fishery protection ship Nordkyn. Sold in November 1957 as whaling ship Thoris. Scrapped in June 1969. |
| Eglantine | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 16 January 1941 | 11 June 1941 | 29 August 1941 | August 1956 | Formerly HMS Eglantine. Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy on 29 August 1941. Bought by Norway in 1946 as fishery protection ship Soroy. Sold in August 1956 and converted to diesel-engined whale catcher Thorglimt. Scrapped in June 1969 at Grimstad. |
| Montbretia | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley | 16 November 1940 | 27 May 1941 | 29 September 1941 | 18 November 1942 | Formerly HMS Montbretia. Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy on 29 September 1941. Torpedoed and sunk by U-262 on 18 November 1942 at 53-37N, 38-15W. 48 crew killed, 23 survivors were rescued by Potentilla. |
| Potentilla | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 28 February 1941 | 18 December 1941 | 16 January 1942 | 13 March 1944 | Formerly HMS Potentilla. Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy on 16 January 1942. Returned to RN on 13 March 1944. |
| Rose | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew | 3 September 1940 | 22 September 1941 | 31 October 1941 | 26 October 1944 | Formerly HMS Rose. Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy on 26 October 1941 and commissioned on 31 October 1941. Rammed and sunk on 26 October 1944 by Manners at 45-50N, 40-15W. 3 crew were killed. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apostolis | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 20 April 1940 | 19 August 1940 | 24 October 1943 | 1952 | Formerly HMS Hyacinth. Transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy on 24 October 1943. Returned to RN in 1952. |
| Kriezis | A. & J. Inglis Ltd., Glasgow | 19 September 1939 | 23 April 1940 | 10 November 1943 | 1 June 1952 | Formerly HMS Coreopsis. Transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy on 10 November 1943. Returned to RN on 1 June 1952. |
| Sachtouris | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 24 February 1940 | 4 June 1940 | 1943 | 1951 | Formerly HMS Peony. Transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy in 1943. Returned to RN in September 1951. |
| Tombazis | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley | 10 February 1941 | 28 July 1941 | November 1943 | Formerly HMS Tamarisk. Transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy in November 1943. Returned to RN in 1952. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courage | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 14 November 1939 | 20 April 1940 | 3 April 1942 | 22 August 1945 | Formerly HMS Heartsease. Transferred to USN on 3 April 1942. Returned to RN on 23 August 1945. |
| Fury | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd., Paisley | 26 March 1940 | 5 September 1940 | 17 March 1942 | 22 August 1945 | Formerly HMS Larkspur. Transferred to USN on 17 March 1942. Returned to RN on 22 August 1945. |
| Impulse | Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley | 13 March 1940 | 18 September 1940 | 10 March 1942 | 22 August 1945 | Formerly HMS Begonia. Transferred to USN on 10 March 1942. Returned to RN on 22 August 1945. |
| Ready | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 30 October 1939 | 21 March 1940 | 12 March 1942 | 23 August 1945 | Formerly HMS Calendula. Transferred to USN on 12 March 1942. Returned to RN on 23 August 1945. |
| Restless | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 30 October 1939 | 24 February 1940 | 15 March 1942 | 20 August 1945 | Formerly HMS Periwinkle. Transferred to USN on 15 March 1942. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. |
| Saucy | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 30 October 1939 | 14 February 1940 | 30 April 1942 | 20 August 1945 | Formerly HMS Arabis. Transferred to USN on 30 April 1942. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. |
| Spry | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast | 14 November 1939 | 6 April 1940 | 2 May 1942 | 20 August 1945 | Formerly HMS Hibiscus. Transferred to the USN on 2 May 1942. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. |
| Surprise | John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 23 October 1939 | 5 June 1940 | 24 March 1942 | 20 August 1945 | Formerly HMS Heliotrope. Transferred to USN on 24 March 1942. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. |
| Temptress | Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees | 9 July 1940 | 17 October 1940 | 21 March 1942 | 20 August 1945 | Formerly HMS Veronica. Transferred to USN on 16 February 1942. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. |
| Tenacity | Grangemouth Dry Dock Co., Grangemouth | 31 October 1939 | 8 July 1940 | 11 June 1942 | 22 August 1945 | Formerly HMS Candytuft. Transferred to USN on 4 March 1942. Returned to RN on 26 August 1945. |
Flower-class (modified)[edit]
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 20 July 1943 | 22 November 1943 | 16 June 1944 | 8 July 1945 | Scrapped in March 1949 at New Orleans. |
| Atholl | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 15 August 1942 | 4 April 1943 | 14 October 1943 | 17 July 1945 | Scrapped in October 1952 in Canada. |
| Beauharnois | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 8 November 1943 | 11 May 1944 | 25 September 1944 | 12 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 to the "Mossad Le'Aliya bet" in Quebec (The Institute for Immigration B) as a passenger vessel Yoashia Wegwood.[34] Transferred to Israel in 1948 as corvette HaShomer. |
| Belleville | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 21 January 1944 | 17 June 1944 | 19 October 1944 | 5 July 1945 | Sold in 1947 to the Dominican Republic as Juan Bautista Cambiaso. |
| Brampton | Cancelled in December 1943. | |||||
| Charlottetown | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 7 June 1941 | 10 September 1941 | 13 December 1941 | 11 September 1942 | Torpedoed and sunk on 11 September 1942 by U-517 while escorting convoy SQ-30 in the Saint Lawrence River north of Cap-Chat at 49-10N, 66-50W. 9 crew killed. |
| Cobourg | Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland, Ontario | 25 November 1942 | 14 July 1943 | 11 May 1944 | 15 June 1945 | Sold in 1947 as mercantile Camco. Resold in 1956 to Panama as mercantile Puerto del Sol. Burned and sunk in 1971. |
| Fergus | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 10 December 1943 | 30 August 1944 | 18 November 1944 | 14 July 1945 | Sold in 1945 as mercantile Camco II. Resold in 1948 as Hartcourt Kent. Wrecked in 1949. |
| Forrest Hill | Ferguson Bros. (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow | 5 February 1943 | 30 August 1943 | 1 December 1943 | 9 July 1945 | Formerly Ceanothos. Transferred to RCN before completion. |
| Frontenac | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 19 February 1943 | 2 June 1943 | 26 October 1943 | 22 July 1945 | Sold in October 1945 to United Ship Corporation. |
| Giffard | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen | 30 November 1942 | 19 June 1943 | 10 November 1943 | 5 July 1945 | Formerly Buddleia. Scrapped in October 1952 in Canada. |
| Guelph | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 29 May 1943 | 20 December 1943 | 9 May 1944 | 27 June 1945 | Sold in 1945 to Panama as mercantile Guelph (name not changed). Resold in 1956 as Burfin. |
| Hawkesbury | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 20 July 1943 | 16 November 1943 | 14 June 1944 | 10 July 1945 | Sold in 1950 to Cambodia as Campuchea. |
| Ingersoll | Cancelled in December 1943. | |||||
| Lachute | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 24 November 1943 | 9 June 1944 | 26 October 1944 | 10 July 1945 | Sold in 1947 to the Dominican Republic and renamed Cristobal Colon. Wrecked by Hurricane David on 30 August 1979.[35] |
| Lindsay | Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland, Ontario | 30 September 1942 | 4 June 1943 | 15 November 1943 | 18 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 as mercantile North Shore. |
| Listowel | Cancelled in December 1943. | |||||
| Long Branch | A. & J. Inglis Ltd., Glasgow | 27 February 1943 | 28 September 1943 | 5 January 1944 | 17 June 1945 | Formerly Candytuft. Sold in 1947 as mercantile Rexton Kent II. |
| Louisburg | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 11 January 1943 | 13 July 1943 | 13 December 1943 | 25 June 1945 | Sold in 1947 to the Dominican Republic and renamed Juan Alejandro Acosta. Wrecked by Hurricane David on 30 August 1979.[35] |
| Meaford | Cancelled in December 1943. | |||||
| Merrittonia | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 23 November 1943 | 24 June 1944 | 10 November 1944 | 11 July 1945 | Formerly Pointe Claire. |
| Mimico | John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 22 February 1943 | 11 October 1943 | 8 February 1944 | 18 July 1945 | Formerly Bullrush. Sold to Honduras and converted 1950 in Germany to whale catcher Olympic Victor. Resold in 1956 to Japan as Otori Maru No. 12 and in 1962 as Kyo Maru No. 25. |
| Norsyd | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 14 January 1943 | 31 July 1943 | 22 December 1943 | 25 June 1945 | Sold in 1946 to Yugoslavia as mercantile Balboa under Panamanian flag. Resold to the "Mossad Le'Aliya bet" (The Institute for Immigration B) while still in Quebec as a passenger vessel Hagana.[34] Transferred to Israel in 1948 as corvette Hagana. |
| North Bay | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 29 September 1942 | 27 April 1943 | 25 October 1943 | 5 June 1945 | Sold in 1946 as mercantile Kent County II. Resold in 1950 as Galloway Kent and in 1951 as Bedford II. |
| Owen Sound | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 11 November 1942 | 15 June 1943 | 17 November 1943 | 19 July 1945 | Sold in 1945 to Greece as Cadio. |
| Parry Sound | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy, Quebec | 11 June 1943 | 13 November 1943 | 30 August 1944 | 10 July 1945 | Sold in 1950 to Honduras, converted to whale catcher Olympic Champion. Resold in 1956 to Japan as Otori Maru No. 15, 1961 renamed Kyo Maru No. 22. |
| Peterborough | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 14 September 1943 | 15 January 1944 | 1 June 1944 | 19 July 1945 | Sold in 1947 to the Dominican Republic as Gerardo Jansen. |
| Renfrew | Cancelled in December 1943. | |||||
| Riviere du Loup | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 5 January 1943 | 2 July 1943 | 21 November 1943 | 2 July 1945 | Sold in 1947 to the Dominican Republic as Juan Bautista Maggiolo. |
| Smiths Falls | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 21 January 1944 | 19 August 1944 | 28 November 1944 | 8 July 1945 | Sold in 1950 to Honduras, converted to whale catcher Olympic Lightning. Resold in 1956 to Japan as Otori Maru No. 16, 1961 renamed Kyo Maru No. 23. |
| St. Lambert | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 8 July 1943 | 6 November 1943 | 27 May 1944 | 20 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 to Panama as Chrysi Hondroulis. Resold in 1955 to Greece as Loula. |
| Stellarton | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 16 November 1943 | 27 April 1944 | 29 September 1944 | 1 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 to Chile as Casma. |
| Strathroy | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy, Quebec | 18 November 1943 | 15 June 1944 | 20 November 1944 | 12 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 to Chile as Chipana. |
| Thorlock | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy, Quebec | 25 September 1943 | 15 May 1944 | 13 November 1944 | 15 July 1945 | Sold in 1946 to Chile as Papudo. |
| Trentonian | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 19 February 1943 | 1 September 1943 | 1 December 1943 | 22 February 1945 | Torpedoed and sunk on 22 February 1945 by U-1004 off Falmouth, Cornwall at 50-06N, 04-50W. 6 crew were lost. |
| West York | Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland, Ontario | 23 July 1943 | 25 January 1944 | 6 October 1944 | 9 July 1945 | Sold in 1945 as mercantile West York (name not changed). Resold in 1960 as Federal Express. Rammed and sunk in 1960 in the Saint Lawrence River near Montreal. Raised and scrapped. |
| Whitby | Marine Industries Ltd., Sorel-Tracy, | 1 April 1943 | 18 September 1943 | 6 June 1944 | 16 July 1945 | Acquired by the Portuguese Navy from the USA and renamed NRP Bengo on 29 April 1948 and transferred to the Mozambique Pilots on 1 October 1948 where she was named just Bengo. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assam | John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 26 November 1942 | 21 June 1943 | 19 February 1945 | Formerly HMS Bugloss. Transferred to the RIN on 19 February 1945. Returned to RN in 1947. Scrapped. | |
| Gondwana | Ferguson Bros. (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow | 2 November 1942 | 31 May 1943 | 15 May 1945 | 17 May 1946 | Formerly HMS Burnet. Transferred to the RIN on 15 May 1945. Returned to RN on 17 May 1946. 1947 sold to Royal Thai Navy, renamed Bangpakong |
| Sind | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen | 26 September 1942 | 22 April 1943 | 24 August 1945 | 17 May 1946 | Formerly HMS Betony. Transferred to the RIN on 24 August 1945. Returned to RN on 17 May 1946. 1947 sold to Royal Thai Navy, renamed Prasae , stranded 7. January 1951 on the North-Korean east coast, total loss. |
| Mahratta | Ferguson Bros. (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow | 6 April 1943 | 16 November 1943 | 1946 | 1947 loss | Formerly HMS Charlock. Transferred to the RIN 1946. 1947 stranded and total loss. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabis | George Brown & Co., Greenock | 26 February 1943 | 28 October 1943 | 16 March 1944 | 1948 | Formerly HMS Arabis. Transferred to RNZN on 16 March 1944. Returned to RN in 1948. |
| Arbutus | George Brown & Co., Greenock | 3 May 1943 | 26 January 1944 | 5 July 1944 | 1948 | Formerly HMS Arbutus. Transferred to RNZN on 5 July 1944. Returned to RN in 1948. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabis | George Brown & Co., Greenock | 26 February 1943 | 28 October 1943 | Transferred on 16 March 1944 to the Royal New Zealand Navy as HMNZS Arabis. Returned to RN in 1948. Scrapped in August 1951 at Grays. | ||
| Arbutus | George Brown & Co., Greenock | 3 May 1943 | 26 January 1944 | Transferred on 5 July 1944 to the Royal New Zealand Navy as Arbutus. Returned to RN in 1948. Scrapped in June 1951 at Dunston. | ||
| Balm | Cancelled on 12 November 1942. | |||||
| Betony | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen | 26 September 1942 | 22 April 1943 | 31 August 1943 | 24 March 1945 | Transferred on 24 August 1945 to India as Sind. Returned to RN on 17 May 1946. Transferred in 1947 to Thailand as Prasae. Grounded on 7 January 1951 along east coast of Korea and scuttled on 13 January 1951. |
| Buddleia | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen | 30 November 1942 | 19 June 1943 | Transferred on 10 November 1943 to RCN as Giffard. | ||
| Bugloss | John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 26 November 1942 | 21 June 1943 | 8 November 1943 | 19 February 1945 | Transferred on 19 February 1945 to Indian Navy as Assam. Returned to RN in 1947 and scrapped. |
| Bullrush | John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland | 22 February 1943 | 11 October 1943 | Transferred on 8 February 1944 to RCN as Mimico. | ||
| Burnet | Ferguson Bros. (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow | 2 November 1942 | 31 May 1943 | 23 September 1943 | Transferred on 15 May 1945 to India as HMIS Gondwana. Returned to RN on 17 May 1946. Transferred on 15 May 1947 to Thailand. | |
| Candytuft | A. & J. Inglis Ltd., Glasgow | 27 February 1943 | 28 September 1943 | Transferred on 5 January 1944 to RCN as HMCS Long Branch. | ||
| Ceanothos | Ferguson Bros. (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow | 5 February 1943 | 30 August 1943 | Transferred on 1 December 1943 to RCN as HMCS Forrest Hill. | ||
| Charlock | Ferguson Bros. (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow | 6 April 1943 | 16 November 1943 | March 1944 | Transferred in 1946 to India as HMIS Mahratta. 1947 total loss. | |
| Comfrey | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 6 January 1942 | 28 July 1942 | Transferred on 22 November 1942 to USN as USS Action. | ||
| Cornel | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 6 January 1942 | 4 September 1942 | Transferred on 10 December 1942 to USN as USS Alacrity. | ||
| Dittany | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 31 October 1942 | 31 May 1943 | Formerly USS Beacon. Transferred to RN on 31 May 1943 under the lend-lease program. Returned to USN on 20 June 1946. | ||
| Flax | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 15 June 1942 | Transferred on 6 December 1942 to USN as USS Brisk. | |||
| Honesty | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 28 September 1942 | Formerly USS Caprice. Transferred to RN under the lend-lease program. Returned to USN on 5 January 1946. | |||
| Linaria | Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland, Ontario | 18 November 1942 | 22 June 1943 | Formerly USS Clash. Transferred to RN under the lend-lease program. Returned to USN on 27 July 1946. | ||
| Mandrake | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | November 1941 | 22 August 1942 | Transferred on 6 April 1943 to USN as USS Haste. | ||
| Milfoil | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | November 1941 | 5 August 1942 | Transferred on 31 March 1943 to USN as USS Intensity. | ||
| Musk | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 28 November 1941 | 15 July 1942 | Transferred on 22 December 1942 to USN as USS Might. | ||
| Nepeta | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 22 July 1942 | 29 November 1942 | Transferred on 23 July 1943 to USN as USS Pert. | ||
| Privet | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 14 August 1942 | 4 December 1942 | Transferred on 16 August 1943 to USN as USS Prudent. | ||
| Rosebay | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 11 February 1943 | 28 July 1943 | 20 March 1946 | Formerly USS Splendor. Transferred to RN under the lend-lease program. Returned to USN on 20 March 1946. | |
| Smilax | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 24 December 1942 | 21 June 1943 | Formerly USS Tact. Transferred to RN under the lend-lease program. Returned to USN on 5 January 1946. | ||
| Statice | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 10 April 1943 | 20 September 1943 | Formerly USS Vim. Transferred to RN under the lend-lease program. Returned to USN on 21 June 1946. | ||
| Willowherb | Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland, Ontario | 24 March 1943 | Formerly USS Vitality. Transferred to RN under the lend-lease program. Returned to USN on 11 June 1946. |
[edit]
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Action | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 6 January 1942 | 28 July 1942 | 22 November 1942 | 6 September 1945 | Formerly HMS Comfrey. Transferred to USN on 22 November 1942. Sold on 6 February 1946. |
| Alacrity | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 6 January 1942 | 4 September 1942 | 10 December 1942 | 4 October 1945 | Formerly HMS Cornel. Transferred to USN on 10 December 1942. Sold on 22 September 1945 to Italy as mercantile Rio Marina. |
| Beacon | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 31 October 1942 | Transferred on 31 May 1943 to RN as HMS Dittany. Returned to USN on 20 June 1946. | |||
| Brisk | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 15 June 1942 | 6 December 1942 | 9 October 1945 | Formerly HMS Flax. Transferred to USN on 6 December 1942. Sold on 18 October 1946. | |
| Caprice | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 31 October 1942 | Transferred to RN as HMS Honesty. Returned to USN on 20 June 1946. | |||
| Clash | Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland, Ontario | 18 November 1942 | Transferred to RN as HMS Linaria. Returned to USN on 27 July 1946. | |||
| Haste | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | November 1941 | 22 August 1942 | 6 April 1943 | 3 October 1945 | Formerly HMS Mandrake. Transferred to USN on 6 April 1943. Sold in 1949 to Italy as mercantile Porto Azzurro. Scrapped in 1973 at La Spezia. |
| Intensity | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | November 1941 | 22 August 1942 | 31 March 1943 | 3 October 1945 | Formerly HMS Milfoil. Transferred to USN on 31 March 1943. Sold into mercantile service. 1950 whale catcher Olympic Promoter, 1956 resold and renamed Otori Maru No. 5 |
| Might | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 28 November 1941 | 15 July 1942 | 22 December 1942 | 9 October 1945 | Formerly HMS Musk. Transferred to USN on 22 December 1942. Sold into mercantile service. 1950 whale catcher Olympic Explorer, 1956 resold and renamed Otori Maru No.3, later Kyo Maru No.12 |
| Pert | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 22 July 1942 | 27 November 1942 | 23 July 1943 | 3 October 1945 | Formerly HMS Nepeta. Transferred to USN on 23 July 1943. Sold on 18 October 1946 into mercantile service. 1950 whale catcher Olympic Leader, 1956 resold and renamed Otori Maru No. 1, later Kyo Maru No. 15 |
| Prudent | Morton Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Quebec City | 14 August 1942 | 4 December 1942 | 16 August 1943 | 11 October 1945 | Formerly HMS Privet. Transferred to USN on 16 August 1943. Sold in 1949 to Italy as mercantile Elbano. Resold in 1951 to the Italian Navy as hydrographic survey vessel Staffetta. |
| Splendor | Kingston Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Kingston, Ontario | 11 February 1943 | Transferred to RN as HMS Rosebay. Returned to USN on 20 March 1946. | |||
| Tact | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 24 December 1942 | Transferred to RN as HMS Smilax. Returned to USN on 5 January 1946. | |||
| Vim | Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario | 10 April 1943 | Transferred to RN as HMS Statice. Returned to USN on 21 June 1946. | |||
| Vitality | Midland Shipyards Ltd., Midland, Ontario | 24 March 1943 | Transferred to RN as HMS Willowherb. Returned to USN on 11 June 1946. |
Vessels lost in action[edit]
| Ship | Flag | Date | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alysse | Free French Naval Forces | 9 February 1942 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-654 while escorting Convoy ON-60 about 420 nautical miles (780 km) E of Cape Race at 46°00′N 44°00′W / 46.000°N 44.000°W 36 crew were killed. |
| La Bastiaise | Free French Naval Forces | 22 June 1940 | Mined during sea trial off Hartlepool on day of her commissioning. |
| Mimosa | Free French Naval Forces | 9 June 1942 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-124 while escorting Convoy ONS-100 at 52°12′N 32°37′W / 52.200°N 32.617°W 58 French crew and 6 British crew were killed; the French crew being largely from Saint Pierre and Miquelon. 4 survivors rescued by HMCS Assiniboine. |
| Alberni | Royal Canadian Navy | 21 August 1944 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-480 while escorting a convoy in the English Channel S of St. Catherine's Point at 50°18′N 00°51′W / 50.300°N 0.850°W 59 crew killed and 31 rescued by RN motor torpedo boats. |
| Charlottetown | Royal Canadian Navy | 11 September 1942 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-517 while escorting Convoy SQ-30 in the Saint Lawrence River N of Cap-Chat at 49°10′N 66°50′W / 49.167°N 66.833°W 9 crew killed. |
| Levis | Royal Canadian Navy | 19 September 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-74 while escorting Convoy SC-44 E of Cape Farewell at 60°07′N 38°37′W / 60.117°N 38.617°W 18 crew killed and 91 rescued. |
| Louisburg | Royal Canadian Navy | 6 February 1943 | Bombed and torpedoed by Luftwaffe aircraft while escorting Convoy KMF-8 off Cape Tenes in Mediterranean Sea at 36°15′N 00°15′E / 36.250°N 0.250°E 59 crew killed, 50 rescued. |
| Regina | Royal Canadian Navy | 8 August 1944 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-667 off Trevose Head at 50°42′N 05°03′W / 50.700°N 5.050°W 30 crew were killed. |
| Shawinigan | Royal Canadian Navy | 25 November 1944 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-1228 in the Cabot Strait at 47°34′N 59°11′W / 47.567°N 59.183°W. All hands were lost. |
| Spikenard | Royal Canadian Navy | 11 February 1942 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-136 while escorting Convoy SC-67 W of Malin Head at 56°10′N 21°07′W / 56.167°N 21.117°W. 8 crew survived. |
| Weyburn | Royal Canadian Navy | 22 February 1943 | Mined on 22 February 1943 off Cape Espartel at 36°46′N 06°02′W / 36.767°N 6.033°W. 7 crew were killed. |
| Windflower | Royal Canadian Navy | 7 December 1941 | Rammed and sunk while escorting Convoy SC-58 after colliding with freighter Zypenberg in dense fog on the Grand Banks at 46°19′N 49°30′W / 46.317°N 49.500°W 23 crew were killed. |
| Abelia | Royal Navy | 9 January 1944 | Torpedoed and badly damaged by a U-boat. |
| Arbutus | Royal Navy | 5 February 1942 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-136 W of Erris Head, Ireland at 55°05′N 18°43′W / 55.083°N 18.717°W |
| Asphodel | Royal Navy | 10 March 1944 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-575 while escorting Convoy SL-150 and Convoy MKS-41 at 45°24′N 18°09′W / 45.400°N 18.150°W. 92 crew were killed, 5 survivors rescued by HMS Clover. |
| Auricula | Royal Navy | 6 May 1942 | Mined in Courrier Bay, Madagascar at 12°12′S 49°19′E / 12.200°S 49.317°E. Foundered the next day while under tow. |
| Bluebell | Royal Navy | 17 February 1945 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-711 off the Kola Inlet at 69°36′N 35°29′E / 69.600°N 35.483°E |
| Bryony | Royal Navy | 15 April 1941 | Bombed and sunk during sea trials by the Luftwaffe. Raised and repaired. Transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy in 1947 as HNoMS Polarfront. |
| Erica | Royal Navy | 9 February 1943 | Mined and sunk while escorting a convoy in the Mediterranean Sea off Derna, Libya at 32°48′N 21°10′E / 32.800°N 21.167°E. Entire crew rescued by HMSAS Southern Maid. |
| Fleur de Lys | Royal Navy | 14 October 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-206 west of Gibraltar at 36°00′N 06°30′W / 36.000°N 6.500°W. There were 3 survivors. |
| Gardenia | Royal Navy | 9 November 1942 | Rammed and sunk off Oran at 35°49′N 01°05′W / 35.817°N 1.083°W in collision with HMS Fluellen (T157). |
| Gladiolus | Royal Navy | 17 October 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-558 while escorting Convoy SC-48 S of Iceland at 57°00′N 25°00′W / 57.000°N 25.000°W. All hands were lost. |
| Godetia | Royal Navy | 6 September 1940 | Rammed and sunk 3 miles (4.8 km) off Altacarry Head at 55°18′N 05°57′W / 55.300°N 5.950°W in collision with mercantile Marsa. |
| Hollyhock | Royal Navy | 9 April 1942 | Bombed and sunk by Japanese aircraft E of Ceylon at 07°21′N 81°57′E / 7.350°N 81.950°E |
| Marigold | Royal Navy | 9 December 1942 | Torpedoed and sunk by the Aviazione Ausiliara per la Marina while escorting Convoy KMS.3Y off Algiers at 36°50′N 03°00′E / 36.833°N 3.000°E. 40 crew were killed. |
| Orchis | Royal Navy | 21 August 1944 | Mined and heavily damaged off Courseulles-sur-Mer. Beached on Juno Beach and declared a total loss. |
| Picotee | Royal Navy | 12 August 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-568 while escorting Convoy ONS-4 S of Iceland at 62°00′N 16°01′W / 62.000°N 16.017°W. All hands were lost. |
| Pink | Royal Navy | 27 June 1944 | Torpedoed and heavily damaged by U-988 off Normandy at 49°48′N 00°49′W / 49.800°N 0.817°W. Declared a total loss and scrapped in 1947 at Llanelly. |
| Polyanthus | Royal Navy | 21 September 1943 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-952 while escorting Convoy ON-202 at 57°00′N 31°10′W / 57.000°N 31.167°W. 1 survivor rescued by HMS Itchen but was killed when that ship was torpedoed and sunk by U-666 on 23 September 1943. |
| Salvia | Royal Navy | 24 December 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-568 W of Alexandria at 31°46′N 28°00′E / 31.767°N 28.000°E. All hands were lost. |
| Samphire | Royal Navy | 30 January 1943 | Torpedoed and sunk by Italian submarine Platino while escorting Convoy TE-14 off Béjaïa at 36°56′N 05°40′E / 36.933°N 5.667°E |
| Snapdragon | Royal Navy | 19 December 1942 | Bombed and sunk by the Luftwaffe NW of Benghazi at 32°18′N 19°54′E / 32.300°N 19.900°E |
| Vervain | Royal Navy | 20 February 1945 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-1276 SE of Dungarvan, Rep of Ireland at 51°47′N 07°06′W / 51.783°N 7.100°W |
| Zinnia | Royal Navy | 23 August 1941 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-564 while escorting Convoy OG-71 W of Portugal at 40°25′N 10°40′W / 40.417°N 10.667°W |
| Montbretia | Royal Norwegian Navy | 18 November 1942 | Torpedoed and sunk by U-262 at 53°37′N 38°15′W / 53.617°N 38.250°W. 48 crew killed, 23 survivors were rescued by HNoMS Potentilla (K214). |
| Trentonian | Royal Canadian Navy | 22 February 1945 | Torpedoed and sunk on 22 February 1945 by U-1004 off Falmouth at 50°06′N 04°50′W / 50.100°N 4.833°W. 6 crew were killed. |
Kriegsmarine use[edit]
In 1940 four Flower-class corvettes were being built in St. Nazaire-Penhoet for the French Navy, they were seized by the Kriegsmarine (German Navy). Three were completed in 1943 and 1944, while the fourth was never finished, their designation "PA" stood for Patroullienboot Ausland (foreign patrol craft).
| Ship | Ordered | Launched | Intended French name | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA 1 | September 1939 | 16 October 1940 | Arquebuse | April 1944 | Confiscated in June 1940 and served in 15 Vorposten Flottille. Sunk by aerial bombing 15 June 1944 at Le Havre |
| PA 2 | September 1939 | 22 November 1940 | Hallebarde | September 1943 | Confiscated in June 1940 and served in 15 Vorposten Flottille. Sunk by aerial bombing 15 June 1944 at Le Havre |
| PA 3 | September 1939 | 29 November 1940 | Sabre | November 1943 | Confiscated in June 1940 and served in 15 Vorposten Flottille. Sunk by aerial bombing 15 June 1944 at Le Havre |
| PA 4 | September 1939 | 29 November 1940 | Poignard | Not completed | Confiscated in June 1940. Launched 1 September 1944 as La Télindière. Sunk uncompleted as a block ship at Nantes |
Battle credits[edit]
- U-26 was sunk by Gladiolus on 1 July 1940.
- Marcello-class submarine Nani was sunk by Anemone on 7 January 1941
- U-70 was sunk by Camellia and Arbutus on 7 March 1941
- U-110 was captured on 9 May 1941 by the destroyers Bulldog and Broadway and the corvette Aubretia. U-110 was sunk the next day to preserve the secret.
- U-147 was sunk by the destroyer Wanderer and Periwinkle on 2 June 1941
- U-556 was sunk by Nasturtium, Celandine, and Gladiolus on 17 June 1941
- U-651 was sunk by the destroyers Malcolm, Scimitar, the corvettes Arabis and Violet, and the minesweeper Speedwell on 29 June 1941
- U-401 was sunk by the destroyers Wanderer and St. Albans and the corvette Hydrangea on 3 August 1941
- U-501 was sunk by Chambly and Moosejaw on 10 September 1941
- Argonauta-class submarine Fisalia was sunk by Hyacinth on 28 September 1941
- U-204 was sunk by Mallow and the sloop Rochester on 19 October 1941
- U-433 was sunk by Marigold on 16 November 1941
- U-131 was sunk by the destroyers Exmoor, Blankney, Stanley, the corvette Pentstemon, the sloop Stork, and a Martlet aircraft from Audacity on 17 December 1941
- U-567 was sunk by the sloop Deptford and Samphire on 21 December 1941
- U-356 was sunk by the destroyer St. Laurent, with Chilliwack, Battleford and Napanee on 27 December 1942
- U-756 was sunk by Morden on 1 September 1942
- U-94 was sunk by a US Catalina flying boat and Oakville on 28 August 1942
- U-588 was sunk by Wetaskiwin and the destroyer Skeena on 31 July 1942
- U-379 was sunk by Dianthus on 8 August 1942
- Perla-class submarine Perla was captured by Hyacinth on 9 July 1942
- U-660 was scuttled after being damaged by Lotus and Starwort on 12 November 1942
- U-124 was sunk by Stonecrop and the sloop Black Swan on 2 April 1942
- U-82 was sunk by the sloop Rochester and Tamarisk on 6 February 1942
- U-252 was sunk by the sloop Stork and Vetch on 14 April 1942
- U-432 was sunk by the corvette Aconit on 11 March 1943
- U-444 was sunk by the destroyer Harvester and the corvette Aconit on 11 March 1943
- U-609 was sunk by the corvette Lobelia on 7 February 1943
- U-536 was sunk by the frigate Nene, with Snowberry and Calgary on 20 November 1943
- U-753 was sunk by Drumheller, the frigate Lagan, and a Canadian Sunderland seaplane on 13 May 1943
- Flutto-class submarine Tritone was sunk by Port Arthur and the destroyer Antelope on 19 January 1943
- U-163 was sunk by Prescott on 13 March 1943
- Acciaio-class submarine Avorio was sunk by Regina on 8 February 1943
- U-87 was sunk by Shediac and the destroyer St. Croix on 4 March 1943
- U-224 was sunk by Ville de Quebec on 13 January 1943
- U-135 was sunk by the sloop Rochester, the corvettes Mignonette and Balsam, and an American Consolidated PBY Catalina aircraft on 15 July 1943
- U-306 was sunk by the destroyer Whitehall and Geranium on 31 October 1943
- U-617 was destroyed while grounded by Hyacinth and the Australian minesweeper Wollongong on 12 September 1943
- U-436 was sunk by the frigate Test and Hyderabad on 26 May 1943
- U-192 was sunk by Loosestrife on 6 May 1943
- U-125 was sunk by the destroyer Oribi and Snowflake on 6 May 1943
- U-634 was sunk by the sloop Stork and Stonecrop on 30 August 1943
- U-638 was sunk by Sunflower on 5 May 1943
- U-631 was sunk by Sunflower on 17 October 1943
- U-282 was sunk by the destroyers Vidette and Duncan and the corvette Sunflower on 29 October 1943
- U-414 was sunk by Vetch. on 25 May 1943
- U-523 was sunk by the destroyer Wanderer and Wallflower on 25 August 1943
- U-757 was sunk by the frigate Bayntun and Camrose on 8 January 1944
- U-744 was sunk by the destroyers Icarus, Chaudiere, Gatineau, the frigate St. Catharines, and the corvettes Fennel, Chilliwack, and Kenilworth Castle on 6 March 1944
- U-741 was sunk by Orchis on 15 August 1944
- U-641 was sunk by Violet on 19 January 1944
- U-845 was sunk by the destroyers Forester and St. Laurent, the corvette Owen Sound and the frigate Swansea on 10 March 1944
- U-1199 was sunk by the destroyer Icarus and Mignonette on 21 January 1945
Post-war use[edit]
The relatively small Flowers were among the first warships to be declared surplus by Allied navies following the end of World War II, they had seen years of hard service in the North Atlantic and were made obsolete by the numerous destroyer escorts and frigates that entered service in the latter part of the war.
32 vessels from the RN, RCN, and USN were transferred to Argentina, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Greece, India, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, and Venezuela. These were typically operated according to their original design, as coastal patrol vessels, with many serving until the 1970s.
The Irish Navy bought three Flowers in 1946 (LE Macha, LE Cliona, and LE Maev). The fledgling navy had intended to buy three more corvettes, as well as a number of surplus minesweepers, but severe budget restrictions cancelled these plans, leaving the original three to serve alone through the 1960s and 1970s, despite antiquated armament, poor accommodation, and maintenance problems. Entry into the EEC in 1973 resulted in funding for replacement ships.
110 surplus Flowers were sold for commercial use. These saw various careers as mercantile freighters, smugglers, tugs, weather ships, and whalers, the remainder were scrapped. Of particular interest is the story of HMCS Sudbury. She was declared surplus by the RCN and sold as a towboat specializing in deep-sea salvage; in November 1955, she rescued the freighter Makedonia in the North Pacific, towing the vessel for over one month through severe weather, becoming one of the most famous salvage ships of all time.
The surplus RCN Flowers Norsyd and Beauharnois were sold as mercantile freighters but were subsequently acquired in 1946 by the Mossad LeAliyah Bet, a branch of the Jewish Defense Association (Haganah) in the British Mandate for Palestine. Mossad Le'aliyah Bet organized Jewish immigration from Europe into Palestine, in violation of unilateral British restrictions. The corvettes were intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea during the summer of 1946 by the destroyer Venus and interned in Palestine. After Israel became independent in 1948, these commercial ships were commissioned into the Israeli Navy as the warships Hashomer and Hagana respectively.
Allied navies disposed of their Flowers so quickly following the war, the RN could not supply a single vessel to play Compass Rose in the 1953 film production of Nicholas Monsarrat's novel The Cruel Sea. The Royal Hellenic Navy supplied Kriezis (formerly HMS Coreopsis) for the role prior to her scrapping.
The only survivor of the entire class is Sackville, owned by the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust, she was laid up in reserve in March 1946 and converted in 1952 to a research vessel for Canadian Department of Marine and Fisheries, a role she served in until the early 1980s when she was acquired by the trust.[36] She has been restored to her wartime appearance and serves in the summer months as a museum ship on loan to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia, while wintering securely in the naval dockyard at CFB Halifax under the care of Maritime Forces Atlantic, Maritime Command. Sackville's presence in Halifax is considered very appropriate, given the port was an important North American convoy assembly port during the war. Sackville makes her first appearance each spring when she is towed by a naval tug from HMC Dockyard to a location off Point Pleasant Park on the first Sunday in May to participate in the Commemoration of the Battle of the Atlantic ceremonies held at a memorial in the park overlooking the entrance to Halifax Harbour. Sackville typically hosts several dozen RCN veterans on this day and has also participated in several burials at sea for dispersing the ashes of RCN veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic at this location.
Literature[edit]
- Alex H. Cherry wrote Yankee R N, the story of a Wall Street banker who volunteered for active duty in the RN, including details of Flower operations.
- Peter Coy, who served in Narcissus in the North Atlantic between June 1942 and August 1944, wrote 'The Echo of a Fighting Flower' about her and B3 Escort Group, comprising two British and four Free French corvettes.
- Hugh Garner wrote Storm Below which provides a detailed account of Flower-class corvettes and the stresses of shipboard life during World War II.
- James B. Lamb wrote The Corvette Navy, which accounts the use of these vessels by the RCN during World War II.
- Hal Lawrence wrote A Bloody War including first-hand accounts of his service aboard Moosejaw and Oakville.
- Nicholas Monsarrat wrote the best-known fictionalised account of Flower-class corvette operations in his novel The Cruel Sea. A less well known volume by the same author, Three Corvettes, is a collection of wartime essays of his personal experiences as an officer on board a Flower, although only the first part deals with North Atlantic convoy escort duties.
- Robert Radcliffe wrote Upon Dark Waters, a fictionalized account of Flower-class corvette Daisy, set in 1942 on the North Atlantic.
- Denys Rayner wrote Escort, a first-hand account of his experiences as an officer aboard a Flower.
- Douglas Reeman's 1969 novel To Risks Unknown features the fictional Flower-class corvette Thistle.
- Mac Johnston wrote "Corvettes Canada" aptly subtitled "Convoy Veterans of World War II Tell Their True Stories."
Modelling[edit]
Ship modellers have been attracted to this class of ship for a variety of reasons, the class has an extensive history of war service, and the original was small enough to mean a model of about 2 ft (0.61 m) in length can support considerable detail.
Since the class was used by many nations, and had almost unlimited modifications, there is a lot of scope for individual variation, the result is a wide variety of modelling kits are available from many manufacturers, and almost all United Kingdom, United States, and Canadian model boat clubs will have at least one owner of a Flower-class model.[citation needed]. Revell makes a 1/72 scale kit of Snowberry from the Matchbox mould. The UK company founded by John Piper had previously released a 1/96 scale model of a Flower-class corvette in 1978.[citation needed]
Many specialist model companies sell a variety of ancillary Flower detail items. Several model boat clubs are dedicated exclusively to modelling the class.[citation needed]
See also[edit]
- American Flower-class corvettes
- Bathurst-class corvette
- Whale catcher
- List of Escorteurs of the French Navy
Notes[edit]
- ^ Gardiner and Chesneau 1980, p. 62.
- ^ (reproduction with introduction by Antony Preston), Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II, New Jersey: Random House, 1996, ISBN 0-517-67963-9, page 68.
- ^ United States Navy Warship Identification Manual (NAVPERS 10796)
- ^ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 11, pp.1137–42.
- ^ "Alacrity, USS; PG-87". U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office. Retrieved 2008-06-15.[dead link]
- ^ Brown 2007, pp. 41–43.
- ^ Lambert and Brown 2008, p. 3.
- ^ Canadian yards, for instance, could not build destroyer hulls.
- ^ a b Brown D K, Nelson to Vanguard
- ^ Le Masson 1969, pp. 27–28
- ^ a b Le Masson 1969, pp. 26, 28.
- ^ Le Masson 1969, p. 28
- ^ a b "Captured gunboats of the Kriegsmarine". German-Navy.de. Retrieved 2011-01-18.
- ^ a b c d e f g Milner 1985, p.89
- ^ "Flower Class uboat.net
- ^ Monsarrat, N., H.M. corvette. Philadelphia, New York, J.B. Lippincott Co., 1943. OCLC 1523299
- ^ "War Memorials". Inverclyde Council. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ [1] uboat.net – Officered & crewed by Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve personnel from May 1941 to June 1945
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv Lambert and Brown 2008, p. 65.
- ^ HMS Arbutus (K 86) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ HMS Asphodel (K 56) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ HMS Bluebell (K 80) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ HMS Fleur de Lys (K 122) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ Lambert and Brown 2008, p. 7.
- ^ HMS Gladiolus (K 34) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ "Civil Aviation News: First Weather Ship". Flight. Vol. LII no. 2015. 7 August 1947. p. 145.
- ^ "Weather Observer: First British "Met" Ship". Flight. Vol. LII no. 2015. 7 August 1947. p. 144.
- ^ HMS Picotee (K 63) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ HMS Pink (K 137) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ HMS Polyanthus (K 47) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ HMS Salvia (K 97) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ HMS Vervain (K 190) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ HMS Zinnia (K 98) (British Corvette) – Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII – uboat.net
- ^ a b Greenfield, Murray S. & Hochstein, Joseph M., Jews' Secret Fleet, Gefen Publishing House, Jerusalem, 2010, pp.55–56
- ^ a b "Today in History August 30, 2007". Seawaves. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2008.
- ^ "HMCS Sackville: The last flower (1941–2000)". History in Illustration. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
References[edit]
- Brown, David K (2007). Atlantic Escorts: Ships, Weapons & Tactics in World War II. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84415-702-0.
- Brown, David K (2006). Nelson to Vanguard: Warship Design and Development, 1923-1945. Naval Institute Press.
- Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger (1980). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Le Masson, Henri (1969). The French Navy. Navies of the Second World War. 2. London: MacDonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 9780356023847.
- McKay, J; Harland, J (1993). The Flower Class Corvette Agassiz. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-975-1.
- Lambert, John; Brown, Les (2008). Flower Class Corvettes. ShipCraft Special. St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 978-1-55068-986-0.
- Lambert, J; Raven, A (2000). Flower Class Corvettes in World War II. White Raven Press.
- Milner, Marc (1985). North Atlantic Run. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-450-0.
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flower class corvette. |
- The Flower-Class Corvette Forums A dedicated discussion forum which maintains the largest online collection of Flower-Class Corvette images and accessible historical documents.
- uboat.net has pages on the original and revised Flower-classes.
- The Flower-Class Corvette Association
- HMCS Sackville – The Last Corvette
- "Corvette K-225" – a 1943 film (the real K225 was HMCS Kitchener)
- Flower-Class Corvettes by Bob Pearson & Chris Banyai-Riepl
- 1993 film "Lifeline to Victory"—filmed aboard Sackville
- HMS Violet
- Diary of a Petty Officer on HMS La Malouine during Convoy PQ.17.
- 1953 film "The Cruel Sea" – based on Nicholas Monsarrat's novel
