French Flower class corvette

Class overview
Operators:  French Navy
 Free French Naval Forces
 Kriegsmarine
 Royal Navy
 United States Navy
Completed: 22, plus 8 transferred
Lost: 4
General characteristics (Flower-class corvette (original))
Type: Corvette
Displacement: 925 long tons (940 t; 1,036 ST)[1]
Length: 205 ft (62.48 m) o/a[1]
Beam: 33 ft (10.058400000000 m)[1]
Draught: 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)[1]
Propulsion:

1939-1940 program

  • single shaft
  • 2 × fire tube Scotch boilers
  • 1 × 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
  • 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW)

1940-1941 program
Speed: 16 knots (29.6 km/h)
Range:

5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) at 9 knots (16.7 km/h)[1]
3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km) at 12 knots (22.2 km/h)

2,900 nautical miles (5,371 km) at 15 knots (27.8 km/h)[1]
Complement: 79[2]
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • 1 × SW1C or 2C radar
  • 1 × Type 123A or Type 127DV sonar
Armament:

French Flower-class corvettes were those ships of the Flower class built for, or operated by, the French Navy and Free French Naval Forces in World War II.

Contents

Construction history

At the outbreak of World War II the Maritime Nationale (French Navy) needed ships for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and, following the Royal Navy's example, placed orders from Smiths Dock in South Bank, Middlesbrough for four ASW corvettes. Smiths had developed plans for a basic ASW vessel, using merchant ship equipment and machinery, that could be mass-produced in Merchant shipyards.

Following this the Maritime Nationale ordered a further 18 ships, to be built at a number of British and French shipyards. These were identical to the British "Flowers" except that French 100 mm (3.9 in) and 13.2mm AA guns were to be fitted.[3]

The Fall of France in June 1940 brought a drastic change to these building programmes. Of the original four, only one, La Bastiase, was completed. On 22 June 1940, the day of France's capitulation, she was undergoing sea trials in the North Sea when she struck a mine off Hartlepool[2] and sank. Of the others, La Malouine was taken over as she was by the Royal Navy (RN) on completion, while the other two were taken over and renamed.

Of the second order, the 12 ships under construction in Britain were taken over by the RN; all were re-named and given Flower names in keeping with the class.[4]

The six ships under construction in France all fell into German hands. Building continued slowly, and by 1944, four had been completed for use by the German Kriegsmarine. These ships underwent a number of changes to reflect changes in role and circumstances. They were rated as patrol gunboats and commissioned as PA-1 to 4.[5]

After the creation of the Free French Naval Forces (FNFL) the RN transferred a number of ships to the FNFL. These included eight Flowers, all transferred and renamed on completion. Some retained a Flower name while others took the names that honoured French naval heroes.[4][6]

These ships, in French and in British service, saw action throughout the Atlantic campaign and performed sterling work. Two of the French, and one of the British vessels were lost in action, while three of them, two French and one British, were successful in sinking U-boats.

Losses

Successes

Ships

French Navy (Maritime Nationale)

First order
Ship Builder Completed Fate
La Bastiase Smiths Dock, South Bank, Middlesbrough 22 June 1940 Sunk by mine, 22 June 1940[2]
La Malouine Smiths Dock 30 July 1940 Transferred to RN as
HMS La Malouine (K46)
La Dieppoise Smiths Dock 26 August 1940 Transferred to RN as
HMS Fleur de Lys (K122)
La Paimpolaise Smiths Dock 26 September 1940 Transferred to RN as
HMS Nasturtium (K107)
Second order, British yards
Ship Builder Completed Fate
(J3840) Harland & Wolff, Belfast 3 February 1941 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Abelia (K184).
(J3446) Harland & Wolff 13 February 1941 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Alisma (K185).
(J3346) Harland & Wolff 6 March 1941 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Anchusa (K186).
(J3444) Harland & Wolff 30 March 1941 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Armeria (K187).
(J3246) Harland & Wolff 11 April 1941 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Aster (K188)
(J3648) Harland & Wolff 12 May 1941 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Bergamot (K189).
(J4002) Smiths Dock 16 January 1941 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Snowdrop (K67).
(J4009) Smiths Dock 18 November 1940 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Tulip (K29).
(J4020) Smiths Dock 10 December 1940 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Verbena (K85).
(J4026) Smiths Dock 18 February 1941 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Veronica (K37).
(J4030) Smiths Dock 7 March 1941 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Wallflower (K44)
(J4034) Smiths Dock 30 March 1941 Taken over by RN.
Re-named HMS Zinnia (K98)
Second order, French yards
Ship Builder Completed Fate
L'Arquebuse Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët 5 April 1944 Seized by German Navy.
Completed as PA-1.[2]
L'Hallebarde Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët September 1943 Seized by German Navy.
Completed as PA-2.[2]
Sabre Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët 16 November 1943 Seized by German Navy.
Completed as PA-3.[7]
Poignard Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët ? Seized by German Navy.
Completed as PA-4.[7]
Tromblon Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkerque Not completed Cancelled 1940.[7]
Javeline Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkerque Not completed Cancelled 1940.[7]

Free French Navy (FNFL)

Ship Builder Completed Re-named Fate
HMS Aconite (K58) Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Troon 23 July 1941 FFL Aconit (K58) Returned to RN, 30 April 1947.
HMS Alyssum (K100) George Brown & Co., Greenock 17 June 1941 FFL Alysse (K100) Sunk by U-654, 10 February 1942[7]
HMS Lotus (K93) Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol 23 May 1942 FFL Commandant d'Estienne d'Orves (K93) Returned to RN, 31 May 1947.
HMS Coriander (K183) Hall, Russell & Co., Aberdeen 16 September 1941 FFL Commandant Detroyat (K183) Returned to RN, 1947.
HMS Chrysanthemum (K195) Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast 15 January 1942 FFL Commandant Drogou (K195) Returned to the RN, May 1947.
HMS Lobelia (K05) Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen 16 July 1941 FFL Lobelia (K05) Returned to the RN, April 1947.
HMS Mimosa (K11) Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol 11 May 1941 FFL Mimose (K11) Sunk by U-124, 9 June 1942[8]
HMS Ranunculus (K117) W. Simons & Co., Renfrew 28 July 1941 FFL Renoncule (K117) Returned to the RN, 1947.
HMS Sundew (K57) J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen 19 September 1941 FFL Roselys (K57) Returned to RN, 1947.

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Le Masson 1969, p. 25.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Le Masson 1969, p. 26.
  3. ^ Conway, p. 277.
  4. ^ a b Elliott, p. 188.
  5. ^ Conway, p. 227.
  6. ^ Conway, p. 62.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Le Masson 1969, p. 28.
  8. ^ a b Le Masson 1969, p. 30.

Sources