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French Flower-class corvette

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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. At the outbreak of the war, four anti-submarine warfare ships were ordered from a British shipyard, and a further 18 ships were later ordered from several British and French shipyards. Following the Fall of France in June 1940, the ships in Britain were taken over by the Royal Navy, while those in France fell into German hands. Eight other Flowers were later transferred to the Free French Naval Forces.

Class overview
Operators
Completed22, plus 8 transferred
Lost4
General characteristics (Flower-class corvette (original))
TypeCorvette
Displacement925 long tons (940 t; 1,036 short tons)[1]
Length205 ft (62.48 m) o/a[1]
Beam33 ft 11+1⁄2 in (10.35 m)[1]
Draught11 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
Speed16 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)[citation needed]
  • 2,900 nautical miles (5,371 km) at 15 knots (27.8 km/h)[1]
Complement79[2]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × SW1C or 2C radar
  • 1 × Type 123A or Type 127DV sonar
Armament

Construction history

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At the outbreak of World War II the Marine 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 Marine 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 13.2 mm 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 Bastiaise, 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 renamed 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, three 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

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Successes

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Ships

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French Navy (Marine nationale)

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First order
Ship Builder Completed Fate
La Bastiaise 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. Renamed HMS Abelia (K184)
(J3446) Harland & Wolff 13 February 1941 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Alisma (K185)
(J3346) Harland & Wolff 6 March 1941 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Anchusa (K186)
(J3444) Harland & Wolff 30 March 1941 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Armeria (K187)
(J3246) Harland & Wolff 11 April 1941 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Aster (K188)
(J3648) Harland & Wolff 12 May 1941 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Bergamot (K189)
(J4002) Smiths Dock 16 January 1941 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Snowdrop (K67)
(J4009) Smiths Dock 18 November 1940 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Tulip (K29)
(J4020) Smiths Dock 10 December 1940 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Verbena (K85)
(J4026) Smiths Dock 18 February 1941 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Veronica (K37)
(J4030) Smiths Dock 7 March 1941 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Wallflower (K44)
(J4034) Smiths Dock 30 March 1941 Taken over by RN. Renamed HMS Zinnia (K98)
Second order, French yards
Ship Builder Completed Fate
Arquebuse Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët 5 April 1944 Seized by Germany Completed as PA 1[2]
Hallebarde Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët September 1943 Seized by Germany Completed as PA 2[2]
Sabre Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët 16 November 1943 Seized by Germany Completed as PA 3[8]
Poignard Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët Seized by Germany as PA 4[8]
Tromblon Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkerque — Cancelled 1940 and broken up on stocks.[8]
Javeline Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkerque — Cancelled 1940 and broken up on stocks.[8]

Free French Navy (Forces navales françaises libres (FNFL))

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Flower-class corvettes transferred to the Free French Navy
Ship Pennant no. Builder Completed Renamed Fate
Aconite K58 Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Troon 23 July 1941 Aconit Returned to RN, 30 April 1947.
Alyssum K100 George Brown & Co., Greenock 17 June 1941 Alysse Sunk by U-654, 10 February 1942[8]
Lotus K93 Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol 23 May 1942 Commandant d'Estienne d'Orves Returned to RN, 31 May 1947.
Coriander K183 Hall, Russell & Co., Aberdeen 16 September 1941 Commandant Detroyat Returned to RN, 1947.
Chrysanthemum K195 Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast 15 January 1942 Commandant Drogou Returned to the RN, May 1947.
Lobelia K05 Alexander Hall and Sons, Aberdeen 16 July 1941 Lobelia Returned to the RN, April 1947.
Mimosa K11 Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol 11 May 1941 Mimosa Sunk by U-124, 9 June 1942[9]
Ranunculus K117 W. Simons & Co., Renfrew 28 July 1941 Renoncule Returned to the RN, 1947.
Sundew K57 J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen 19 September 1941 Roselys Returned to RN, 1947.

Notes

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  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. ^ Chesneau 1980, p. 277.
  4. ^ a b Elliott 1977, p. 188.
  5. ^ Chesneau 1980, p. 227.
  6. ^ Chesneau 1980, p. 62.
  7. ^ David K. Brown, Atlantic Escorts, Seaforth Publishing, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Le Masson 1969, p. 28.
  9. ^ a b Le Masson 1969, p. 30.

Sources

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  • Blair, Clay (2000) [1996]. Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942. Vol. 1. London: Cassell. ISBN 0-304-35260-8.
  • Blair, Clay (2000) [1998]. Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted 1942–1945. Vol. 2. London: Cassell. ISBN 0-304-35261-6.
  • Chesneau, Roger (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Publishing. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Elliott, Peter (1977). Allied Escort Ships of World War II. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-356-08401-9.
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed. Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Le Masson, Henri (1969). The French Navy. Navies of the Second World War. Vol. 2. London: MacDonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd. pp. 25–30. ISBN 9780356023847.
  • Neistle, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses during World War II. Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-352-8.
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