French Flower class corvettes
Encyclopedia
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
.
(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 millimetre and 13.2mm AA guns were to be fitted.
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 trial
s in the North Sea
when she struck a mine off Hartlepool
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.
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 gunboat
s and commissioned as PA-1 to 4
.
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.
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.
Flower class corvette
The Flower-class corvette was a 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...
built for, or operated by, the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
and Free French Naval Forces
Free French Naval Forces
Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Emile Muselier.- History :...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Construction history
At the outbreak of World War II the Maritime Nationale (French Navy) needed ships for anti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
(ASW) and, following the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's example, placed orders from Smiths Dock
Smiths Dock Company
Smiths Dock Company, Limited, often referred to simply as Smiths Dock, was a British shipbuilding company.-History:The company was originally established by Thomas Smith who bought William Rowe's shipyard at St. Peter's in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1810 and traded as William Smith & Co. The company...
in South Bank, Middlesbrough
South Bank, Middlesbrough
South Bank is a small town which forms part of the Middlesbrough urban area that lies 2.3 miles from Middlesbrough centre, in North East England. As the name suggests, it lies on the south bank of the River Tees. Although it is part of the Middlesbrough conurbation, it is a ward of Redcar and...
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 millimetre and 13.2mm AA guns were to be fitted.
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 trial
Sea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
s in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
when she struck a mine off Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
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.
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
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
. These ships underwent a number of changes to reflect changes in role and circumstances. They were rated as patrol gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s and commissioned as PA-1 to 4
PA class patrol ships (Germany)
The PA class patrol ships was a class of vessels commissioned into the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War.The ships were under construction in French shipyards that were seized by the Germans in 1940 at the Fall of France. Work on them continued under German control but progressed slowly, being...
.
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.
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
, mined in North Sea, 22 June 1940 (on trials).- La Dieppoise / , torpedoed and sunk by , 14 October 1941., torpedoed and sunk by on 10 February 1942 while escorting convoy ON-60, approximately 420 nautical miles (777.8 km) east of Cape RaceCape RaceCape Race is a point of land located at the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland, Canada. Its name is thought to come from the original Portuguese name for this cape, "Raso", or "bare"...
at 46°00′N 44°00′W. 36 crew were killed., torpedoed and sunk on 9 June 1942 by while escorting convoy ONS-100 at 52°12′N 32°37′W. 58 French and six British crew were killed; the French crew being largely from Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Four survivors were rescued by .
Successes
- La Paimpolaise / , and others sank 27 June 1941. sank on 7 February 1943. and others sank on 11 March 1943.
French Navy (Maritime Nationale)
| Ship | Builder | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Bastiase | Smiths Dock Smiths Dock Company Smiths Dock Company, Limited, often referred to simply as Smiths Dock, was a British shipbuilding company.-History:The company was originally established by Thomas Smith who bought William Rowe's shipyard at St. Peter's in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1810 and traded as William Smith & Co. The company... , South Bank, Middlesbrough South Bank, Middlesbrough South Bank is a small town which forms part of the Middlesbrough urban area that lies 2.3 miles from Middlesbrough centre, in North East England. As the name suggests, it lies on the south bank of the River Tees. Although it is part of the Middlesbrough conurbation, it is a ward of Redcar and... |
22 June 1940 | Sunk by mine Naval mine A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel... , 22 June 1940 |
| La Malouine | Smiths Dock | 30 July 1940 | Transferred to RN Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service... as |
| La Dieppoise | Smiths Dock | 26 August 1940 | |Transferred to RN as |
| La Paimpolaise | Smiths Dock | 26 September 1940 | Transferred to RN as |
| Ship | Builder | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| (J3840) | Harland & Wolff Harland and Wolff Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland.... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
3 February 1941 | Taken over by RN. Re-named . |
| (J3446) | Harland & Wolff | 13 February 1941 | Taken over by RN. Re-named . |
| (J3346) | Harland & Wolff | 6 March 1941 | Taken over by RN. Re-named . |
| (J3444) | Harland & Wolff | 30 March 1941 | Taken over by RN. Re-named . |
| (J3246) | Harland & Wolff | 11 April 1941 | Taken over by RN. Re-named |
| (J3648) | Harland & Wolff | 12 May 1941 | Taken over by RN. Re-named . |
| (J4002) | Smiths Dock Smiths Dock Company Smiths Dock Company, Limited, often referred to simply as Smiths Dock, was a British shipbuilding company.-History:The company was originally established by Thomas Smith who bought William Rowe's shipyard at St. Peter's in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1810 and traded as William Smith & Co. The company... |
16 January 1941 | Taken over by RN. Re-named . |
| (J4009) | Smiths Dock | 18 November 1940 | Taken over by RN. Re-named . |
| (J4020) | Smiths Dock | 10 December 1940 | Taken over by RN. Re-named . |
| (J4026) | Smiths Dock | 18 February 1941 | Taken over by RN. Re-named . |
| (J4030) | Smiths Dock | 7 March 1941 | Taken over by RN. Re-named |
| (J4034) | Smiths Dock | 30 March 1941 | Taken over by RN. Re-named |
| Ship | Builder | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| L'Arquebuse | Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët | 5 April 1944 | Seized by German Navy Kriegsmarine The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly... . Completed as PA-1. |
| L'Hallebarde | Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët | September 1943 | Seized by German Navy. Completed as PA-2. |
| Sabre | Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët | 16 November 1943 | Seized by German Navy. Completed as PA-3. |
| Poignard | Chantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët | ? | Seized by German Navy. Completed as PA-4. |
| Tromblon | Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkerque | Not completed | Cancelled 1940. |
| Javeline | Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkerque | Not completed | Cancelled 1940. |
Free French Navy (FNFL)
| Ship | Builder | Completed | Re-named | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Aconite (K58) | Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. Ailsa Shipbuilding Company -History:The company was founded in 1885 by the 3rd Marquess of Ailsa.In 1902 the Ailsa yard fitted out the polar exploration ship Scotia for the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition of 1902-04... , Troon Troon Troon is a town in South Ayrshire. It is situated on the west coast of Scotland, about eight miles north of Ayr and three miles northwest of Glasgow Prestwick International Airport. Lying across the Firth of Clyde, the Isle of Arran can be seen. Troon is also a port with freight and ferry services... |
23 July 1941 | Returned to RN, 30 April 1947. | |
| HMS Alyssum (K100) | George Brown & Co., Greenock Greenock Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland... |
17 June 1941 | Sunk by , 10 February 1942 | |
| HMS Lotus (K93) | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd. Charles Hill & Sons Charles Hill & Sons was a major shipbuilder based in Bristol, England, during the 19th and 20th centuries. Established in 1845, they specialised mainly in merchant and commercial ships, but also undertook the build of warships and governmental vessels especially during the First and Second World... , Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007... |
23 May 1942 | Returned to RN, 31 May 1947. | |
| HMS Coriander (K183) | Hall, Russell & Co. Hall, Russell & Company Hall, Russell & Company, Limited was a shipbuilder based in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK-History:Brothers James and William Hall, Thomas Russell, a Glasgow engineer, and James Cardno Couper founded the company in 1864 to build steam engines and boilers. In 1867 the company built its first ship, the Kwang... , Aberdeen Aberdeen Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of .... |
16 September 1941 | Returned to RN, 1947. | |
| HMS Chrysanthemum (K195) | Harland & Wolff Ltd. Harland and Wolff Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland.... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
15 January 1942 | Returned to the RN, May 1947. | |
| HMS Lobelia (K05) | Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen Aberdeen Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of .... |
16 July 1941 | Returned to the RN, April 1947. | |
| HMS Mimosa (K11) | Charles Hill & Sons Ltd. Charles Hill & Sons Charles Hill & Sons was a major shipbuilder based in Bristol, England, during the 19th and 20th centuries. Established in 1845, they specialised mainly in merchant and commercial ships, but also undertook the build of warships and governmental vessels especially during the First and Second World... , Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007... |
11 May 1941 | Sunk by , 9 June 1942 | |
| HMS Ranunculus (K117) | W. Simons & Co., Renfrew Renfrew -Local government:The town of Renfrew gave its name to a number of local government areas used at various times:*Renfrew a town to the west of Glasgow*Renfrewshire, the present unitary local council area in which Renfrew is situatated.... |
28 July 1941 | Returned to the RN, 1947. | |
| HMS Sundew (K57) | J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen Aberdeen Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of .... |
19 September 1941 | Returned to RN, 1947. | |