French Flower-class corvette

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:
Completed: 22, plus 8 transferred
Lost: 4
General characteristics (Flower-class corvette (original))
Type: Corvette
Displacement: 925 long tons (940 t; 1,036 short tons)[1]
Length: 205 ft (62.48 m) o/a[1]
Beam: 33 ft 11 1⁄2 in (10.35 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:
  • 1 × 4 inch BL Mk.IX single gun
  • (Fr: 1 × 100 mm naval gun, single)
  • 2 × Vickers .50 machine guns (twin)
  • (Fr: 2 × 13.2mm AA)
  • 2 × .303 inch Lewis machine gun (twin)
  • 2 × Mk.II depth charge throwers
  • 2 × depth charge rails with 40 depth charges
  • originally fitted with minesweeping gear, later removed

Construction history

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
  • La Bastiase, mined in North Sea, 22 June 1940 (on trials).[2]
  • La Dieppoise / Fleur de Lys, torpedoed and sunk by U-206, 14 October 1941.[2]
  • Alysse, torpedoed and sunk by U-654 on 10 February 1942[7] while escorting convoy ON-60, approximately 420 nautical miles (780 km) east of Cape Race at 46°00′N 44°00′W. 36 crew were killed.
  • Mimosa, torpedoed and sunk on 9 June 1942 by U-124[8] 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 HMCS Assiniboine.

Successes
  • La Paimpolaise / Nasturtium, and others sank U-556 27 June 1941.
  • Lobelia sank U-609 on 7 February 1943.
  • Aconit and others sank U-432 and U-444 on 11 March 1943.

Ships

French Navy (Marine nationale)
First order
Ship Builder Completed Fate
La BastiaiseSmiths Dock, South Bank, Middlesbrough22 June 1940Sunk by mine, 22 June 1940[2]
La MalouineSmiths Dock30 July 1940Transferred to RN as
HMS La Malouine (K46)
La DieppoiseSmiths Dock26 August 1940Transferred to RN as
HMS Fleur de Lys (K122)
La PaimpolaiseSmiths Dock26 September 1940Transferred to RN as
HMS Nasturtium (K107)
Second order, British yards
Ship Builder Completed Fate
(J3840)Harland & Wolff, Belfast3 February 1941Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Abelia (K184).
(J3446)Harland & Wolff13 February 1941Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Alisma (K185).
(J3346)Harland & Wolff6 March 1941Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Anchusa (K186).
(J3444)Harland & Wolff30 March 1941Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Armeria (K187).
(J3246)Harland & Wolff11 April 1941Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Aster (K188)
(J3648)Harland & Wolff12 May 1941Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Bergamot (K189).
(J4002)Smiths Dock16 January 1941Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Snowdrop (K67).
(J4009)Smiths Dock18 November 1940Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Tulip (K29).
(J4020)Smiths Dock10 December 1940Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Verbena (K85).
(J4026)Smiths Dock18 February 1941Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Veronica (K37).
(J4030)Smiths Dock7 March 1941Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Wallflower (K44)
(J4034)Smiths Dock30 March 1941Taken over by RN.
Renamed HMS Zinnia (K98)
Second order, French yards
Ship Builder Completed Fate
ArquebuseChantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët5 April 1944Seized by Germany
Completed as PA 1.[2]
HallebardeChantiere de St Nazaire-PenhoëtSeptember 1943Seized by Germany
Completed as PA 2.[2]
SabreChantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët16 November 1943Seized by Germany
Completed as PA 3.[7]
PoignardChantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët?Seized by Germany
as PA 4.[7]
TromblonAteliers et Chantiers de France, DunkerqueNot completedCancelled 1940.[7]
JavelineAteliers et Chantiers de France, DunkerqueNot completedCancelled 1940.[7]

Free French Navy (Forces navales françaises libres - FNFL)
Ship Builder Completed Renamed Fate
HMS Aconite (K58)Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Troon23 July 1941FFL Aconit (K58)Returned to RN, 30 April 1947.
HMS Alyssum (K100)George Brown & Co., Greenock17 June 1941FFL Alysse (K100)Sunk by U-654, 10 February 1942[7]
HMS Lotus (K93)Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol23 May 1942FFL Commandant d'Estienne d'Orves (K93)Returned to RN, 31 May 1947.
HMS Coriander (K183)Hall, Russell & Co., Aberdeen16 September 1941FFL Commandant Detroyat (K183)Returned to RN, 1947.
HMS Chrysanthemum (K195)Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast15 January 1942FFL Commandant Drogou (K195)Returned to the RN, May 1947.
HMS Lobelia (K05)Alexander Hall & Co., Aberdeen16 July 1941FFL Lobelia (K05)Returned to the RN, April 1947.
HMS Mimosa (K11)Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol11 May 1941FFL Mimosa (K11)Sunk by U-124, 9 June 1942[8]
HMS Ranunculus (K117)W. Simons & Co., Renfrew28 July 1941FFL Renoncule (K117)Returned to the RN, 1947.
HMS Sundew (K57)J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen19 September 1941FFL Roselys (K57)Returned to RN, 1947.

Notes
  1. Le Masson 1969, p. 25.
  2. Le Masson 1969, p. 26.
  3. Chesneau 1980, p. 277.
  4. Elliott 1977, p. 188.
  5. Chesneau 1980, p. 227.
  6. Chesneau 1980, p. 62.
  7. Le Masson 1969, p. 28.
  8. Le Masson 1969, p. 30.

Sources
  • Blair, Clay (2000) [1996]. Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942. Hitler's U-Boat War. 1. London: Cassell. ISBN 0-304-35260-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Blair, Clay (2000) [1998]. Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted 1942–1945. Hitler's U-Boat War. 2. London: Cassell. ISBN 0-304-35261-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Chesneau, Roger (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Publishing. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Elliott, Peter (1977). Allied Escort Ships of World War II. ISBN 0-356-08401-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Le Masson, Henri (1969). The French Navy. Navies of the Second World War. 2. London: MacDonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd. pp. 25–30. ISBN 9780356023847.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Neistle, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses during World War II. ISBN 1-85367-352-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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