FLOWER-Class corvette
ordered from J Crown of Sunderland on 31st August 1939. She was laid down on 27th December that year and
was launched on 19th August 1940 as the second RN ship to bear the name. It had
been first used in 1915 at the launch of an ACACIA-Class
Sloop sold in 1930. Build of this ship was completed 19th November 1940. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
Campaign in March 1942 this Corvette was adopted by the
civil community of Abergele in Denbighshire. The loss of this corvette so soon
afterwards will have prevented the establishment of close links
with the community.
B a t t l e H
o n o u r
ATLANTIC 1940-41
H e r a l d i c
D a t a
In common with many other warships commissioned for
service
during
WW2 and which carried a name not previously borne by
a warship
no formal approval was given by the Admiralty for use
of a
Ships Badge. Many ships did however use an informal Badge.
S u m m a r y
o f W a r S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search
1 9 4 0
November Contractor’s trials and
commissioned for service
19th Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
On completion of trials taken in hand for degaussing in Middlesbrough.
Returned to Sunderland prior to taking passage to
Tobermory for work-up.
December Worked-up at Tobermory for
operational service with 3rd Escort Group.
20th Passage to Greenock to join Group for convoy defence in
Western Approaches Command.
26th Sailed from Clyde
and joined escort for
Convoy OB267.
1 9 4 1
January Detached from OB267 in 19
Degrees West and joined inward bound Convoy SL59 as
escort for passage to Clyde.
February Joined escort for Convoy
OB279.
3rd Convoy under attack by U107 during
which a freighter of 4,700 tons was sunk.
. (See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR, Volume 1
by C Blair)
4th U107 having shadowed the
convoy since the first sinking carried another attack sinking a
second ship of 5,00 tons. See reference above.
On release
from OB279 deployed for escort of Convoys HX104, and OB285, HX107.
(Note: Ships from HX107 which had left
this convoy fell victim to submarine attacks.
See reference.)
March Deployed for escort of
Convoys OB292 which had no losses.
During escort of Convoy SC23
sustained structural damage in heavy weather.
10th Taken in hand for repair
28th Deployed as escort for convoy
to Methil from Clyde and under unsuccessful air attack.
April Return passage to Clyde
from Forth and transferred with Group for Atlantic convoy
defence based in Iceland
Passage to Iceland.
13th Deployed for escort of Convoys HX122,
HX119 and.HX124
May Iceland deployment in continuation and joined Convoys OB 318
as escort with ships
of Group which joined ships of B7 Group already with convoy.
(Note: B7
remained with OB318 because of known threat of U-Boat attack.)
7th During escort of OB318 south
of Iceland took part in extensive
to operations against attacks
by U94, U110 and U210. See above reference.
10th Detached from escort to
stand-by torpedoed merchant ship.
(Note:
Merchant ship was later towed to Iceland by Dutch Tug ZWARTE ZEE.
This may have been ss EMPIRE CLOUD as recorded in HITLER'S U-BOAT
WAR, Volume 1 by C Blair)
Returned to Iceland to rejoin Group.
Special Note
on Convoy OB318
During May
9th when convoy was under sustained attack by U110, this submarine was
forced to surface after being extensively damaged by depth
charges from HM Destroyers
BULLDOG,
BROADWATER and HM Corvette AUBRETIA stationed on
the
other side of the convoy. U110 was subsequently boarded by a party from HMS
BULLDOG and
the ENIGMA coding machine with associated documentation were
recovered before U110 sank whilst in tow. For details of
this significant event in the
prosecution of the Battle of the Atlantic see above reference and BREAKING THE
ENIGMA by D Kahn. Many lives were saved by the capture of
this equipment as it
enabled German signals relating to attacks on convoys to be
de-encrypted.
HMS HOLLYHOCK
was deployed on the other side of the convoy and took no part
in the capture or later escort of U110.
24th Part of escort for Convoy SC31
during eastward passage to Clyde.
Later
detached and returned to Hvalfjord, Iceland for refuelling.
28th At Hvalfjord.
(Note: HM
Battleship PRINCE OF WALES, damaged in the action against German battleship
BISMARCK was at Hvalfjord under repair to allow return to UK.)
June Iceland deployment for convoy defence in continuation.
8th Part of escort for OB331 in NW
Approaches.
On detachment
took passage to join Convoy OB340 and then transferred for escort of
inward Convoy SC33 to UK.
Deployed with
ships of Group and based at Greenock.
July Deployed as part of
escort for Convoy HX134 during passage from Halifax in NW
Approaches.
8th Under refit in Clyde
commercial shipyard prior to foreign service.
August Refit in continuation
to September Nominated for convoy defence based at Freetown.
(Note: During
this refit radar equipment for detection of surface targets and land was
fitted. Structural changed were made to foc’sle which was
lengthened to provide
additional accommodation and improve habitability
.
For further details of the development and use of radar by the RN see
RADAR AT
SEA by D Howse. Information about Type 271 radar is also
available in SEEK
AND STRIKE by W
Hackmann. Minesweeping
equipment was also fitted.)
October
10th On completion of refit carried
out post refit trials and prepared for foreign service.
14th Joined HM Cutter BANFF and HM Cutter FISHGUARD for escort of outward Convoy
OS9 to Bathurst
Detached from
OS9 escort and returned to Clyde for repair of machinery defects.
15th On completion took passage from
Greenock to rejoin OS9.
25th Detached from escort of OS9 and
took passage to Ponta Delgado in the Azores
with
HMS LAMERTON to refuel.
(Note: HMS
LAMERTON may have joined from Gibraltar during Atlantic passage.
Neither of these types of escort were intended
for Ocean passages and no
replenishment at sea was practiced at this period.)
17th Passage from the Azores
to rejoin OS9
November
5th Detached from OS9 on arrival at
Freetown and joined Local Flotilla for defence of
convoys on passage locally to and from ports in West Africa.
16th Part of escort for Local Convoy
ST8 during passage from Freetown to Takoradi.
17th Took passage from Takoradi to
return to Freetown.
20th Nominated for Ocean Escort of
military convoy WS12Z with HM Destroyers
DULVERTON, SOUTHWOLD, HM Sloop MILFORD and HM Corvette VERBENA.
(Note: HM
Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN was attached to WS12Z Ocean Escort.
25th Retained at Freetown.
(Note: This
may have been due to defects.)
27th Took passage to join WS12Z.
December Escort of WS12Z in
continuation.
Detached
from WS12Z to refuel at Pointe Noire, Belgian Congo and
returned.
15th Detached from WS12Z on relief by HM Corvettes ASTER
and MARGUERITE.).
Took passage to Simonstown.
On arrival taken in hand for defect repair and boiler cleaning.
Retained at Cape
and deployed for Local Escort with HM Corvettes VERBENA,
HELIOTROPE, TULIP and ASTER. See ESCORT by DA Rayner)
1 9 4 2
January Nominated for convoy
defence in Indian Ocean
9th Joined military convoy WS14 as part of
Local Escort during passage from Cape of Good
Hope with HM
Corvette VERBENA
(Note: HMS
ROYAL SOVEREIGN provided battleship cover.)
10th Detached from WS14 and took
passage to Simonstown.
Under repair
at Simonstown after damage to rigging when mast was brought down by
wire from neighbouring ships whilst in alongside in harbour
during gale conditions.
February
4th Took passage from Simonstown to
Durban on completion of repairs.
7th On arrival at Durban transferred to Colombo
8th Took passage
from Durban to Colombo with call at Mauritius
16th Boiler cleaning at Colombo after arrival
28th Deployed at Colombo for convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
March Nominated for Local
Escort of military convoy SU1 during passage from Colombo.
1st Joined SU1 on departure from Colombo.
(Note: This
convoy of 12 troopships was taking ANZAC troops from service in the
Middle East back to Australia after the threat to Australia and New Zealand by the
Japanese. The Ocean Escort consisted of HM Battleship ROYAL
SOVEREIGN,
HM Cruiser CORNWALL, HM Destroyers EXPRESS, VAMPIRE (RAN)
NIZAM (RAN)) and HM Armed Merchant Cruiser MANOORA (RAN).
For details of
formation of the Eastern Fleet see Naval Staff History
Battle Summary No 15, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton and)
WAR WITH JAPAN , Volume2 (HMSO).
Detached
from SU1 and returned to Colombo.
2nd Deployed at Colombo for Local convoy defence
7th Escorted HM Armed Merchant
Cruiser RANCHI.
11th Arrived at Colombo after detaching from HMS RANCHI
13th Deployed with escort for Convoy C7
for passage to Trincomalee.
20th Arrived at Colombo on release from C7.
Nominated for
special duty as escort for ships carrying out minlaying operation
31st Called at Trincomalee on passage
to carry out minelay.
April Deployed for defence
of ships carrying out minelay in Palk
Strait between North coast of
Ceylon and mainland of India.
(Note: This
is not recorded in Naval Staff History (Mining) and it may be
assumed this was arranged by local authority.)
Returned to Trincomalee independently on
release.
Deployed for
escort of ss
ATHELSTANE a tanker requisitioned for
support of Fleet units during Indian Ocean search for Japanese force.
9th Sunk in attack by aircraft
from Japanese aircraft carrier SORYU 30
miles SSE of Batticaloa, Ceylon in position 7.30N
81.56E with loss
of 53 of the ship’s company. ss
ATHELSTONE was also sunk in the
Japanese air
attacks. One source indicates that 14 of the survivors
from the ship and other from ATHELSTANE crews were able to
reach
the coast of Ceylon in a boat from the tanker.
(Casualty
List - note on casualties)
(Note:
Japanese aircraft attacked Colombo
on 5th April and
Trincomalee on 9th April and had sunk HM Cruisers
CORNWALL and DORSETS HIRE on 5th April south of
Ceylon. HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES and HM Australian
Destroyer VAMPIRE were also sunk off Batticaloa on 9th
April by aircraft from other Japanese aircraft carriers. See References.)
Addenda
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
HOLLYHOCK
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
30/12/40
|
30/12/40
|
OB 267
|
02/01/41
|
02/01/41
|
15/12/40
|
02/01/41
|
SL 059S
|
05/01/41
|
07/01/41
|
12/01/41
|
12/01/41
|
OB 273
|
16/01/41
|
16/01/41
|
05/01/41
|
17/01/41
|
HX 101
|
21/01/41
|
22/01/41
|
28/01/41
|
28/01/41
|
OB 279
|
02/02/41
|
02/02/41
|
21/01/41
|
03/02/41
|
HX 104
|
08/02/41
|
08/02/41
|
11/02/41
|
11/02/41
|
OB 285
|
unknown
|
17/02/41
|
03/02/41
|
17/02/41
|
HX 107
|
20/02/41
|
28/02/41
|
27/02/41
|
27/02/41
|
OB 292
|
06/03/41
|
06/03/41
|
18/02/41
|
06/03/41
|
SC 023
|
10/03/41
|
09/03/41
|
13/04/41
|
14/04/41
|
OB 310
|
unknown
|
18/04/41
|
06/04/41
|
19/04/41
|
HX 119A
|
22/04/41
|
22/04/41
|
23/04/41
|
28/04/41
|
OB 314
|
30/04/41
|
30/04/41
|
20/04/41
|
29/04/41
|
HX 122
|
04/05/41
|
08/05/41
|
02/05/41
|
07/05/41
|
OB 318
|
10/05/41
|
10/05/41
|
30/04/41
|
11/05/41
|
HX 124
|
14/05/41
|
20/05/41
|
09/05/41
|
21/05/41
|
SC 031
|
24/05/41
|
30/05/41
|
08/06/41
|
08/06/41
|
OB 331
|
12/06/41
|
19/06/41
|
01/06/41
|
15/06/41
|
SC 033
|
20/06/41
|
21/06/41
|
27/06/41
|
27/06/41
|
OB 340
|
03/07/41
|
13/07/41
|
20/06/41
|
04/07/41
|
HX 134
|
09/07/41
|
09/07/41
|
20/06/41
|
04/07/41
|
SC 035
|
09/07/41
|
09/07/41
|
13/10/41
|
14/10/41
|
OS 009
|
05/11/41
|
05/11/41
|
11/11/41
|
11/11/41
|
ST 008
|
16/11/41
|
16/11/41
|
01/03/42
|
01/03/42
|
SU 001
|
03/03/42
|
15/03/42
|
13/03/42
|
13/03/42
|
C 007
|
15/03/42
|
15/03/42
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)