FLOWER-Class Corvette ordered on 15th December 1939 in the 1939
Build Programme from Smiths Dock, Middlesbrough and laid down as Job Number 4211
(Yard Number 1096) on 4th February 1941. The ship was launched on 27th May that
year and was the 1st RN warship to carry the name. Build was completed on 11th
August 1941 and after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign in February 1942 this ship was adopted
by the civil community of Dukinfield, then in the
county of Cheshire but now in the Tameside Borough of Greater Manchester.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1941-45 -
ENGLISH CHANNEL 1945
H e r
a l d i c D a
t a
The Admiralty Heraldic Crest Record does not include any
details for this ship. This is not
unusual for a smaller war time
build,. but
many did however have an unofficial badge,
sometimes it incorporated the flower
after which the ship
was named.
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 1
August Contractors trials and commissioning.
Nominated for service in
37th Escort Group.
11th Build completion date and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
Passage
to Tobermory after completion of trials and storing.
September Passage
to join Group on completion of work-up for operational service
October
Deployed with Group for escort of OS Series convoys to West Africa and returning SL Series
to Liverpool.
(Note:
Other ships in this Group were HM Sloops BLACK SWAN,, FOWEY, HM Corvettes
BLUEBELL, CAMPANULA, CARNATION, HELIOTROPE, MALLOW, MYOSOTIS
AND
Free French LA MALOUINE.
November Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation with Group.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January Atlantic convoy defence in continuation with Group.
to (Note: For details of
U-Boat operations see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO)., THE
December
BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C
Blair
1 9 4 3
January Atlantic convoy defence with Group
in continuation
to (Note: For details of
development of weapons and radar as well as of tactic used for attacks and
February
defence of convoys see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann,
BUSINESS IN GREAT
WATERS by J Terraine, RADAR AT SEA by D Howse and above references.)
Nominated for service at Freetown for Local Escort.
March Deployed as part of escort for
Convoy OS45 for passage to Freetown.
April
3rd During defence of convoy carried
out attacks on U124 with HMS BLACK SWAN.
Sank U124 by depth
charge attacks in position 41.02N 15.39W (W of Oporto)
There were no
survivors from U124. (See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
May Atlantic convoy defence in continuation with Group.
to Deployed
for escort of Freetown route convoys with ships of Group
July. (Note: HM Sloops FOWEY, STORK
and DEPTFORD were part of 37th Escort Group by this period
and
also two Free French corvettes.)
August Part of
escort for outward Convoy SL135 during passage to Liverpool.
30th During
defence of convoy carried out attacks on U634 with HM Sloop STORK.
(Note: U634
was sunk by depth charge attacks west of Cape Finisterre in position 40.39N 19.24W
There were no survivors)
September Group
deployment for Atlantic convoy defence based at Freetown in continuation.
to
December
1
9 4 4
January Convoy defence based at Freetown with
Group in continuation
.to Transferred for service
at Gibraltar.
December (Note: No longer part of 37th Escort
Group.)
1 9 4 5
January Transferred to Home waters for convoy
defence.
to (Note: During this period a
significant increase in attacks on convoys in English Channel and Irish
May Sea by SCHNORKEL
fitted submarines which made necessary extensive reinforcement of
escorts In Home
waters.
(See
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Bamett.)
June Home waters deployment in
continuation
to Nominated to Pay-off and reduce to Reserve Status.
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS STONECROP was paid off and reduced to Reserve after VE Day and
laid up. The ship was placed on the Disposal List in 1946 and sold for use as a mercantile on 17th May 1947. She
was renamed ss SILVER KING on purchase and was
renamed MARTHA VINKE when transferred to a new owner in 1950. Details of final
disposal cannot be traced.
Addenda
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of
HMS
STONECROP
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
29/08/41
|
29/08/41
|
OG 073
|
13/09/41
|
13/09/41
|
17/09/41
|
17/09/41
|
HG 073
|
30/09/41
|
01/10/41
|
13/10/41
|
14/10/41
|
OS 009
|
01/11/41
|
05/11/41
|
24/10/41
|
24/10/41
|
OS 009G
|
01/11/41
|
01/11/41
|
01/11/41
|
01/11/41
|
SL 091G
|
08/11/41
|
08/11/41
|
08/11/41
|
08/11/41
|
SL 091G1
|
12/11/41
|
12/11/41
|
12/11/41
|
12/11/41
|
SL 091GF
|
18/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
25/11/41
|
28/11/41
|
OG 077
|
13/12/41
|
13/12/41
|
31/12/41
|
31/12/41
|
HG 077
|
12/01/42
|
12/01/42
|
26/01/42
|
27/01/42
|
OG 079
|
07/02/42
|
07/02/42
|
22/02/42
|
22/02/42
|
HG 079
|
06/03/42
|
06/03/42
|
17/03/42
|
17/03/42
|
OG 081
|
29/03/42
|
29/03/42
|
05/04/42
|
05/04/42
|
HG 081
|
unknown
|
15/04/42
|
30/04/42
|
08/05/42
|
OG 083
|
09/05/42
|
11/05/42
|
04/05/42
|
18/05/42
|
SL 109
|
28/05/42
|
28/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
HG 083
|
07/06/42
|
07/06/42
|
13/06/42
|
14/06/42
|
OG 085
|
25/06/42
|
25/06/42
|
30/06/42
|
30/06/42
|
HG 085
|
12/07/42
|
12/07/42
|
20/07/42
|
20/07/42
|
OG 087
|
03/08/42
|
03/08/42
|
07/08/42
|
07/08/42
|
HG 087
|
28/08/42
|
18/08/42
|
08/11/42
|
08/11/42
|
KMS 003G
|
22/11/42
|
26/11/42
|
21/11/42
|
24/11/42
|
MKS 002
|
03/12/42
|
03/12/42
|
24/03/43
|
27/03/43
|
OS 045
|
14/04/43
|
14/04/43
|
20/04/43
|
20/04/43
|
SL 128
|
04/05/43
|
03/05/43
|
03/05/43
|
04/05/43
|
SL 128MK
|
10/05/43
|
14/05/43
|
21/05/43
|
21/05/43
|
OS 048KM
|
29/05/43
|
29/05/43
|
29/05/43
|
29/05/43
|
OS 048
|
07/06/43
|
07/06/43
|
13/06/43
|
13/06/43
|
SL 131
|
24/06/43
|
24/06/43
|
24/06/43
|
24/06/43
|
SL 131MK
|
04/07/43
|
04/07/43
|
19/07/43
|
21/07/43
|
OS 052KM
|
28/07/43
|
28/07/43
|
28/07/43
|
28/07/43
|
OS 052
|
07/08/43
|
07/08/43
|
14/08/43
|
14/08/43
|
SL 135
|
26/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
SL 135MK
|
06/09/43
|
06/09/43
|
05/09/43
|
16/09/43
|
XK 011
|
20/09/43
|
20/09/43
|
07/10/43
|
07/10/43
|
OS 056KM
|
18/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
OS 056
|
28/10/43
|
29/10/43
|
02/11/43
|
02/11/43
|
SL 139
|
16/11/43
|
14/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
OS 059
|
08/12/43
|
08/12/43
|
12/12/43
|
12/12/43
|
SL 143
|
25/12/43
|
25/12/43
|
07/01/44
|
08/01/44
|
OS 063
|
17/01/44
|
17/01/44
|
22/01/44
|
22/01/44
|
SL 147
|
02/02/44
|
02/02/44
|
15/02/44
|
15/02/44
|
OS 067
|
26/02/44
|
26/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
02/03/44
|
SL 151
|
14/03/44
|
14/03/44
|
25/03/44
|
25/03/44
|
OS 071
|
04/04/44
|
04/04/44
|
11/04/44
|
11/04/44
|
SL 155
|
23/04/44
|
23/04/44
|
04/05/44
|
04/05/44
|
OS 075
|
14/05/44
|
14/05/44
|
17/05/44
|
17/05/44
|
SL 159
|
20/05/44
|
31/05/44
|
10/10/44
|
10/10/44
|
OS 091
|
19/10/44
|
19/10/44
|
28/10/44
|
28/10/44
|
SL 175
|
08/11/44
|
08/11/44
|
22/11/44
|
22/11/44
|
KMS 069G
|
23/11/44
|
23/11/44
|
23/11/44
|
23/11/44
|
KMS 069
|
27/11/44
|
27/11/44
|
10/01/45
|
13/01/45
|
MKS 076G
|
18/01/45
|
21/01/45
|
22/01/45
|
22/01/45
|
TBC 046
|
25/01/45
|
25/01/45
|
27/01/45
|
27/01/45
|
OS 107KM
|
30/01/45
|
30/01/45
|
26/01/45
|
27/01/45
|
ON 281
|
27/01/45
|
12/02/45
|
25/01/45
|
29/01/45
|
MKS 079G
|
02/02/45
|
02/02/45
|
05/02/45
|
05/02/45
|
ON 283
|
08/02/45
|
27/02/45
|
28/01/45
|
09/02/45
|
HX 335
|
11/02/45
|
10/02/45
|
17/02/45
|
17/02/45
|
OS 111KM
|
20/02/45
|
21/02/45
|
14/02/45
|
20/02/45
|
MKS 083G
|
22/02/45
|
22/02/45
|
25/02/45
|
25/02/45
|
OS 113KM
|
01/03/45
|
06/03/45
|
24/02/45
|
01/03/45
|
MKS 085G
|
03/03/45
|
03/03/45
|
07/03/45
|
07/03/45
|
ON 289
|
12/03/45
|
25/03/45
|
17/03/45
|
17/03/45
|
OS 117KM
|
21/03/45
|
26/03/45
|
16/03/45
|
21/03/45
|
MKS 089G
|
24/03/45
|
24/03/45
|
01/04/45
|
01/04/45
|
ON 294
|
05/04/45
|
20/04/45
|
01/04/45
|
05/04/45
|
MKS 092G
|
08/04/45
|
08/04/45
|
05/04/45
|
10/04/45
|
MKS 093G
|
13/04/45
|
14/04/45
|
12/04/45
|
12/04/45
|
ON 296
|
14/04/45
|
30/04/45
|
21/04/45
|
22/04/45
|
OS 124KM
|
25/04/45
|
27/04/45
|
20/04/45
|
25/04/45
|
MKS 096G
|
28/04/45
|
28/04/45
|
26/04/45
|
26/04/45
|
ON 299
|
30/04/45
|
13/05/45
|
18/04/45
|
02/05/45
|
HX 351
|
04/05/45
|
03/05/45
|
07/05/45
|
07/05/45
|
OS 127KM
|
10/05/45
|
13/05/45
|
05/05/45
|
10/05/45
|
MKS 099G
|
12/05/45
|
12/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)