FLOWER
Class corvette
ordered from G Brown of Greenock on 25th
July 1939.
She was laid
down
on 27th October that year and was launched
on 5 September 1940
as the second RN warship to bear this name.
It had
been introduced in 1916 for a Sloop which
served as a Q-Ship during WW1 (Q23)
and
was
sold in 1922. Build of this ship was
completed on 23rd December
1940. In November 1941 she
was adopted by the civil community of
Horsforth, Yorkshire
after a very successful
WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings
Campaign which raised £241,000, over twice
the target figure of £120,000.
The population of this
community in 1931 was 11,000.
B
a t t l e H
o n o u r s
ATLANTIC
1941-45 - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43 -
SOUTH FRANCE
1944 - MEDITERRANEAN
1944
H e r a l d i c
D a t a
In
common with other ships of this Class no
details
are recorded in
the
Official List of Crests. As this ship name
had previously been
been
used, this is unusual, but the earlier Sloop
had not seen
lengthy
peace-time service.
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
December
Contractors trials and commissioning.
23rd
Build completion and
commenced Acceptance Trials
1
9 4 1
January
On
completion of trials and storing took
passage to Tobermory to
work-up for operational
service.
February
Joined
3rd Escort Group, Western Approaches Command
based at Greenock
for escort of
Atlantic
convoys.
(Note:
Other Ships deployed with this Group during
1941 included HM
Destroyers
AMAZON,
AMBUSCADE, BELMONT, BULLDOG, GEORGETOWN, HM
Corvette
HEARTSEASE, Free French Corvettes ACONIT,
ROSELYS and
RENONCULE.
For
details of Atlantic convoy defence see THE
BATTLE OF THE
ATLANTIC
by D Macintyre and U-BOAT WAR IN THE
ATLANTIC
(HMSO). )
March
Deployed
with Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
to April
May
Part
of escort for Convoy OB318 with ships of
Group.
15th
Under attack by U110
which sank two ships in convoy from position
outside the screen.
Carried
out depth charge attacks with HMS BULLDOG
and HMS BROADWAY after
sighting
periscope which forced submarine to surface.
Submarine
crew abandoned ship because of the extent of
damage inflicted.
Ramming
attack by HMS BULLDOG was called off when it
was perceived that
a boarding
attempt
could be made.
The
Boarding party retrieved the ENIGMA machine
and documentation from
U110.
HMS
BULLDOG established tow but the submarine
foundered during passage
to Iceland,
(Note:
Information recently made public suggests
that this eventuality
was foreseen and
standing
orders to Senior Officers of Escort Groups
required an attempt
to be
made
to board any submarine to obtain equipment
and documentation
relating to
German
coding methods using the ENIGMA machine, if
conditions allowed
For
details of this most successful operation
see BREAKING THE ENIGMA by
D
Kahn and U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
June
8th
Deployed with
HM Destroyers ASSINIBOINE (RCN), BULLDOG, HM
Corvettes
ARROWHEAD
(RCN), CARNATION, HOLLYHOCK, PRIMROSE and
three anti-
submarine
trawlers as escort for outward Convoy OB 331
during passage
from Liverpool
to
Halifax
9th
HM Fleet
Minesweepers BRITOMART, SALAMANDER and CAM
ship ARIGUANI
12th
Detached on relief by HM
Sloops ABERDEEN, LONDONDERRY and HM Corvette
CAMELLIA
and took passage to join inward Convoy SC33
as escort during
passage to
Liverpool.
15th
Joined SC33 as escort
with HM Destroyer BULLDOG, HM Corvettes
AUBRETIA,
CARNATION,
HM Cutter BANFF, HM Fleet Minesweepers
BRITOMART, SALAMANDER,
CAM
ship ARIGUANI, and two anti submarine
trawlers
20th
Detached from SC33.
(Note
: Fleet Minesweepers remained for Local
Escort into Liverpool.)
July
5th
Joined inward
Convoy HX134 for Local Escort into Liverpool
with HM Destroyer
BULLDOG.
8th
Detached from
HX134 before arrival at Liverpool.
11th
Joined outward Convoy
OB345 with HM Destroyers ARROW, BULLDOG, and
GEORGETOWN,
destroyers ARROW, BULLDOG, and GEORGETOWN,
HM Corvette
NIGELLA,
and anti submarine trawler ST APOLLO.
16th
Detached from OB345 and
took passage to join inward Convoy HX137 as
escort during
passage into Liverpool.
22nd
Detached from HX137 on arrival
at Liverpool.
28th
Joined outward Convoy
ON2 with Polish destroyer ORP BURZA, HM
Corvettes NIGELLA,
SNOWDROP,
HM Fleet Minesweeper BRITOMART, and three
anti submarine
trawlers as
escort
during passage to dispersal point.
August
2nd
Detached from ON2 on relief by Canadian
escorts.
15th
Joined outward Convoy
ON7 with HM Destroyers AMAZON, BULLDOG,
Polish ORP
BURZA,
GEORGETOWN, HM Corvettes HEARTSEASE,
NIGELLA, HM Fleet Minesweeper
BRITOMART,
and four anti submarine trawlers
as
escort during initial stage of passage from
Liverpool to dispersal
point in western Atlantic.
22nd
Joined inward Convoy HX144 with HM
Destroyers AMAZON, BELMONT, BULLDOG,
GEORGETOWN, SKATE, WESTCOTT,
WHITEHALL, WITCH, HM
Corvettes
HEARTSEASE,
minesweeper BRITOMART, and four anti
submarine trawlers.
28th
Detached from HX144
escort before arrival at Liverpool.
September
4th
Joined
outward Convoy ON12 as escort for initial
stage of passage from
Liverpool with
HM
Destroyers AMAZON, AMBUSCADE, BELMONT,
BULLDOG, Free French
Corvette
ACONIT and HM Corvette NIGELLA,
14th
Detached with escort on
dispersal.
October
Atlantic
convoy defence with Group in continuation.
to
(Note
: Refit during this period to be confirmed.)
November.
December
9th
Joined
outward Convoy ON45 with HM Destroy
WANDERER, HM Corvette HEARTSEASE
Free
French Corvette ROSELYS, and three anti
submarine trawlers as
escort during passage
from
Liverpool to dispersal point.
16th
Detached on dispersal
and took passage to join inward Convoy HC164
as escort during
passage
into Liverpool.
18th
Joined HX164 with Free
French Corvette ROSELYS.
22nd
Detached from HX164 before
arrival in Liverpool.
1
9 4 2
January
5th
Joined
outward Convoy ON53 with
HM
Destroyer WANDERER, Free French corvettes
DAUPHIN,
RENONCULE, ROSELYS. and HM Corvette VERVAIN
to reinforce Local Escort
during
passage from Liverpool.
9th
Detached from ON53 with escort on relief by
US Navy destroyers,
11th
Joined escort for inward
Convoy HX168
13th
Detached from HX168.
February
23rd
Joined outward Convoy
OS20 with HM sloops HASTINGS, LONDONDERRY,
HM Cutters
LANDGUARD,
LULWORTH, HM Corvette SNOWDROP, Free French
Corvette
COMMANDANT
DETROYAT as escort during passage to
Freetown.
March
10th
Freetown Local Escort
joined OS20.
12th
Detached from OS20 with
Local Escort and HMS SNOWDROP on arrival at
Freetown.
14th
Deployed with HM
Destroyers BRILLIANT, WIVERN, HM Corvettes
BURDOCK,
TAMARISK
and WALLFLOWER as Local Escort for outward
Convoy SL103 during initial
stage
of passage from
Freetown to Liverpool.
19th
Detached from SL103 with
HMS TAMARISK
Joined
inward Convoy OS21 with HM Destroyer WIVERN
and HM Corvette
TAMARISK
as
Local Escort during passage into Freetown.
24th
Detached from OS21 with
escort on arrival at Freetown
April
Atlantic
Convoy defence based at Freetown in
continuation
to
Nominated
for support of planned allied landings in
North Africa
(Operation TORCH)
September
October
Passage
to Gibraltar for escort of assault convoys.
(Note
: Ship may have been part of escort for
military convoy during
Atlantic passage.)
November
Deployed at Gibraltar.
Preparation
and briefing for TORCH duties
8th
Part of
escort for assault convoy.
On
completion deployed for escort of follow-up
convoys.
December
Deployed for escort at Gibraltar for coastal
traffic and patrol off Gibraltar.
1
9 4 3
January
Mediterranean
convoy escort and patrol in continuation.
to
June
Nominated
for transfer to 41st Escort Group.
July
Deployed
with HM Sloops BIDEFORD, FLEETWOOD, HM
Cutter BANFF,
to December
HM Frigates ODZANI, BARLE, HM Corvettes
CYCLAMEN and STONECROP
for
defence of convoys during Atlantic passage
to and from Freetown.
1
9 4 4
January
Atlantic
convoy defence in continuation
to April
May
Deployed
at Gibraltar
for patrol and convoy defence.
15th
Carried out search with
HM Patrol Vessel KILMARNOCK
and HM Trawler
BLACKFLY
for submarine detected by US Navy CATALINA
aircraft using
MAD
(Magnetic Anomaly Detection) equipment.
Took
part in depth charge and HEDGEHOG mortar
attacks on U731 in
position
35.54N
05.45W, north of Cape Spartel in Straits of
Gibraltar.
Submarine
was sunk with no survivors.
June
Mediterranean
area deployment in continuation.
Nominated
for convoy escort during planned landings in
South France.
(Operation
DRAGOON – formerly ANVIL)
July
Passage
to Taranto and preparation for landings
Briefing
for DRAGOON at Taranto and allocated for
escort of Convoy TM1
(Note:
RN Ships were under overall US Navy Command,
For details see
INVASION
OF THE SOUTH FRANCE (HMSO) and Naval Staff
History.
Only
one other Corvette HMS COLUMBINE took part.)
August
Deployed at Taranto
10th
Sailed as escort for
Convoy TM1 with HM Escort Destroyer
FARNDALE,
HM
Corvette COLUMBINE, Free French destroyers
TEMPETE, L’ALCYON,
Escorteurs
SOMALI, TUNISIEN, Escort Sloops LA
MOQUEUSE,
LA GRACIEUSE.
LA
BOUDEUESE, COMMANDANT DELAGE, COMMANDANT
BORY and
COMMANDANT
DOMINE during passage to Assembly Area for
landings.
(Note:
Convoy Route 2 was used and speed required
was 7 ½ knots.
Convoy
comprised 40 mercantiles carrying stores and
equipment.)
16th
Arrived in Assembly area
with TM1.
September
Deployed
for convoy defence in western Mediterranean.
to
October
On release from DRAGOON reverted to RN
control.
November
Convoy escort deployment in continuation.
to December
1
9 4 5
January
Convoy
escort and patrol in continuation.
to
April
(Note:
In view of the award of Battle Honour
ATLANTIC 1941-45 it may
be
assumed that the ship remained in Western
Approaches Command
and
was deployed in defence of attacks by
SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boats
which
were concentrating on convoys in coastal
waters of UK.
See
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith, HITLER’S
U-BOAT WAR
by
C Blair. U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO)
and ENGAGE
THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY BY C Barnett.
This
period is insufficiently researched.)
May
Nominated
for reduction to Reserve status after VE
Day.
to
August
Paid-off and de-stored prior to lay-up.
P
o s t W a
r
N o t e s
HMS
AUBRETIA was placed on
the Disposal List by 1947 and sold in 1948
to a Norwegian shipping
company
for use as a mercantile. Renamed ARNFINN
BERGAN she
remained in service until December
1966
when sold for
breaking-up in Norway.
Addenda
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of
HMS
AUBRETIA
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
12/01/41
|
12/01/41
|
OB
273
|
16/01/41
|
16/01/41
|
05/01/41
|
17/01/41
|
HX
101
|
unknown
|
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
|
06/02/41
|
08/02/41
|
18/02/41
|
06/03/41
|
SC
023
|
09/03/41
|
09/03/41
|
13/04/41
|
14/04/41
|
OB
310
|
unknown
|
18/04/41
|
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
|
08/07/41
|
09/07/41
|
20/06/41
|
04/07/41
|
SC
035
|
09/07/41
|
09/07/41
|
11/07/41
|
11/07/41
|
OB
345
|
16/07/41
|
26/07/41
|
06/07/41
|
17/07/41
|
HX
137
|
22/07/41
|
22/07/41
|
27/07/41
|
28/07/41
|
ON
002
|
02/08/41
|
08/08/41
|
22/07/41
|
02/08/41
|
HX
140
|
unknown
|
06/08/41
|
22/07/41
|
02/08/41
|
SC
038
|
06/08/41
|
08/08/41
|
15/08/41
|
16/08/41
|
ON
007
|
21/08/41
|
25/08/41
|
10/08/41
|
22/08/41
|
HX
144
|
28/08/41
|
30/08/41
|
01/09/41
|
04/09/41
|
ON
012
|
07/09/41
|
14/09/41
|
29/08/41
|
08/09/41
|
HX
147
|
12/09/41
|
12/09/41
|
09/12/41
|
09/12/41
|
ON
045
|
16/12/41
|
16/12/41
|
08/12/41
|
18/12/41
|
HX
164
|
22/12/41
|
23/12/41
|
02/01/42
|
05/01/42
|
ON
053
|
09/01/42
|
19/01/42
|
02/01/42
|
12/01/42
|
HX
168
|
13/01/42
|
13/01/42
|
23/01/42
|
24/01/42
|
ON
059
|
29/01/42
|
06/02/42
|
26/01/42
|
04/02/42
|
HX
172
|
07/02/42
|
07/02/42
|
22/02/42
|
23/02/42
|
OS
020
|
12/03/42
|
12/03/42
|
14/03/42
|
14/03/42
|
SL
103
|
19/03/42
|
02/04/42
|
04/03/42
|
19/03/42
|
OS
021
|
24/03/42
|
24/03/42
|
13/03/42
|
30/03/42
|
OS
022
|
01/04/42
|
01/04/42
|
09/04/42
|
09/04/42
|
SL
106
|
10/04/42
|
02/05/42
|
24/03/42
|
10/04/42
|
OS
023
|
11/04/42
|
11/04/42
|
12/04/42
|
12/04/42
|
LS
002
|
18/04/42
|
18/04/42
|
02/04/42
|
20/04/42
|
OS
024
|
22/04/42
|
22/04/42
|
26/04/42
|
26/04/42
|
SL
108
|
26/04/42
|
19/05/42
|
12/04/42
|
28/04/42
|
OS
025
|
29/04/42
|
29/04/42
|
13/05/42
|
13/05/42
|
LS
005
|
20/05/42
|
20/05/42
|
02/05/42
|
18/05/42
|
OS
027
|
19/05/42
|
19/05/42
|
28/05/42
|
28/05/42
|
ST
024
|
01/06/42
|
01/06/42
|
01/06/42
|
01/06/42
|
LS
007
|
07/06/42
|
07/06/42
|
15/06/42
|
15/06/42
|
SL
113
|
17/06/42
|
05/07/42
|
01/06/42
|
17/06/42
|
OS
030
|
19/06/42
|
19/06/42
|
26/06/42
|
26/06/42
|
ST
027
|
02/07/42
|
02/07/42
|
02/07/42
|
02/07/42
|
LS
010
|
07/07/42
|
07/07/42
|
11/07/42
|
26/07/42
|
OS
034
|
27/07/42
|
30/07/42
|
25/07/42
|
27/07/42
|
SL
117
|
15/08/42
|
15/08/42
|
30/10/42
|
02/11/42
|
KX
005
|
10/11/42
|
10/11/42
|
11/11/42
|
11/11/42
|
TE
003
|
13/11/42
|
13/11/42
|
19/11/42
|
19/11/42
|
ET
001
|
20/11/42
|
20/11/42
|
21/11/42
|
24/11/42
|
MKS
002
|
03/12/42
|
03/12/42
|
24/12/42
|
24/12/42
|
KMS
006G
|
05/01/43
|
09/01/43
|
05/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
MKS
005
|
22/01/43
|
22/01/43
|
06/02/43
|
06/02/43
|
KMS
009G
|
16/02/43
|
20/02/43
|
17/02/43
|
22/02/43
|
MKS
008
|
01/03/43
|
01/03/43
|
15/04/43
|
16/04/43
|
OS
046KM
|
23/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
OS
046
|
03/05/43
|
03/05/43
|
11/05/43
|
11/05/43
|
SL
129
|
24/05/43
|
23/05/43
|
24/05/43
|
24/05/43
|
SL
129MK
|
31/05/43
|
01/06/43
|
07/10/43
|
07/10/43
|
OS
056KM
|
18/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
12/11/43
|
12/11/43
|
SL
140
|
24/11/43
|
24/11/43
|
07/12/43
|
07/12/43
|
OS
060
|
18/12/43
|
18/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
SL
144
|
03/01/44
|
03/01/44
|
15/01/44
|
15/01/44
|
OS
064
|
26/01/44
|
26/01/44
|
01/02/44
|
01/02/44
|
SL
148
|
12/02/44
|
12/02/44
|
23/02/44
|
23/02/44
|
OS
068
|
05/03/44
|
05/03/44
|
13/03/44
|
13/03/44
|
SL
152
|
23/03/44
|
23/03/44
|
04/04/44
|
04/04/44
|
OS
072
|
14/04/44
|
14/04/44
|
21/04/44
|
21/04/44
|
SL
156
|
03/05/44
|
03/05/44
|
20/12/42
|
10/08/44
|
TM
001
|
16/08/44
|
14/01/43
|
18/08/44
|
18/08/44
|
SRM
002
|
21/08/44
|
19/08/44
|
19/08/44
|
19/08/44
|
SRM
003
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
30/09/44
|
07/10/44
|
SL
171MK
|
08/10/44
|
08/10/44
|
05/02/45
|
06/02/45
|
ON
283
|
unknown
|
27/02/45
|
06/02/45
|
07/02/45
|
OS
109KM
|
09/02/45
|
10/02/45
|
05/02/45
|
10/02/45
|
MKS
081G
|
13/02/45
|
13/02/45
|
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
|
03/03/45
|
04/03/45
|
OS
114KM
|
07/03/45
|
07/03/45
|
07/03/45
|
07/03/45
|
KMS
088G
|
11/03/45
|
11/03/45
|
16/03/45
|
16/03/45
|
MKS
089G
|
24/03/45
|
24/03/45
|
07/04/45
|
12/04/45
|
ON
295
|
13/04/45
|
26/04/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)