French Flower-class corvette explained

French Flower-class corvettes were those ships of the 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.

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 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on and 13.2 mm 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 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 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.

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.

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

Successes

Ships

French Navy (

Marine nationale)
First order
ShipBuilderCompletedFate
La BastiaiseSmiths Dock, South Bank, Middlesbrough22 June 1940Sunk by mine, 22 June 1940
La MalouineSmiths Dock30 July 1940Transferred to RN as
La DieppoiseSmiths Dock26 August 1940Transferred to RN as
La PaimpolaiseSmiths Dock26 September 1940Transferred to RN as
Second order, British yards
ShipBuilderCompletedFate
(J3840)Harland & Wolff, Belfast3 February 1941Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J3446)Harland & Wolff13 February 1941Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J3346)Harland & Wolff6 March 1941Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J3444)Harland & Wolff30 March 1941Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J3246)Harland & Wolff11 April 1941Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J3648)Harland & Wolff12 May 1941Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J4002)Smiths Dock16 January 1941Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J4009)Smiths Dock18 November 1940Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J4020)Smiths Dock10 December 1940Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J4026)Smiths Dock18 February 1941Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J4030)Smiths Dock7 March 1941Taken over by RN. Renamed
(J4034)Smiths Dock30 March 1941Taken over by RN. Renamed
Second order, French yards
ShipBuilderCompletedFate
ArquebuseChantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët5 April 1944Seized by Germany Completed as
HallebardeChantiere de St Nazaire-PenhoëtSeptember 1943Seized by Germany Completed as
SabreChantiere de St Nazaire-Penhoët16 November 1943Seized by Germany Completed as
PoignardChantiere de St Nazaire-PenhoëtSeized by Germany as
TromblonAteliers et Chantiers de France, DunkerqueCancelled 1940 and broken up on stocks.
JavelineAteliers et Chantiers de France, DunkerqueCancelled 1940 and broken up on stocks.

Free French Navy (

Forces navales françaises libres (FNFL))
Flower-class corvettes transferred to the Free French Navy
ShipBuilderCompletedRenamedFate
AconiteK58Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Troon23 July 1941Returned to RN, 30 April 1947.
AlyssumK100George Brown & Co., Greenock17 June 1941Sunk by, 10 February 1942
K93Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol23 May 1942Returned to RN, 31 May 1947.
CorianderK183Hall, Russell & Co., Aberdeen16 September 1941Returned to RN, 1947.
ChrysanthemumK195Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast15 January 1942Returned to the RN, May 1947.
LobeliaK05Alexander Hall and Sons, Aberdeen16 July 1941Returned to the RN, April 1947.
MimosaK11Charles Hill & Sons Ltd., Bristol11 May 1941Sunk by, 9 June 1942
RanunculusK117W. Simons & Co., Renfrew28 July 1941Returned to the RN, 1947.
SundewK57J. Lewis & Sons Ltd., Aberdeen19 September 1941Returned to RN, 1947.

Sources

Notes and References

  1. David K. Brown, Atlantic Escorts, Seaforth Publishing, 2022.

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