FLOWER-Class corvette
ordered from Harland and Wolff, at Belfast on 19 September 1939. She was laid down on 21st March 1940 and was launched on 2nd July 1940 as the first RN warship to bear this
name. Build was
completed on 22nd August 1940. The ship was adopted by the civil community of
the Rural District Dartford, Kent after a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings Campaign in February 1942. (Note: This ship, built to
the original design with a short foc’sle, was fitted for minesweeping using
wire sweeps and
also had fittings to enable towing operations to be undertaken.)
B a t t l e H
o n o u r
ATLANTIC 1940-44 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941 - SPARTIVENTO 1940
- LIBYA 1941-42 - MEDITERRANEAN 1943 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1945
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
August Contractor’s trials and
commissioned for service
Commanding Officer:
Lt. Cdr. A J C Pomeroy, RNVR.
22nd Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
27th On completion of Acceptance Trials and
storing took passage Tobermory.
September
7th Completed work-up and took passage to
joined Liverpool Escort force for convoy escort
in
Western Approaches.
13th Deployed with Liverpool Escort Force.
17th Part of escort for Convoy HX71 during
inward passage to Clyde.
24th Part of escort for outward convoy OB218.
25th Under attack by U14 during which tanker
ss STRATFORD was sunk and ss ASHANTIAN
damaged
after being torpedoed.
Searched
for survivors from these ships with HM Trawler WOLVES.
26th Rescued 54 survivors from STRATFORD and ASHANTIAN.
Escorted ss ASHANTIAN to Belfast and carried out anti-submarine search on passage.
October Deployed with escort for Outward
convoys OB218, OB 226, OB233, SL49 and inward HX81in
NW Approaches. Experienced heavy weather during passage.
November Nominated for transfer to Mediterranean for convoy escort.
2nd Returned to Liverpool after detaching from HX81
16th Took passage to Gibraltar with HM Corvettes HYACINTH, PEONY and SALVIA to join
10th Corvette Group based in Malta for convoy defence in the Mediterranean.
23rd Arrived at Gibraltar
25th Deployed as Close Escort for ss CLAN
FORBES, ss CLAN FRASER and ss NEW ZEALAND
STAR. during passage to Malta, covered by ships of Force H (Operation COLLAR)
(For details see THE
BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, MALTA
CONVOYS
by R Woodman and Naval Staff History.)
26th HM Cruisers MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON
deployed with Close Escort.
(Note: These two
ships had embarked troops at Gibraltar for passage to Malta.)
27th On approach of Italian Battle Group including
2 battleships, six cruisers and screen of 14
destroyers,
joined by HM Cruisers MANCHESTER, SOUTHAMPTON and COVENTRY,
HM Destroyers
DEFENDER, DIAMOND, GALLANT, GREYHOUND , HOTSPUR and
HEREWARD as escort for
mercantiles when ships of Force H from Gibraltar and Force D from
Alexandria
detached to engage enemy warships.
28th Under night attack by Italian torpedo
boat CALLIOPE during transit of Sicilian Narrows
but
torpedoes failed to hit any ship.
29th Detached with cruiser escort, CLAN
FRASER and CLAN FORBES for passage to Malta.
After
disembarkation of troops from cruisers took passage as escort for Convoy ME4
with
Mediterranean
Fleet ships.
(Note: ss NEW
ZEALAND STAR joined ME4 for passage to Alexandria.)
Formed
10th Escort Group with the other three Corvettes.
December Detached from ME4 off Crete
and took passage to Alexandria.
Deployed with 10th Escort Group for
convoy escort in Eastern
Mediterranean based at
Alexandria.
Escorted Convoys
AN10 and AN 11 to Piraeus from Egypt
(Operation LUSTRE –
Provision of military aid to Greece. See following references)
(Note: LL
minesweeping equipment was fitted for operations against magnetic mines)
1 9 4 1
January Passage from Suda Bay with HM Corvettes HYACINTH, PEONY and SALVIA to join
Convoy MW5 ½ as
part of escort.
7th Joined HM Cruiser CALCUTTA, HM Destroyers DEFENDER and DIAMOND in Force C
as
escort for supply ship HMS BRECONSHIRE and ss CLAN FRASER during passage to
Malta covered by ships of Mediterranean Fleet as Force A (Operation EXCESS – See above
references.)
10th Detached from MW5 ½ on arrival
off Malta and joined Convoy ME6 as escort for passage to
Alexandria. Part of Operation EXCESS)
(Note: This convoy
comprised 6 empty mercantiles and had been routed to the south of the
main EXCESS Convoy ME5 ½.)
11th HM Cruisers SOUTHAMPTON and GLOUCESTER with HM Destroyer DIAMOND sent to
provide
AA defence for ME6 came under heavy and sustained air attacks during which HMS
SOUTHAMPTON was hit and had to be sunk when fires became uncontrolled.
(Note: This
additional protection was provided following the attacks by German aircraft
on HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS and ships of Mediterranean Fleet escorting
ME5 ½ on 10th. See references.)
ME6 came under air
attack but no ship was damaged.
16th
Detached from ME6 on arrival in Egypt and returned to Suda Bay.
February Eastern Mediterranean escort for
convoys between Egypt and Piraeus.
March
4th Deployed with HM Cruiser COVENTRY, HM Destroyers HEREWARD, HOTSPUR and
STUART (RAN) for
escort of Convoy AN7 during passage from Egypt to Greece.
(Operation LUSTRE
– See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and
Naval
Staff History).
6th Under sustained daylight air attacks
until 7th.
23rd Return passage to Alexandria.
April
1st Part of escort for Convoy AN24 to
Pireaus with HM Destroyer NUBIAN and other Fleet
destroyers.
4th Carried out attack on submarine with HMS
NUBIAN, 170 miles south of Scarpanto, during
escort of AN24 to Piraeus. Assessed as
probable destruction.
On arrival
deployed for minesweeping off Piraeus and detonated five magnetic mines.
9th Minesweeping gear damaged with ss CLAN
FRASER was hit and blew up during air raid.
24th Took part in the evacuation of allied
troops from Greece.
(Operation DEMON
– See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff
History.)
Deployed with HM
Corvette SALVIA at Nauphlia
and Rafti.
25th Part of escort for evacuation convoy
AG13 taking troops to Suda Bay.
28th Evacuated troops from Kapsali Bay, Kithera with HM Sloop AUCKLAND and HMS
SALVIA. 700
personnel were rescued.
29th Part of escort for evacuation convoy
GA15 from Suda Bay to Alexandria.
May Nominated for escort of planned military
convoys for relief of Malta
(Operation MD4)
5th Deployed with HM Cruisers CARLISLE, COVENTRY, HM Tug ST ISSEY and HM
Whaler SWONA as escort for military convoy MW7B during passage from Alexandria.
covered by ships of Mediterranean Fleet (Operation TIGER –
See above references).
6th Convoy MW7B merged with following
Convoy MW7A.
8th Detached from escort with ships of MW7B
off Malta. Under unsuccessful attack by
Italian submarine SETTIMO.
9th Carried out minesweeping to clear
entrance to Grand
Harbour Malta after extensive
mining
by aircraft had prevented any entry or departure relating to passage of
military
convoy from Gibraltar to Egypt carrying tanks for 8th Army (Operation TIGER – See
above
references.)
(Note: Twelve
mines were detonated and enabled ships of Convoy MW7A and MW7B
to enter and destroyers of 5th Flotilla to
leave harbour.)
16th
Sustained damage after detonating acoustic mine during mine clearance
operation off
Malta
Awaiting repair
by HM Dockyard, Malta
June Retained in Malta pending repair which was delayed by extensive air
attacks on the
dockyard whose reduced facilities were already overstretched
by existing commitments
July Deployed in Malta.
17th Sustained further structural damage
after grounding.
August Under repair by HM Dockyard
Malta when work load allowed.
to Close range AA
armament increased to improve defence against air attacks.
October
November Deployed in Malta for local minesweeping operations
to December
1 9 4 2
January Resumed operational duties
as convoy escort.
17th Sailed from Malta with ships of Force K and detached and took passage
to Tobruk later.
18th Diverted on passage to assist supply
ship ss THERMOPYLAE which had detached from
Convoy MW8A
after machinery defects and was being escorted to Benghazi by HM
Cruiser CARLISLE, HM Destroyers ARROW, GRIFFIN, HASTY and HERO
19th Under air attack after joining escort
for THERMOPYLAE which was sunk.
Detached from
escort and took passage to Tobruk.
20th Passage to Alexandria with survivors from HM Destroyer GURKHA which had
been
sunk off Derna by a U-Boat on 13th
21st. Arrived at Alexandria to join Inshore Squadron
25th Deployed for escort of supply and
reinforcement convoys between Egypt and Tobruk.
(Note: Carried
stores and personnel and provided AA and A/S defence to ships on
passage
along North African coast.)
February Tobruk
convoy deployment in continuation.
11th Towed HM Escort Destroyer FARNDALE to
Mersa Matruh after being disabled in air
attack
on 9th off North African coast.
12th Part of escort for Convoy ME10
bringing HMS BRECONSHIRE and empty supply
ships to Alexandria
from Malta.
(Note: Increasing difficulties of ensuring
passage of convoys to and from Malta in
early 1942 is fully described in the references.)
March Tobruk
convoy escort in continuation.
29th Carried out anti-submarine
operations in defence of convoy on passage to Tobruk.
April Transferred for Levant
convoy escort
Commanding
Officer: Lt. AF Harkness, OBE, DSC, RN
7th Escorted ss
TONELINE and other mercantiles to Tobruk
10th Returned to Alexandria with HM Corvette ERICA.
16th Deployed for escort of convoys
between Alexandria, Haifa and Cyprus.
May Levant escort and
patrol duties in
continuation.
June
1st Resumed convoy defence and support
of Tobruk garrison.
(Note: Did
not take direct part in escort of Convoy MW11 (Operation VIGOROUS)
Ship remained on Tobruk escort duty. See references.)
16th At Tobruk
during heavy air raids.
Took passage
to Alexandria with HM Escort Destroyer TETCOTT and HM Corvette
SALVIA.
19th Redeployed for escort of Levant convoys.
July Levant convoy
defence and patrol in continuation.
August
16th Carried out attack on submarine
in position 31.47N
34,21E after sonar contact.
23rd Carried out anti submarine
operations with HM Trawler SOUTHERN MAID (SANF)
after aircraft reported attack on submarine
September Eastern Mediterranean
convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
October
18th Shot down Me109 aircraft with
20mm fire off Sfax, Tunisia.
November Eastern Mediterranean
deployment in continuation.
(Note: Malta convoy operations were no longer required and escort
was carried
out to Tobruk or Malta when taken over by ships based there or in
Gibraltar for passages in western Mediterranean.)
December Carried out maintenance,
boiler cleaning and essential defect repair at Port Said.
1 9 4 3
January
25th Resumed operational duties in Eastern Mediterranean based at Alexandria.
February
17th Deployed to assist HM Destroyer
PALADIN which had captured U205 after
depth charge attacks NW of Derna.
Took submarine in tow but this failed when it sank on passage.
March North African coast
convoy defence including passages to Malta continued
April
16th Taken in hand for refit
May
20th Resumed operational convoy defence.
June Deployed for escort
of North African coastal convoys
to
August
September Transferred to 49th Escort
Group based at Gibraltar for convoy defence in
Atlantic and
western Mediterranean for US military convoys to and from USA
with other routine traffic to Tunisian and Algerian ports.
Part of escort for military convoy MKS24 from UK and UG17 from USA.
October Part of escort for
Convoys UG17, MKS27 AND MKS29.
Commanding
Officer Lt. M C English, RNR.
November Part of escort for Convoys
GUS21 to Gibraltar and in Atlantic and UGS23 from USA.
December Part of escort for Convoys
UGS23, GUS24 and KMS35.
1 9 4 4
January Part of escort for Convoys
MKS37 and KMS39.
Commanding
Officer: Lt. D Perry, DSC, RNR.
February Part of escort for
Convoys KMS29 and GUS31
March Part of escort for
Convoy UGS33.
April Part of escort for Convoy
KMS46
(Note:
Radar Type 271 for surface warning had been fitted by this period.)_
May Part of escort for
Convoy MKS50.
June Part of escort for Convoys KMS52 and
GUS44.
July Part of escort
for Convoys GUS44, UGS45 and MKS56.
August Part of escort for
Convoys KMS58 and GUS50.
September Part of escort for UG51 and
GUS53.
October Part of escort for
Convoys UG54 and MKS65.
November Part of escort for Convoy
KMS67.
25th Transferred for service with 37th
Escort Group based at Brindisi for convoy defence
between Brindisi,
Ancona and Bari in Adriatic.
December Convoy defence with Group
in continuation.
1 9 4 5
January Adriatic deployment
with Group in continuation.
to Nominated for
return to UK
February
March
3rd Took passage to Portsmouth with call at Gibraltar
10th At Portsmouth
Nominated for convoy defence in English Channel.
(Note:
German SCHNORKEL fitted submarines were concentrating attacks on
focal assembly points in Channel for attacks on
shipping including
Atlantic convoys re-routed after removal of air threat from French
bases.)
April Channel deployment
based at Portsmouth in continuation.
May After VE Day future deployment under
consideration.
24th Withdrawn from service and took
passage from Portsmouth to Aberdeen for visit
prior to reduction to reserve status.
June Passage to Grangemouth to Pay-off and complete de-storing. prior to reduction to
Reserve status.
June Passage to lay-up
in Reserve Fleet at Rosyth.
6th Paid-off and reduced to Reserve.
July Laid-up at
Grangemouth
to
August
P o s t W a r
No t e s
HMS GLOXINIA remained at
Grangemouth and was placed on the Disposal List. Sold to BISCO in 1947
for demolition by Chicks at Purfleet, Essex where she
arrived in tow on 15th July that year.
Addenda
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
GLOXINIA
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
13/09/40
|
13/09/40
|
OB 213
|
unknown
|
18/09/40
|
05/09/40
|
16/09/40
|
HX 071
|
20/09/40
|
20/09/40
|
24/09/40
|
24/09/40
|
OB 218
|
26/09/40
|
29/09/40
|
27/09/40
|
unknown
|
SL 049
|
unknown
|
17/10/40
|
09/10/40
|
09/10/40
|
OB 226
|
12/10/40
|
12/10/40
|
23/10/40
|
23/10/40
|
OB 233
|
27/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
16/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
HX 081
|
01/11/40
|
02/11/40
|
25/11/40
|
25/11/40
|
COLLAR
|
28/11/40
|
28/11/40
|
05/05/41
|
06/05/41
|
MW 007B
|
09/05/41
|
09/05/41
|
27/01/42
|
27/01/42
|
TA 020/M
|
29/01/42
|
29/01/42
|
29/01/42
|
29/01/42
|
TA 021/M
|
31/01/42
|
31/01/42
|
08/02/42
|
08/02/42
|
AT 027/M
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
20/02/42
|
20/02/42
|
AT 029/M
|
23/02/42
|
unknown
|
23/02/42
|
23/02/42
|
TA 022/M
|
25/02/42
|
25/02/42
|
02/03/42
|
02/03/42
|
AT 032/M
|
04/03/42
|
04/03/42
|
04/03/42
|
04/03/42
|
TA 025/M
|
06/03/42
|
06/03/42
|
16/03/42
|
16/03/42
|
AT 034/M
|
18/03/42
|
18/03/42
|
18/03/42
|
18/03/42
|
TA 029/M
|
20/03/42
|
unknown
|
06/04/42
|
06/04/42
|
AT 037/M
|
08/04/42
|
08/04/42
|
09/04/42
|
09/04/42
|
TA 032/M
|
11/04/42
|
11/04/42
|
16/04/42
|
16/04/42
|
AT 039/M
|
18/04/42
|
18/04/42
|
18/04/42
|
18/04/42
|
TA 035/M
|
19/04/42
|
19/04/42
|
08/06/42
|
08/06/42
|
TA 047/M
|
09/06/42
|
09/06/42
|
17/06/42
|
17/06/42
|
TA 049/M
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
27/07/43
|
18/08/43
|
UGS 013
|
23/08/43
|
23/08/43
|
04/09/43
|
04/09/43
|
MKS 024
|
13/09/43
|
13/09/43
|
05/09/43
|
22/09/43
|
UGS 017
|
01/10/43
|
03/10/43
|
04/10/43
|
06/10/43
|
MKS 027
|
14/10/43
|
14/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
KMS 029
|
31/10/43
|
31/10/43
|
07/11/43
|
08/11/43
|
GUS 021
|
18/11/43
|
05/12/43
|
04/11/43
|
22/11/43
|
UGS 023
|
01/12/43
|
01/12/43
|
06/12/43
|
07/12/43
|
GUS 024
|
17/12/43
|
03/01/44
|
21/12/43
|
21/12/43
|
KMS 035
|
01/01/44
|
01/01/44
|
10/01/44
|
11/01/44
|
MKS 037
|
22/01/44
|
22/01/44
|
22/01/44
|
22/01/44
|
MKS 037G
|
23/01/44
|
23/01/44
|
28/01/44
|
28/01/44
|
KMS 039
|
06/02/44
|
07/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
GUS 031
|
22/02/44
|
18/03/44
|
13/02/44
|
03/03/44
|
UGS 033
|
12/03/44
|
12/03/44
|
06/04/44
|
06/04/44
|
KMS 046
|
16/04/44
|
16/04/44
|
19/05/44
|
20/05/44
|
MKS 050
|
31/05/44
|
31/05/44
|
06/06/44
|
06/06/44
|
KMS 052
|
15/06/44
|
16/06/44
|
24/06/44
|
25/06/44
|
GUS 044
|
01/07/44
|
18/07/44
|
12/06/44
|
01/07/44
|
UGS 045
|
07/07/44
|
07/07/44
|
18/07/44
|
19/07/44
|
MKS 056
|
29/07/44
|
29/07/44
|
02/08/44
|
02/08/44
|
KMS 058
|
11/10/84
|
12/08/44
|
23/08/44
|
24/08/44
|
GUS 050
|
30/08/44
|
18/09/44
|
13/08/44
|
02/09/44
|
UGS 051
|
08/09/44
|
08/09/44
|
22/09/44
|
24/09/44
|
GUS 053
|
28/09/44
|
17/10/44
|
12/09/44
|
03/10/44
|
UGS 054
|
09/10/44
|
10/10/44
|
16/10/44
|
17/10/44
|
MKS 065
|
28/10/44
|
28/10/44
|
02/11/44
|
06/11/44
|
KMS 067
|
12/11/44
|
12/11/44
|
16/04/45
|
16/04/45
|
WVC 124
|
17/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
BTC 131
|
20/04/45
|
20/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
VWC 129
|
18/04/45
|
18/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
TBC 131
|
20/04/45
|
20/04/45
|
22/04/45
|
22/04/45
|
VWC 134
|
23/04/45
|
23/04/45
|
08/05/45
|
08/05/45
|
BTC 152
|
11/05/45
|
11/05/45
|
14/05/45
|
14/05/45
|
TBC 158
|
17/05/45
|
17/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)