H. M. S. M I
G N O N E T T E
( M 3 8 )
“FLOWER” Class Corvette ordered
on 31 Aug 1939 from Hall Russel of Aberdeen and laid
down on 15 July 1940. The ship was launched on 28th January 1941 as the 2nd RN
major warship to baer the
name introduced in 1916 for a Sloop lost in 1917. Build was completed on 7th
May 1941 and she was ‘adopted ‘ by the civil
community of Bramhall,
Cheshire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1941-45 NORMANDY 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
No Badge is recorded in the official List of Crests.
This is not unusual for ships of this Class built during
WW2 but many had an unofficial Badge.
D e t
a i l s o
f W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 4
1
May
Contractors Trials
Nominated for service in Western Approaches.
7th Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials in Clyde.
Passage to Tobermory on completion of
trials and storing.
14th Worked
up for operational service at
Tobermory
Western Approaches deployment cancelled and
ship allocated for convoy defence based at
Freetown.
30th
On completion of work-up prepared for foreign service.
June Prepared
for foreign service at Greenock.
Sailed independently to
Freetown with refuelling in Azores
8th During
passage failed to receive Admiralty instruction to assist
ss ENSIS which had been
torpedoed.
19th Made
unsuccessful depth charge attack after sighting surfaced U-Boat.
Joined Freetown Escort Force
on arrival.
July Deployed at Freetown for Local convoy
defence.
13th Escorted inward convoy SL81
27th Detached from SL81 and returned to Freetown
August
15th Escorted
inward Convoy SL84 until 19.8.41
. 19th Detached
from SL84 and returned to Freetown
September
1st Joined HM Corvettes ARMERIA and WOODRUFF in
escort for military Convoy WS10X
3rd Detached
from WS10X and returned to Freetown with same ships.
On arrival at Freetown deployed on local coastal convoy escort between Freetown,
Lagos, Bathurst
and Takoradi
October Developed
leaking stem gland and other mechanical defects.
To be withdrawn for repair
in UK as beyond local resources.
8th Part of escort for inward convoy OS7 until 14.10.
20th Deployed with HM Destroyers VELOX, WRESTLER, HM Corvettes ANCHUSA
and
CALENDULA for Local Escort of military convoy WS12 during
initial stage of passage to Cape
Town.
. 27th Deployed
with escort for inward convoy SL91 to UK.
November
8th Detached with ships destined for Clyde and
designated SL91G.
19th. Detached from SL91G on arrival
20th Taken in hand for repair by Harland Wolff at Govan
December
Under repair.
(Note: Radar Type 271 fitted..
For details of development and
sue of radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
1 9 4 2
January Nominated
for duty in Western Approaches on completion.
15th
Carried out harbour and sea trials on completion of shipyard work.
18th.
Deployed as escort for outward Convoy OS57.
Temporary transferred
for convoy defence based in Iceland
Passage
to Iceland with HM Corvette GENISTA.
February Deployed
in Iceland for convoy defence.
25th Arrived
in Londonderry for boiler clean.
26th Sustained
major damage after being struck by ss GLENWOOD when
berthed alongside.
Taken in hand for repair,
March Nominated for transfer to 3rd British
Escort Group on completion.
30th
Carried out harbour and sea trials
April
Resumed operational service.
9th Deployed as escort for outward Convoy ON84
with Group.
22nd
Returned to Londonderry.
May
6th Deployed with escort for inward convoy HX188
until 15.5.42.
15th
Detached from HX188.
18th Transferred
to 2nd British Escort Group.
22nd Part of escort for
outward Convoy ON97 during Atlantic passage to
Mid-Ocean Meeting Point.
June Joined
inward Convoy SC86 for escort during Atlantic passage.
20th Detached from SC86 and returned to base.
26th Deployed with escort for outward Convoy
ON107 during Atlantic passage.
July
Deployed as escort for inward Convoy HX198.
23rd Detached from HX198 and returned to base,
August
1st
Deployed with escort for outward Convoy ON118
Deployed with escort for inward
Convoy HX203
27th. Detached from HX203 and returned to base.
29th. Taken in hand for refit
at Dowsons, South Shields.
(Note: During refit HEDGEHOG
anti-submarine Forward firing
Mortar fitted.)
September Under refit
October Damage sustained by collision with ss LEWIS CROSSTHWAITE
repaired during refit.
31st Carried out post refit trials on completion
of shipyard work.
November Rejoined B2
Group.
24th Deployed with escort
for outward Convoy ON148.
December Joined
escort for inward HX219 during passage to Liverpool.
29th Detached
from ON159 and returned to base.
1 9 4 3
January
4th Joined
outward Convoy ON160 as part of escort during Atlantic passage.
February Joined outward Convoy SC118 as part of escort
during Atlantic passage.
7th Under heavy and sustained U-Boat attacks
during which merchantiles ROBERT E
HOPKINS and TOWARD were sunk by U403
. (Note: For details of passage of SC118 see
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair
and U-BOAT
WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO)
10th Detached
from SC118 and returned to base.
March Transferred
to EG39 on formation with COLTSFOOT, SPIRAEA and BALSAM.
7th Deployed
for escort of outward OS44 with Group.
13th Under attack by U107
during which four mercantiles were sunk and another
after a
collision.
See ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Bamett, BATTLE
OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre)and above references.).
31st Escorted return convoy SL127 with Group
during passage to Liverpool.
(Note: Cover against threat
of attack by German destroyers in Bay of Biscay
was provided by HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM
April Detached from SL127 on arrival
Taken
in hand for repair at Belfast
Resumed
operational service with Group.
May
6th Deployed with ships of Group for escort of
joint convoys OS47/KMS14 during Atlantic
passage
June Joined joint Convoy
SL130/KMS14 as part of escort during passage to Liverpool
21st Detached from SL130/KMS14 and returned to
base,
July
5th Joined joint outward convoy OS51/KMS20 as
escort during Atlantic passage from Liverpool.
with HM Corvettes COLTSFOOT, AZALEA, GERANIUM and BALSAM.
13th Remained as escort of Convoy OS51 when
ships of Convoy KMS20 detached and took
passage to Gibraltar.
15th During attack on OS51 by U135 one mercantile
was damaged.
Carried out depth
charge attacks with HM Sloop ROCHESTER, BALSAM and MIGNONETTE
which
forced submarine to surface/
(Note: U135 was then
rammed by HMS ROCHESTER and sunk by this attack and 41 of the
crew were taken
prisoner.
For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp
and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR
by C Blair.)
23rd Detached from OS51 on
arrival at Freetown.
28th Sailed from Freetown
with ships of Group as part of escort for inward Convoy SL134.
August
14th Remain with escort
for joint convoy when Convoy MKS22 merged with SL134.
25th Taken in
hand for repair at West Hartlepool.
September
Under repair.
October
30th. Carried out sea trials on completion of shipyard work.
November
5th Deployed to rejoin Group during escort of
outward Convoy OS59/KMS33.
December
4th.
Deployed as part of escort for merged inward Convoy SL141/KMS37 with
Group and HM
Escort Aircraft
Carrier FENCER.
26th Part of escort for outward
Convoy OS63/KMS37 with Group
1 9 4 4
January
1st Escort joined by HM Escort Aircraft Carrier
STRIKER.
7th HMS STRIKER detached.
9th. Detached from KMS37 on arrival at Gibraltar.
12th Deployed with escort for
inward joint convoy SL145/MKS36 with Group reinforced by
HM Canadian
Corvettes EDMUNSTON and LUNENBERG of
6th Escort Group..
20th Additional support from
15th Escort Group provided during passage in NW Approaches.
February
. 6th Escorted
outward OS67/KMS41 with Group including HM CORVETTE GERANIUM and
air
cover provided by HM Escort Aircraft Carrier PURSUER.
10th Under air attack repelled by PURSUER
aircraft.
24th Joined
inward Convoy SL149/MKS40 with Group and HM Destroyer ROCKWOOD.
Detached with LONDONDERRY to
meet FENCER to provide air cover.
Rejoined merged convoy
March
7th Detached on arrival of joint convoy in
Liverpool.
15th. Escorted joint outward convoy OS71/KMS45
with Group reinforced by HM Corvettes
SWEETBRIAR, WALLFLOWER and HM
Trawler LADY
MADELEINE..
Returned
with joint inward convoy SL153/MKS44.
April
Detached from joint convoy.
12th On arrival at Londonderry EG39 was disbanded
because of redeployments for planned
allied
landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE.)
Allocated
to Force L as escort for Convoy L2 from Harwich with HM
Frigate
CHELMER,
HM
Destroyer VIVACIOUS and HM ML491.
May
3rd Passage to Harwich.
6th Arrived at Harwich..
Took part in
preparatory exercises
(For details of naval
activities before and during NEPTUNE see LANDINGS IN NORMANDY,
June 1944 (HMSO),
OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and for information about all
mercantiles and warships involved D-DAY SHIPS by J de
Winser.)
June
5th Assembled with Convoy L2 at Harwich and
sailed for Eastern Task Force Area
(Note: Convoy
comprised seven Landing Ships ,Tank..).
6th. Detached from L2 after arrival. (See above
references and Battle Summary 39 for details).
Returned to Harwich
after arrival at Beach Head
Remained
in Force L for escort of follow up convoys.
8th Deployed for escort of Convoy ETM4 to Beach
Head.
27th
On termination of NEPTUNE
remained in Channel area for convoy escort
July Channel deployment in
continuation.
25th
Escorted Convoy FWL39-
August Continued escort duty for convoys in support
of military operations.
September Transferred to Portsmouth Command for
defence of Atlantic convoy traffic in coastal
waters.
Deployed
with escort for inward Convoy HX308 and outward Convoy ON255.
October Channel convoy defence in
continuation
Part
of escort for outward Convoy inward Convoys ONA257 and inward Convoy HX310.
(Note: This was the
first use of Channel by Atlantic convoys since 1940 because of
removal of threat of air attacks from French bases.
November. Transferred to 41st Escort Group
based at Plymouth for Channel convoy defence.
Part of escort for
inward joint Convoy SL175/MKS66 outward Convoy ONA267
December Channel
deployment with Group in continuation
Part of escort for inward joint Convoy MKS69/SL178,
outward Convoy ONA273 , inward
Convoy HX325 and outward Convoy ONA275
1 9 4 5
January
Channel deployment with Group in continuation.
Part of escort for inward Convoys
HX327 and HX329
21st
During Channel deployment sank
U1199 with HM Destroyer ICARUS off Longships LV.
For details see above references.
Part of escort for outward Convoys ONA277 and ONA278
Nominated for
refit in commercial shipyard.
(Note: For details of dates for all convoys
see ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM IN WW2
by A Hague.)
February Deployed for escort of inward Convoy HX334
4th
Took passage from Devonport for
refit
9th
Taken in hand for refit at Leith.
March
Under refit
to
April
May
Resumed operational service in SW Approaches
21st
Escorted convoy MKS101.
28th Escorted
HM Monitor ROBERTS from Plymouth to Liverpool.
Nominated for reduction to Reserve status.
June
11th
Escorted ten MFV and ss EMPIRE HEATHLAND from
Falmouth to Gibraltar
22nd Returned to Plymouth..
July
6th Passage to
Liverpool to destore.
20th Paid-off reduced to Reserve status at
Londonderry.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS MIGNONETTE was laid-up in
Reserve at Londonderry was placed on the Disposal List. In 19456 the ship
was sold to a Greek shipping
company for use as a mercantile. Renamed ALEXANDROUPLIS she
was wrecked
off Lemnos
on 30th November 1948.
