HMS Polyanthus (K47)

Coordinates: 57°0′0″N 31°6′0″W / 57.00000°N 31.10000°W / 57.00000; -31.10000
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see HMS Polyanthus.

History
United Kingdom
BuilderHenry Robb Ltd.
Laid down19 March 1940
Launched30 November 1940
Completed23 April 1941
Out of service21 September 1943
FateSunk by German submarine U-952
General characteristics
Class and typeFlower-class corvette
Displacement925 long tons (940 t; 1,036 short tons)
Length205 ft (62.48 m)o/a
Beam33 ft (10.06 m)
Draught11.5 ft (3.51 m)
Propulsion
  • single shaft
  • 2 × water tube boilers
  • 1 × 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
  • 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW)
Speed16 knots (29.6 km/h)
Range3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km) at 12 knots (22.2 km/h)
Complement85
Armament
  • 1 ×
    4 inch BL Mk.IX single gun
  • 2 × Vickers .50 machine guns (twin)
  • 2 ×
    .303 inch Lewis machine gun
    (twin)
  • 2 × Mk.II depth charge throwers
  • 2 × Depth charge rails with 40 depth charges

HMS Polyanthus was a

launched on 30 November 1940 from Leith Docks on the Firth of Forth, at an estimated cost of £55,000.[1][2] Polyanthus was sunk by the German submarine U-952 using new German weapons technology on 20 September 1943 about 1,000 miles southwest of Reykjavík during convoy escort duty in the Battle of the North Atlantic.[3][4][5]

Background

Main article: Flower-class corvette

Flower-class corvettes like Polyanthus serving with the Royal Navy during

whaling ship design.[10] The generic name "flower" was used to designate the class of these ships, which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants.[1]

War duty and sinking

Although designed for quick and cheap construction, Polyanthus and ships like her in the Flower class were operative in convoy escort during the Battle of the North Atlantic.[11] The primary mission of protection against

GNAT - which they hoped would reverse the changing tide of war, favouring the Allies in the Atlantic.[12]

On the night of 19–20 September 1943, two westbound Convoys ONS18 and ON 202 were facing frequent U-boat engagements, calling Polyanthus to their aid in the wake of several setbacks, including the near destruction of HMS Escapade and HMS Lagan.[12] After successfully driving away U-238, Polyanthus was ordered to rescue the crew from the escort HMCS St. Croix, recently sunk by U-305. Whilst under the command of Lieutenant John Gordon Aitken RNR, Polyanthus was sunk by U-952 using a GNAT before any rescue could be effected.[3][13] At least 7 officers and 77 crew were lost with Polyanthus among them Lt Graham Shepard. The only known survivor drowned within days at the hands of another U-boat attack on the ship that rescued him, HMS Itchen.[3]

See also

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ^
    ISBN 0-87021-450-0
    .
  2. ^ Warship Week(s) in World War 2 Archived 2 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, RishtonWeb, Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  3. ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Polyanthus (K 47)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  4. ^ Lawson, Siri,"Convoy ON & ONS 18", WarSailors.com. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  5. ^ HMS Polyanthus (K-47) (+1943), www.wrecksite.eu, Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  6. ^ Ossian, Robert,"Complete List of Sailing Vessels", www.thepirateking.com, Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  7. ^ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 11, pp.1137–1142.
  8. ISBN 0-517-67963-9
    , page 68.
  9. ISBN 0-8117-3275-4
  10. ISBN 0-87021-913-8
  11. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Corvettes". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  12. ^ a b Pocock, Michael W., http://www.maritimequest.com/daily_event_archive/2007/pages/sept/23_convoy_on_202.htm "Daily Event for September 23", www.MaritimeQuest.com, 2007, Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  13. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Polyanthus (K 47)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2011.

Bibliography

External links

57°0′0″N 31°6′0″W / 57.00000°N 31.10000°W / 57.00000; -31.10000

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