H. M. S.  C L O V E R   ( K 1 3 4 )

 

“FLOWER” Class corvette ordered from Fleming and Ferguson at Paisley, Scotland on 12th December 1939. She was laid down on 29th July 1940 and launched on 30th January 1941 as the first RN warship to bear this name. It had been used for three auxiliary vessels since it was introduced for a tug purchased at Bermuda in 1869. Build was completed on 13th May 1941. After  a successful “WARSHIP WEEK” National Savings Campaign in February 1942 this Corvette was adopted by the civil community of Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1941-45       NORMANDY 1944

NORTH SEA 1944

 

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

           

1 9 4 1

 

May              Contractor’s trials and commissioned for service

     13th          Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                      On completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory for

                      work-up prior to operational deployment 

 

June              Completed work-up.

                      Allocated for convoy defence in South Atlantic.

 

July.               Passage to Freetown as apart of escort for Atlantic convoy.

 

August          On arrival at Freetown deployed for Local Escort of Atlantic and coastal

                       convoys.

 

September      Freetown Local Escort duty in continuation.

      to

November

 

December

     22nd           Joined HM Destroyers VELOX and VIMY in Local Escort into Freetown

                        for military convoy WS12Z.

                        (Note: This was carrying troops to Middle East and India.)

      25th           Detached from WS12Z with Local Escort on arrival at Freetown.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January           Freetown deployment in continuation.

                       Nominated for return to UK for refit.

 

February          Passage to UK as part of escort for return convoy.

 

March              Arrived at Liverpool and taken in hand for refit

 

April                Under refit and nominated for service 4th British Escort Group.

 

May                 On completion of post-refit trials took passage to Londonderry

                        to join Group in Western Approaches Command.

                        (Note: This Group then included:

                                    HM Destroyers HIGHLANDER, BEVERLEY and VIMY,

                                    HM Corvettes ABELIA, ASPHODEL and PENNYWORT.

 

June                 Deployed with ships of Group for escort of Atlantic convoys to and

    to                 from Newfoundland.

November

 

December        Part of escort for westbound convoy to Newfoundland.

                        Christmas spent at St Johns.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January            Passage to UK as part of escort for convoy to Clyde.

                        Taken in hand for refit by Clyde shipyard on arrival.

                        (Note: Radar Type 271 was probably fitted as this equipment was

                                     not generally available when refitted at Liverpool in 1942.

                                     For details of development and use of radar in RN see RADAR

                                     AT SEA by D Howse.)

February                       Under refit

      to

March

 

April                Resumed Atlantic convoy defence with Group.

                        (Note: Other ships in Group included:

                                    HM Destroyers HIGHLANDER, WALKER, WESTCOTT

                                    and WINCHELSEA,

                                    HM Corvettes ABELIA, ASPHODEL and PENNYWORT.)

 

May                 Deployment with Group in continuation including defence of military

       to              convoys to and from Gibraltar.

July

 

August            Transferred with Group for defence of MKS and KMS convoy and from Gibraltar.

                       (Note: Newly built CAPTAIN Class Frigates joined the Group later  in 1944.)

 

October          Gibraltar route convoy defence in continuation with Group.

        to

December

1 9 4 4

 

January           Deployed in Western Approaches with Group for Atlantic convoy defence.

      to             (Note: HM Frigates HELMSDALE, BAYNTUN and FOLEY had joined Group.

February

 

March              Part of escort for combined convoys SL150 from Freetown and MKS141 from Gibraltar with

                        HMS BAYNTUN and HMS ASPHODEL, air cover provided by HM Escort Carrier STRIKER.

         9th          Under attacks by U575 750 miles NNW of Cape Finisterre during which

                        HMS ASPHODEL was sunk by a homing torpedo fired by this submarine..

                        Rescued the only five survivors from HMS ASPHODEL.

                        (Note: First allied ship to be sunk by a SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boat but this

                                  device was not in use during the attacks.)

                        Took part in eighteen hour search for U575 and carried out depth charge

                        attacks which were unsuccessful.

 

April                Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

        to             Nominated for defence of convoys during planned allied landings in France.

May                 (Operation NEPTUNE).

                        (Note: For details of naval activities before and during landings see

                                   OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and LANDINGS IN

                                   NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO).)

                        Allocated for service in Force “S” and took passage to Channel area.

                        (Note: Ships of Force S carried out preparatory exercises during this month.

                                    See references.)

 

June                Passage to Solent for escort of assault convoy.

        4th          Operation delayed 24 hours

        5th          Deployed with Motor Launch as escort for Convoy S12 through Swept

                       Channel.

                       (Note: Convoy comprised HM River Gunboat LOCUST, 24 Landing Craft

                                   (Tank), 9 Landing Craft (Infantry) and a US Navy Coastguard Cutter.)

         6th         Detached from S12 on arrival and took passage to Thames Estuary to join HM

                       Destroyers CAMPBELL and VIVACIOUS, HM Corvette PENNYWORT and

                       a Coastal Forces Motor Launch in Escort Group 103.)

                       (Note: Commanding Officer: Lieutenant TE Fanshaw, DSC, RNR).

         7th         Joined Escort Group and deployed for escort of Build-Up Phase convoys from

                       Thames Estuary to Beachead area.

                       (Note: This duty continued until completion of NEPTUNE on 24th June.)

 

July                 On release from support of military convoys retained in Nore Command for

                       convoy defence.

 

August            East Coast convoy defence in continuation)

        to            (Note: One source suggests ship was recommissioned, perhaps following a

September                   further refit.)

 

October          Worked-up at Tobermory and resumed service in Nore Command for convoy

        to            defence

December       (Note  The 1,000th escort to carry out a work-up at Tobermory )

 

1 9 4 5

 

January           Deployed for convoy defence in North Sea and Channel.

       to             (Note: During this period Atlantic convoys were re-routed through Channel.

 April                          Extensive measures to deal with enemy attacks on convoys by E-Boats,

                                   submersibles and by minelaying involved increasing use of  this type

                                   of escort to allow more modern ships to be used for interception patrol

                                   on convoy routes to continental ports.)

 

May                Nominated for withdrawal from service after VE Day.

       to             Paid-off and Reduced to Reserve status

August

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS CLOVER was placed on the Disposal List in 1946 and sold on 17th May the next year for use as a mercantile to be named ss CLOVERLOCK. In 1952 this ship was purchased by the Chinese government and converted in China back for use as a warship. She remained in active use until after 1967 but had been stricken from the List by 1972.