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To be withdrawn for repair in UK as beyond local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 MIGNONETTE
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.
*Most sources credit the ramming to ROCHESTER,
but the sinking report by the Naval
Intelligence Division
confirms MIGNONETTE)
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 1946 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.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
MIGNONETTE
by Don Kindell
(these convoy movements
have not been cross-checked with the main text.
My apologies that the columns do not line up)
Date
convoy Joined convoy
Convoy
No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
13/07/41 15/07/41 SL
081 24/07/41 08/08/41
15/08/41 15/08/41 SL
084 19/08/41 08/09/41
26/08/41 08/09/41 CF 002A
13/09/41 13/09/41
23/09/41 unknown OS 007
14/10/41 14/10/41
27/10/41 27/10/41 SL
091 08/11/41 08/11/41
08/11/41 08/11/41 SL 091G1
12/11/41 12/11/41
12/11/41 12/11/41 SL 091GS
19/11/41 19/11/41
13/01/42 18/01/42 ON
057 24/01/42 07/02/42
08/04/42 09/04/42 ON
084 22/04/42 25/04/42
03/05/42 06/05/42 HX
188 15/05/42 16/05/42
22/05/42 23/05/42 ON
097 02/06/42 05/06/42
05/06/42 08/06/42 SC
086 18/06/42 20/06/42
26/06/42 27/06/42 ON
107 03/07/42 09/07/42
12/07/42 15/07/42 HX
198 23/07/42 23/07/42
02/08/42 03/08/42 ON
118 14/08/42 20/08/42
16/08/42 19/08/42 HX
203 27/08/42 28/08/42
23/11/42 24/11/42 ON
148 06/12/42 13/12/42
13/12/42 19/12/42 HX
219 28/12/42 29/12/42
04/01/43 05/01/43 ON
159 14/01/43 20/01/43
11/01/43 26/01/43 ON
160 27/01/43 04/02/43
24/01/43 31/01/43 SC
118 10/02/43 12/02/43
06/03/43 07/03/43 OS
044 24/03/43 24/03/43
31/03/43 31/03/43 SL
127 21/04/43 15/04/43
05/05/43 06/05/43 OS 047KM
16/05/43 16/05/43
16/05/43 16/05/43 OS
047 25/05/43 25/05/43
30/05/43 30/05/43 SL
130 11/06/43 11/06/43
11/06/43 11/06/43 SL 130MK
21/06/43 21/06/43
04/07/43 05/07/43 OS 051KM
13/07/43 13/07/43
13/07/43 13/07/43 OS
051 23/07/43 23/07/43
28/07/43 28/07/43 SL
134 19/08/43 19/08/43
16/11/43 22/11/43 OS 059KM
28/11/43 28/11/43
03/12/43 03/12/43 MKS 032G
04/12/43 04/12/43
04/12/43 04/12/43 SL 141MK
17/12/43 17/12/43
25/12/43 26/12/43 OS 063KM
08/01/44 07/01/44
08/01/44 08/01/44 KMS 037G
09/01/44 09/01/44
06/02/44 06/02/44 OS 067KM
15/02/44 15/02/44
16/02/44 16/02/44 KMS 041G
17/02/44 17/02/44
21/02/44 21/02/44 MKS 040G
22/02/44 22/02/44
22/02/44 22/02/44 SL 149MK
07/03/44 07/03/44
14/03/44 15/03/44 OS 071KM
25/03/44 25/03/44
26/03/44 26/03/44 KMS 045G
27/03/44 27/03/44
01/04/44 01/04/44 MKS 044G
02/04/44 02/04/44
02/04/44 02/04/44 SL 153MK
13/04/44 13/04/44
09/06/44 09/06/44 ETM 004
10/06/44 10/06/44
30/06/44 30/06/44 ETC
023 01/07/44 01/07/44
13/08/44 13/08/44 FTM 067
13/08/44 14/08/44
02/10/44 02/10/44 ON
257 03/10/44 18/10/44
21/09/44 03/10/44 HX
310 06/10/44 05/10/44
08/11/44 14/11/44 SL 175MK
15/11/44 15/11/44
18/11/44 18/11/44 ON
267 21/11/44 05/12/44
09/11/44 23/11/44 HX
319 25/11/44 25/11/44
06/12/44 10/12/44 SL 178MK
15/12/44 15/12/44
18/12/44 18/12/44 ON
273 21/12/44 04/01/45
09/12/44 21/12/44 HX
325 24/12/44 23/12/44
28/12/44 28/12/44 ON
275 31/12/44 13/01/45
19/12/44 30/12/44 HX
327 03/01/45 02/01/45
07/01/45 07/01/45 ON
277 10/01/45 23/01/45
29/12/44 11/01/45 HX
329 14/01/45 12/01/45
12/01/45 12/01/45 ON
278 15/01/45 31/01/45
16/01/45 16/01/45 TBC 040
19/01/45 19/01/45
03/02/45 03/02/45 BTC 058
06/02/45 06/02/45
17/05/45 17/05/45 OS 129KM
20/05/45 21/05/45
15/05/45 20/05/45 MKS 101G
22/05/45 22/05/45
(Note on Convoys)
* ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS
With thanks to David Bennett whose
father was an Able Seaman on board her during the sinking of U.135 in July
1943.
