flower class corvettes

[taffysenoj]

First post - never served but have sailed the seas all my life from 6 yrs old. Do so now in a 31 ft Mitchell. Had an uncle who served in HMS Poppy during WWII (Leading Tel). Whilst there is some generic info on the net wondered if anyone else is interested in the topic. Years ago came across a slim volume relating to naval signals -

"What ship?"
"What rock?"

Found kite so will fly it.

 

[andym]

I love the flower class,such a cute stubby little thing.I made a large Tamiya Kit of one many years back.Wasnt the Poppy used for "The Compass Rose" in the film?

 

[rosinacarley]

Yes because you are so going to like having HMS BUTTERCUP or HMS CONVULULUS on your cap tally!

http://www.middle-watch.co.uk/Flower.htm

 

[taffysenoj]

No, Compass Rose was some other ship - Google The Cruel Sea for the real gen. I have a LARGE model (Revell) on the windowsil before me.

Am interested too in the signals.

Destroyer after bad winter passage to the Med was signalled -
"What ship?"........ replied, "What rock?" Anymore of the same?

 

[FlagWagger]

First post - never served but have sailed the seas all my life from 6 yrs old. Do so now in a 31 ft Mitchell. Had an uncle who served in HMS Poppy during WWII (Leading Tel). Whilst there is some generic info on the net wondered if anyone else is interested in the topic. Years ago came across a slim volume relating to naval signals -

"What ship?"
"What rock?"

Found kite so will fly it.

That could be in "Make a Signal" by Jack Broome - a very good read which puts a different slant on naval history as well as pulling out some very funny one-liners in signal form.

 

[taffysenoj]

rosinacarley CONVOLVULUS - tut tut.

 

[rosinacarley]

rosinacarley CONVOLVULUS - tut tut.

Its a flower! Really it is!

 

[taffysenoj]

Flagwagger. Rings bells - do you have a copy? If so post some to get the ball rolling. Must be capable of an update.

 

[janner]

I there are two volumes of the "Make a Signal." some libraries carry it.

 

[FlagWagger]

Flagwagger. Rings bells - do you have a copy? If so post some to get the ball rolling. Must be capable of an update.

Yes I do have a copy, however, its currently packed in a box inside a 20ft container somewhere between the UK and Canada - I'm not likely to see it for a few weeks yet

On the subject of HMS Poppy, have you found this site at all? http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/ARTICLES/Poppy/

 

[taffysenoj]

Rosinacarley Try http://www.naval-art.com/corvettes.htm

 

[rosinacarley]

Rosinacarley Try http://www.naval-art.com/corvettes.htm

Thanks but I really would not want anyone to think I was a sub-species of spotter, specialising in Corvettes! It's just that I remember meeting a mate of my English father (have two - one Italian and one English - long story) who was on a flower class and he told me how embarrassed he was at the time, of course he only had HMS on his tally during WW2

 

[FlagWagger]

I there are two volumes of the "Make a Signal." some libraries carry THEM.

Corrected by the Grammar police

Your write :lol: Janner, the second is called "Make another signal" and I've yet to read that one.

 

[taffysenoj]

Flagwagger yes. many moons ago. Sad to say that I remember John Beardmore from his days on the Idiot Box. There will be very few of them left now, as there are few aircrew left (which my father was in '40 and '41). Just want to keep their memories alive. Same goes for the army too, of course.

 

[andym]

When HMS Tartar was in the Windies it was in consort with HMY.En route to Mexico there was a fire onboard.It was one of the generators.Soon signals started to fly.
RYB to Tartar:You are making black smoke.STOP making black smoke.
Tartar to RYB:Yes-Sorry-we have a fire onboard.
RYB t Tartar:That is all very well,but stop making black smoke!

(taken from "when i was on the Tartar" By M Payne)

 

[taffysenoj]

Andym - thanks for that. A long time ago I used to play Liar Dice with a LCmdr (rtd) who was on Destroyers in the Artic. He told me this story.

Bad weather, V Bad weather. Voice pipe to bridge - "Ships dog overboard".

Captain to pilot (my friend). "Stand by to turn ship". "Isn't that risky Sir?". "Yes but they'll never forgive us if we don't try". May not be true but it keeps his memory alive!

His name was John Bradbury, and after leaving the Navy took a sponsored degree course and taught history at a high quality Grammar school. Within seven years he was the head - training tells. So does experience.

 

[Always_a_Civvy]

rosinacarley CONVOLVULUS - tut tut.

Come, come, Taffysenoj, I remember well the probs I had in the RNXS onboard HMS CHRYSANTHAMUM. What a name - could I spell it - no way! I couldn't even pronounce it for ages. I used to call her HMS Chrissy! When we were moved to PRESIDENT it was very sad to leave such a lovely old ship, but at least I could spell the name of her sucessor! :lol: :roll:

Steve.

 

[rosinacarley]

rosinacarley CONVOLVULUS - tut tut.

Come, come, Taffysenoj, I remember well the probs I had in the RNXS onboard HMS CHRYSANTHAMUM. What a name - could I spell it - no way! I couldn't even pronounce it for ages. I used to call her HMS Chrissy! When we were moved to PRESIDENT it was very sad to leave such a lovely old ship, but at least I could spell the name of her sucessor! :lol: :roll:

Steve.

I joined the RNR when Pres and Chrissy were on the Thames, before Pres went to the posh building in St Katherines Dock!

 

[Always_a_Civvy]

Happy memories Rosina! I've not forgotten first seeing the Morse keys on Chrissy - I had been using the paddle variety at home and looked at the things the RNXS (and presumably RNR) were using and though Bloody Hell! I was half expecting the comms equipment to have valves in them and bakelite headsets. They did have the bakelite headsets (probably collectors items now) but had luckily discovered the transistor was "better" for signal amplification!!! (Sigh of relief). It's not better actually - but I won't elaborate on that here!

Steve.

 

[taffysenoj]

See you still can't spell Michalmas Daisy (nor can I). Inspired names though. Make peace not war - but they did make war! Low key war I admit but we would have starved without them. Superiority lay in numbers - the design was chosen because so many yards could build them - and they
did.

It was a race between the U boats and the Flowers. Sure the destroyers and the frigates raced around showing their speed but the Corvettes did what they could - which was a lot. Many times waiting for a torpedo which they couldn't avoid - or picking up bodies from the 'Oggin.

If you were going to build 250 ships of the same class what would you call them? We ran out of Admirals with Hood, Barham. et. al. With Royalty as in Prince of Wales. With earlier inncarnations such as Ark Royal.


The mighty and the few fell at the first hurdle.

Celandine, Narcissus. Aubretia, Coriander and the rest. So what's in a name?