HMS La Malouine (K46)
| History | |
|---|---|
 France
|
|
| Name: | La Malouine |
| Ordered: | 25 July 1939 |
| Builder: | Smiths Dock Co. Ltd, Middlesbrough, England |
| Laid down: | 13 November 1939 |
| Launched: | 21 March 1940 |
| Commissioned: | June 1940 |
| Captured: | by the Royal Navy, 3 July 1940 |
 United Kingdom
|
|
| Name: | HMS La Malouine |
| Acquired: | Seized by the Royal Navy, 3 July 1940 |
| Commissioned: | 29 July 1940 |
| Identification: | Pennant number: K46 |
| Fate: | Scrapped at Gelliswick Bay, 22 May 1947 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Flower-class corvette |
| Displacement: | 940 tons |
| Length: | 205 ft (62 m) |
| Beam: | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Draught: | 11.5 ft (3.5 m) |
| Propulsion: |
|
| Speed: | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Range: | 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Complement: | 85 |
| Armament: |
|
HMS La Malouine was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Navy, serving during the Second World War. Originally ordered by the French Navy (Marine Nationale) under the same name, following the fall of France, the ship was seized by the United Kingdom and commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1940. The corvette remained in service until being broken up in 1947.
La Malouine was one of four Flower-class corvettes ordered by the Marine Nationale. Only two of these were delivered to the Marine Nationale. One of these ships was La Malouine, the other La Bastiaise. On completion by Smiths Dock Co. Ltd La Malouine sailed for Portsmouth for fitting out. It was here that she was commissioned into the Marine Nationale in June 1940. However, France surrendered to Germany on 22 June 1940. As a consequence of this event La Malouine was seized by the Royal Navy on 3 July 1940 and subsequently commissioned into the Royal Navy, by Lt. Cdr. R.W Keymer RN, on 29 July 1940. Throughout the remainder of the war La Malouine flew both the Tricolore and the White Ensign.
Of the other three ships ordered by France La Bastiaise was destroyed by a sea mine whilst on sea trials at Hartlepool. La Dieppoise and La Pampolaise were never delivered to the Marine Nationale and were commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Fleur de Lys and HMS Nasturtium.
La Malouine took part in her first convoy, out of Freetown, Sierra Leone, in September 1940. At the end of September 1940 she formed part of the escort for convoy HX72, sailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Eight merchant ships were lost during this convoy. La Malouine alone picking up 146 survivors from the SS Canonesa, Dalcairn, Empire Airman and the Frederick S. Fales. All these ships were sunk by the German submarine U-100. By the end of 1940 she had taken part in nine convoys.
...
Wikipedia