Flower Class Corvette
Another of the gallant ships of” the little navy”, that were to provide all kinds of duty during World War II.
They had to deal with all type’s of weather and the constant danger of enemy surface and under water vessels along with bombing attacks and mines.
Not the most sea keeping of vessels in fact they were said to role on wet grass, but the brave men who sailed on them, gave their all and some more! They served fighting to help in the battles raging the seven seas of the world.
H.M.S. LOTUS was one of many such ships, and she was launched from the yard on 16th January 1942
She was a standard 849 tons and had a length overall of 190 feet with a beam of 33 feet, and draught of 17 feet and 6 inches.
Her exploits during World War II would fill a book and indeed she was credited with sinking two U-Boats, one while working in tandem with another Royal Navy ship.
H.M.S. Lotus, under ice.
HMS Lotus (K130) was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Navy. She was built by Henry Robb Limited, of Leith, Scotland and launched on 16 January 1942. Originally named HMS PHLOX, she was renamed in April 1942 after the previous HMS Lotus was transferred to the Free French Navy. She was commissioned in May 1942.
Made famous in the book "The Cruel Sea" by Nicholas Montserrat and the highly-recommended film starring Jack Hawkins, their role in the Battle of the Atlantic was legendary. "They rolled on wet grass", "Can see down your funnel. Your boiler was alight ......" They sank U-boats and were sunk themselves in innumerable convoy battles.
http://www.naval-history.net/WW2CampaignsAtlanticBattles2.htm
For more on her story at this great site for Navel History.
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