In early 1939, with the risk of war with Nazi Germany increasing, it was clear to the Royal Navy that it needed more escort ships to counter the threat from KriegsmarineU-boats. One particular concern was the need to protect shipping off the east coast of Britain. What was needed was something larger and faster than trawlers, but still cheap enough to be built in large numbers, preferably at small merchant shipyards, as larger yards were already busy. To meet this requirement, the Smiths Dock Company of Middlesbrough, a specialist in the design and build of fishing vessels, offered a development of its 700-ton, 16 knots (18 mph; 30 km/h) whale catcherSouthern Pride.[1][2] They were intended as small convoy escort ships that could be produced quickly and cheaply in large numbers. Despite naval planners' intentions that they be deployed for coastal convoys, their long range meant that they became the mainstay of Mid-Ocean Escort Force convoy protection during the first half of the war. The original Flowers had the standard RN layout, consisting of a raised forecastle, a well deck, then the bridge or wheelhouse, and a continuous deck running aft. The crew quarters were in the foc'sle while the galley was at the rear, making for poor messing arrangements.[3]
The modified Flowers saw the forecastle extended aft past the bridge to the aft end of the funnel, a variation known as the "long forecastle" design. Apart from providing a very useful space where the whole crew could gather out of the weather, the added weight improved the ships' stability and speed and was retroactively applied to a number of the original Flower-class vessels during the mid and latter years of the war.
On 9 February 1943 a convoy of five empty merchant ships sailed from Benghazi at 0200 hours for Tobruk and Alexandria under escort by the corvette HMS Erica, the armed trawlers HMS Burra and HMSAS Southern Maid and two M.Ls. At 1550 hours, in position 32°48'5 N, 21°06E, off Derna, Libya, HMS Erica, who was investigating an A/S contact, struck a mine and sank. It was at first thought to have been a torpedo but ML's from Tobruk and Benghazi carried out an A/S search of the area but without result, and from subsequent investigation it is evident that she struck a mine in a field laid by HMS Rorqual some time ago. HMSAS Southern Maid picked up all officers and seventy-one ratings. Casualties were one rating missing and another who died of wounds.[4][5]
Goodwin, Norman (2007). Castle Class Corvettes: An Account of the Service of the Ships and of Their Ships' Companies. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. ISBN978-1-904459-27-9.
Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-048-7.
Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-59114-119-2.
December 14, 2023
erica, erica, flower, class, corvette, that, served, royal, navy, built, harland, wolff, 1941, named, after, erica, commissioned, 1940, sunk, mine, february, 1943, historyunited, kingdomnameericanamesakeericaordered19, 1939builderharland, wolff, belfast, north. HMS Erica was a Flower class corvette that served in the Royal Navy and was built by Harland and Wolff in 1941 She was named after Erica Commissioned in 1940 and sunk by a mine on 9 February 1943 HistoryUnited KingdomNameEricaNamesakeEricaOrdered19 Sep 1939BuilderHarland and Wolff Belfast Northern IrelandLaid down22 Feb 1940Launched18 Jun 1940Commissioned9 Aug 1940IdentificationPennant number K50FateSunk by mine 9 Feb 1943General characteristicsClass and typeFlower class corvetteDisplacement925 long tonsLength205 ft 62 m o aBeam33 ft 10 m Draught11 ft 6 in 3 51 m Propulsion1 4 cycle triple expansion reciprocating steam engine 2 fire tube Scotch boilers Single shaft 2 750 ihp 2 050 kW Speed16 kn 30 km h Range3 500 nmi 6 500 km at 12 kn 22 km h Complement85Sensors and processing systems1 SW1C or 2C radar 1 Type 123A or Type 127DV sonarArmament1 BL 4 inch 101 6 mm Mk IX gun 2 Vickers 50 cal machine gun twin 2 Lewis 303 cal machine gun twin 2 Mk II Depth charge throwers 2 Depth charge rails with 40 depth charges Contents 1 Design and description 2 Construction and career 3 Citations 4 ReferencesDesign and description editIn early 1939 with the risk of war with Nazi Germany increasing it was clear to the Royal Navy that it needed more escort ships to counter the threat from Kriegsmarine U boats One particular concern was the need to protect shipping off the east coast of Britain What was needed was something larger and faster than trawlers but still cheap enough to be built in large numbers preferably at small merchant shipyards as larger yards were already busy To meet this requirement the Smiths Dock Company of Middlesbrough a specialist in the design and build of fishing vessels offered a development of its 700 ton 16 knots 18 mph 30 km h whale catcher Southern Pride 1 2 They were intended as small convoy escort ships that could be produced quickly and cheaply in large numbers Despite naval planners intentions that they be deployed for coastal convoys their long range meant that they became the mainstay of Mid Ocean Escort Force convoy protection during the first half of the war The original Flowers had the standard RN layout consisting of a raised forecastle a well deck then the bridge or wheelhouse and a continuous deck running aft The crew quarters were in the foc sle while the galley was at the rear making for poor messing arrangements 3 The modified Flowers saw the forecastle extended aft past the bridge to the aft end of the funnel a variation known as the long forecastle design Apart from providing a very useful space where the whole crew could gather out of the weather the added weight improved the ships stability and speed and was retroactively applied to a number of the original Flower class vessels during the mid and latter years of the war Construction and career editErica was laid down by Harland and Wolff at their shipyard at Belfast on 22 February 1940 and launched on 18 June 1940 She was commissioned on 9 August 1940 On 9 February 1943 a convoy of five empty merchant ships sailed from Benghazi at 0200 hours for Tobruk and Alexandria under escort by the corvette HMS Erica the armed trawlers HMS Burra and HMSAS Southern Maid and two M Ls At 1550 hours in position 32 48 5 N 21 06E off Derna Libya HMS Erica who was investigating an A S contact struck a mine and sank It was at first thought to have been a torpedo but ML s from Tobruk and Benghazi carried out an A S search of the area but without result and from subsequent investigation it is evident that she struck a mine in a field laid by HMS Rorqual some time ago HMSAS Southern Maid picked up all officers and seventy one ratings Casualties were one rating missing and another who died of wounds 4 5 Citations edit Brown 2007 pp 41 43 Lambert and Brown 2008 p 3 Brown D K Nelson to Vanguard Harland and Wolff Shipbuilding and Engineering Works www theyard info Retrieved 25 October 2020 Erica warsailors com Retrieved 10 February 2022 References editChesneau Roger ed 1980 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 Greenwich UK Conway Maritime Press ISBN 0 85177 146 7 Colledge J J Warlow Ben 2006 1969 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy Rev ed London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 281 8 Goodwin Norman 2007 Castle Class Corvettes An Account of the Service of the Ships and of Their Ships Companies Liskeard UK Maritime Books ISBN 978 1 904459 27 9 Lenton H T 1998 British amp Empire Warships of the Second World War Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 048 7 Rohwer Jurgen 2005 Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 1945 The Naval History of World War Two Third Revised ed Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 119 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Erica K50 amp oldid 1169473184, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
