Search: Sort by:
 
 
  Search

FREE FRENCH NAVY IN SOUTH ATLANTIC * - FREE FRENCH NAVY

5)CMT DESTIENNE DORVES


FLOWER CLASS CORVETTE  Ex  HMS LOTUS  K 93


Photo. www.theflowerclasscorvetteforum.yuku.com



Completed: 1940


Displacement: 940 tons full 1,180 tons


Length: 62,48 meters


Beam: 10,06 meters


Draught: 4,04 meters


Armament: 1 × 102mm, 1 × 40mm , 4-6 × 20mm / 12.7mm,  ASW (0-1×hedgehog, 1-2×DCL, 1-2×DCR)


Propulsion: 2 × S.E cylindrical boilers, 1 × vertical triple expansion reciprocating engines @ 2750 hp, 1 (shaft)


Speed: 16 kts


Range: 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) at 9 knots (16.7 km/h  3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km) at 12 knots (22.2 km/h)  2,900 nautical miles (5,371 km) at 15 knots (27.8 km/h)


Complement: 85


At the outbreak of World War II the Maritime Nationale (French Navy) needed ships for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and, following the Royal Navy's example, placed orders from Smiths Dock in South Bank, Middlesbrough for four ASW corvettes. Smiths had developed plans for a basic ASW vessel, using merchant ship equipment and machinery, that could be mass-produced in Merchant shipyards.


Following this the Maritime Nationale ordered a further 18 ships, to be built at a number of British and French shipyards. These were identical to the British "Flowers" except that French 100 mm (3.9 in) and 13.2 mm AA guns were to be fitted.


The Fall of France in June 1940 brought a drastic change to these building programmes. Of the original four, only one, La Bastiase, was completed. On 22 June 1940, the day of France's capitulation, she was undergoing sea trials in the North Sea when she struck a mine off Hartlepool and sank. Of the others, La Malouine was taken over as she was by the Royal Navy (RN) on completion, while the other two were taken over and renamed.


Of the second order, the 12 ships under construction in Britain were taken over by the RN; all were renamed and given Flower names in keeping with the class.


Below, the intense activity FFL Commandant D'estienne D'orves played at her station Freetown since August 1942 to February 1943. 


By. www.naval-history.net


Sunday, 9th August  1942

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES and HYDRANGEA arrived.


Wednesday, 12th August

Cape ships of O.S.S. 35 dispersed. WOODRUFF and COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES returned to Freetown.


Wednesday, 19th August

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed Freetown, escorting to the west.


Sunday, 30th August

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES and BRILLIANT arrived Freetown.


Thursday, 3rd September

S.L. 121 (28 ships) escorted by LONDONDERRY, LANDGUARD, HASTINGS, BIDEFORD, COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES, and SWALE left Freetown.


Monday, 7th September

WOODRUFF and COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES left Bathurst, escorting to Freetown.


Wednesday, 9th September

WOODRUFF and COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Freetown from Bathurst


Thursday, 10th September

S.T. 34 (5 ships) escorted by WOODRUFF and COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed from Freetown.


Tuesday, 15th September

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Freetown.


Wednesday, 23rd September

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed Freetown escorting Dutch submarine O.21 to Pointe Noire.


Friday, 2nd October

  F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Pointe Noire.


Tuesday, 6th October

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed Pointe Noire for Matadi.


Wednesday, 7th October

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived and sailed from Matadi escorting military transport to Lagos with Belgian troops.


Sunday, 11th October

  COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Lagos.


 Wednesday, 14th October

HYDRANGEA and COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed from Lagos escorting LEOPARDVILLE to Takoradi.


Thursday, 15th October

HYDRANGEA and COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Takoradi escorting LEOPARDVILLE.


Monday, 19th October

AMARANTHUS and COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed Takoradi for Freetown.


Thursday, 22nd October

HYDRANGEA and COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Freetown from Takoradi.


Saturday, 31st October

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed from Freetown escorting to Pointe Noire.


Sunday, 8th November

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Pointe Noire from Freetown.


 Wednesday, 18th November

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES left Pointe Noire for Boma (docking).


 Thursday, 19th November

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Boma.


Wednesday, 25th November

COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES left Boma and arrived Pointe Noire.


Tuesday, 1st December

H.M.S. PHOEBE escorted by F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES, COMMANDANT DROGOU, M.L.s 244 and 272 sailed from Pointe Noire for Takoradi.


Sunday, 6th December

H.M. Ships PHOEBE, COMMANDANT DROGOU, COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES, and M.L.s 272, 244, and 266 arrived Takoradi.


Tuesday, 8th December

F.F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES and H.M. Ships NORWICH CITY, STELLA POLARIS, and M.L.s 302 and 209 sailed from Takoradi.


Tuesday, 22nd December

F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed Freetown with M.L.s 290, 296, and 271 escorting S.T. 49 (4 ships) from Lagos.


Monday, 28th December

F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES and H.M.S. ORFASY arrived Lagos.


Friday, 1st January 1943

F.F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES and H.M.S. ORFASY sailed from Lagos for Takoradi escorting S.S. MATADIAN and S.S. KINGBURY for onward convoy in T.S. 28.


Sunday, 3rd January

H.M.S. ORFASY and F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Takoradi from Lagos escorting S.S. MATADIAN and S.S. KINGSBURY for inclusion in Convoy T.S. 28.  

H.M. Ships ORFASY and BREDON and F.S. COMMANDANT D'ENTIENNE D'ORVES with M.L.s 271, 290, and 296 sailed from Takoradi as escorted to convoy T.S. 28.


Wednesday, 6th January

F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES parted company with convoy T.S. 28 to meet convoy W.S. 25 and in company with H.M.I.S. BALUCHISTAN to escort S.S. HIGHLAND BRIGADE to Takoradi.


Thursday, 7th January

F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES and H.M.I.S. BALUCHISTAN arrived Takoradi escorting S.S. HIGHLAND BRIGADE ex convoy W.S. 25.


Monday, 11 January

H.M. Ships PICT and NORTHERN ISLES with M.L. 265 and F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed from Takoradi.


Wednesday, 12th January

F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES escorting convoy T.S. 29 reported sighting a U boat in position 4-33N, 2-24W.


Wednesday, 13th January

F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES parted company with escort of convoy T.S. 28 to screen BRISTOL COAST off Marshall.


Saturday, 16th January

H.M.S. PICT and F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Freetown from Takoradi escorting convoy T.S. 29.


Tuesday, 19th January

F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed from Freetown to assist escort of convoy S.T. 53 to Takoradi.


Saturday, 23rd January

  H.M.S. DUNCTON and F.F.S. COMMANDANT DROGOU and F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES with M.L.s 261 and 278 arrived Takoradi.


Wednesday, 26th January

French ships COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed from Lagos for Pointe Noire to escort H.T. HAI LEE to Matadi.


Saturday, 30th January

  F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Pointe Noire from Takoradi.


February 1st

F.F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES commenced boiler cleaning at Pointe Noire.


February 6th

F.S.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES completed boiler cleaning at Pointe Noire and sailed for Congo thence to escort HAI LEE to Takoradi.


February 7th

F.F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived and sailed Banana escorting HAI LEE with a U.S. Engineer Corps for Dakar.


February 11th

F.F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Takoradi from Banana escorting the HAI LEE.


February 12th

H.M.S. HYDRANGEA and F.F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed from Takoradi escorting 2 ships. F.F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES to join escorts to Convoy W.S. 16 and proceed to Cape Town. H.M.S. HYDRANGEA and 2 ships met H.M.S. CORINTHIAN and H.H.M.S. ADRIAS (detached from convoy W.S. 26 and proceeded to Freetown.


February 22nd

F.F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived at Capetown from Pointe Noire. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES left the station for a recuperative period at the cape


 

FOLLOWING PAGES ON THE SAME ARTICLE

(C) Since 2007 - www.sixtant.net