French corvette Roselys

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Sundew
Ordered	21 September 1939
Builder	J. Lewis and Sons Ltd., Aberdeen, Scotland
Laid down	4 November 1940
Launched	28 May 1941
Out of service	17 September 1941 – transferred to Free France
Identification	Pennant number: K57
Fate	Scrapped at Troon in 1948
France
Name	FFL Roselys
Acquired	17 September 1941
Commissioned	19 September 1941
Identification	K-57
Fate	Returned to Royal Navy in 1947
General characteristics
Class and type	Flower-class corvette (original)
Displacement	925 long tons (940 t; 1,036 short tons)
Length	205 ft (62.48 m)o/a
Beam	33 ft (10.06 m)
Draught	11.5 ft (3.51 m)
Propulsion	single shaft 2 × fire tube Scotch boilers 1 × 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW)
Speed	16 knots (29.6 km/h)
Range	3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km) at 12 knots (22.2 km/h)
Complement	85
Sensors and processing systems	1 × SW1C or 2C radar 1 × Type 123A or Type 127DV sonar
Armament	1 × BL 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mk.IX single gun 2 x double Lewis machine gun 2 × twin Vickers machine gun 2 × Mk.II depth charge throwers 2 × depth charge rails with 40 depth charges initially with minesweeper equipment, later removed

Roselys (formerly HMS Sundew) was one of the nine Flower-class corvettes lent by the Royal Navy to the Free French Naval Forces. She served as a naval escort in World War II.

Construction

The vessel was ordered on 21 September 1939. She was constructed in Aberdeen by J. Lewis and Sons Ltd. Her keel was laid on 4 November 1940. The ship was assigned dock number 155. She was launched on 28 May 1941. The vessel was finally commissioned on 19 September 1941.^[1][2]

Other Flower-class ships in Free French service retained their original flower names translated into French. However, the French for sundew, rosée du matin (literally "morning dew"), was considered unsuitable and the girl's name Roselys ("Rose-Lilly") was used instead, perhaps with the intention of linking the English Tudor rose with the French fleur-de-lys.^[3]

War service

On 30 January 1942, Roselys spotted a U-boat about 400 yards from her. She turned towards the U-boat with the intention to ram it. The U-boat attempted to dive, but it was lightly rammed before it could submerge. As she passed over the U-boat, depth charges were dropped. The U-boat was probably only lightly damaged, and escaped back to port.^[4][5] She was part of Convoy QP 13, and rescued 179 survivors on 5 July 1942 when several ships ran into naval mines. On 10 March 1943, she picked up 81 survivors from the British merchant Tucurina.^[6] Roselys was one of nine Free French escort vessels which supported the Normandy landings on and after 6 June 1944, protecting the movement of landing and supply ships across the English Channel.^[7]

Fate

She was returned to the Royal Navy in 1947. She was sold on 23 October 1947, and scrapped at Troon in May 1948.^[8]

References

Sources

• Auphan, Paul; Mordai, Jacques (1959). The French Navy in World War II. Annapolis MD: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 978-1-59114-566-0. (2016 edition)
• Flohic, François (1985). Ni chagrin, ni pitie: Souvenirs d'un marin de la France libre (in French). Paris: Plon. ISBN 2-259-01289-2.
• Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers & Frigates - The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.4
• Gardiner, Robert (1987). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Lenton, H.T.; Colledge, J.J. (1963). Warships of World War II - Part 3 Sloops and Frigates. Ian Allan Ltd.
• Preston, Antony; Raven, Alan (1982). Flower Class Corvettes. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 0-85368-559-2.
• Showell, Jak (2013). Donitz, U-Boats, Convoys: The British Version of His Memoirs from the Admirality's Anti-Submarine Reports. Frontline Books. ISBN 978-147383-086-8.

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Flower-class corvettes

Original ships
Free French Naval Forces	Aconit Alysse Commandant d'Estienne d'Orves Commandant Detroyat Commandant Drogou La Bastiaise Lobelia Mimosa Renoncule Roselys
Royal Canadian Navy	Agassiz Alberni Algoma Amherst Arrowhead Arvida Baddeck Barrie Battleford Bittersweet Brandon Brantford Buctouche Calgary Camrose Chambly Chicoutimi Chilliwack Cobalt Collingwood Dauphin Dawson Drumheller Dundas Dunvegan Edmundston Eyebright Fennel Fredericton Galt Halifax Hepatica Kamloops Kamsack Kenogami Kitchener La Malbaie Lethbridge Levis Louisburg Lunenburg Matapedia Mayflower Midland Moncton Moose Jaw Morden Nanaimo Napanee New Westminster Oakville Orillia Pictou Port Arthur Prescott Quesnel Regina Rimouski Rosthern Sackville Saskatoon Shawinigan Shediac Sherbrooke Snowberry Sorel Spikenard Sudbury Summerside The Pas Timmins Trail Trillium Vancouver Ville de Quebec Wetaskiwin Weyburn Windflower Woodstock
Hellenic Navy	Apostolis Kriezis Sachtouris Tombazis
Royal Navy	Abelia Acanthus Aconite Alisma Alyssum Amaranthus Anchusa Anemone Arabis Arbutus Armeria Arrowhead Asphodel Aster Aubrietia Auricula Azalea Balsam Begonia Bellwort Bergamot Bittersweet Bluebell Borage Bryony Burdock Buttercup Calendula Camellia Campanula Campion Candytuft Carnation Celandine Chrysanthemum Clarkia Clematis Clover Coltsfoot Columbine Convolvulus Coreopsis Coriander Cowslip Crocus Cyclamen Dahlia Delphinium Dianella Dianthus Eglantine Erica Eyebright Fennel Fleur de Lys Freesia Fritillary Gardenia Genista Gentian Geranium Gladiolus Gloriosa Gloxinia Godetia Godetia Harebell Heartsease Heather Heliotrope Hemlock Hepatica Hibiscus Hollyhock Honeysuckle Hyacinth Hyderabad Hydrangea Ivy Jasmine Jonquil Kingcup La Malouine Larkspur Lavender Ling Lobelia Loosestrife Lotus Lotus Mallow Marguerite Marigold Marjoram Mayflower Meadowsweet Mignonette Mimosa Monkshood Montbretia Myosotis Narcissus Nasturtium Nigella Orchis Oxlip Pennywort Pentstemon Peony Periwinkle Petunia Picotee Pimpernel Pink Polyanthus Poppy Potentilla Primrose Primula Ranonculus Rhododendron Rockrose Rose Salvia Samphire Saxifrage Snapdragon Snowberry Snowdrop Snowflake Spikenard Spiraea Starwort Stonecrop Sundew Sunflower Sweetbriar Tamarisk Thyme Trillium Tulip Verbena Veronica Vervain Vetch Violet Wallflower Windflower Woodruff Zinnia
Royal Netherlands Navy	Friso
Royal Norwegian Navy	Andenes Nordkyn Eglantine Montbretia Polarfront II Potentilla Rose
South African Navy	Protea
United States Navy Temptress class	Courage Fury Impulse Ready Restless Saucy Spry Surprise Temptress Tenacity
Royal Navy Belgian Section	Godetia Buttercup
Kriegsmarine	PA 1 PA 2 PA 3 PA 4

Modified ships
Royal Canadian Navy	Asbestos Atholl Beauharnois Belleville Brampton Charlottetown Cobourg Fergus Forest Hill Frontenac Giffard Guelph Hawkesbury Ingersoll Lachute Lindsay Listowel Long Branch Louisburg Meaford Merrittonia Mimico Norsyd North Bay Owen Sound Parry Sound Peterborough Renfrew Riviere du Loup Smiths Falls St. Lambert Stellarton Strathroy Thorlock Trentonian West York Whitby
Royal Indian Navy	Assam Gondwana Sind
Royal Navy	Arabis Arbutus Balm Betony Buddleia Bugloss Bullrush Burnet Candytuft Ceanothos Charlock Comfrey Cornel Dittany Flax Honesty Linaria Mandrake Milfoil Musk Nepeta Privet Rosebay Smilax Statice Willowherb
Royal New Zealand Navy	Arabis Arbutus
United States Navy Action class	Action Alacrity Beacon Brisk Caprice Clash Haste Intensity Might Pert Prudent Splendor Tact Vim Vitality
Argentine Navy	Capitán Cánepa República