AUBRIETIA convoy sloops (12, 1916

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AUBRIETIA convoy sloops (12, 1916 - 1918)

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate	Modification
Tamarisk (Compatriot, Fernridge, Q11)	T84	810	Lobnitz, Renfrew	1916	2.6.1916	1916	sold 10.1922	ordered 1.1916
Heather (Bywater, Q16, Seetrus)	T40	380	Greenock & Grangemouth	1916	16.6.1916	10/1916	sold 2.1932	ordered 1.1916
Salvia (Q15)		577	Irvine, West Hartlepool	1916	16.6.1916	10.1916	sunk 20.6.1917	ordered 1.1916
Aubrietia (Kai, Q13, Winton, Zebal)	T06		Blyth SB, Cowpen Quay	1916	17.6.1916	10/1916	sold 10.1922	ordered 1.1916
Viola (Cranford, Damaris, Q14)	T88	519	Ropner, Stockton	1916	14.7.1916	1916	sold 12.1922	ordered 1.1916
Tulip (Q12)		666	Richardson Duck, Thornaby	1916	15.7.1916	9.1916	sunk 30.4.1917	ordered 1.1916
Gaillardia	T34		Blyth SB, Cowpen Quay	1917	19.5.1917	11.1917	sunk 22.3.1918	ordered 12.1916
Andromeda		1036	Swan Hunter, Low Walker	1917	6.1917	--- // 8.1917	to France 1917 before completion (Andromede)	ordered 12.1916
Lychnis (Kidner, Wilangil), 9.1921- Cornwallis (9/1921- RIM)	T56	350	Hamilton, Port Glasgow	1917	21.8.1917	11/1917	sold 1946	ordered 12.1916
Montbretia (Rochfort)	T63	588	Irvine, West Hartlepool	1917	3.9.1917	12/1917	sold 1.1921	ordered 12.1916
Polyanthus (Deveril)	T73	826	Lobnitz, Renfrew	1917	24.9.1917	11.1917	sold 1.1921	ordered 12.1916
Hibiscus (Palette)	T42	386	Greenock & Grangemouth	1917	17.11.1917	1.1918	sold 1.1923	ordered 12.1916

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	1250
Displacement full, t	1450
Length, m	81.7
Breadth, m	10.2
Draught, m	3.36
No of shafts	1
Machinery	VTE, 2 cylindrical boilers
Power, h. p.	2500
Max speed, kts	17.5
Fuel, t	coal 130
Endurance, nm(kts)	2000(15)
Armament	2 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV or 2 x 1 - 102/44 BL Mk IX or 2 x 1 - 102/45 BL Mk X, 1 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 DCT, 1 DCR
Complement	92

Standard scale images

Cornwallis 1939

Project history

A further order was placed for six sloops in January 1916, but it was hoped to improve their anti-submarine capabilities by disguising them as small merchant ships, with armament concealed. The earlier 'Flower' class ships had proved useful escorts but their unmistakable silhouette always betrayed them as warships, and it was hoped that a more mercantile silhouette would tempt U-boats to stay on the surface long enough for the sloops to get within gun-range. Six more were ordered in December. The builders were given a free hand to model the sloops on similar-sized ships which they had already built. This frequently resulted in unsuitable accommodation and internal arrangements, but was considered a necessary evil to make the disguise effective. Although not strictly Q-ships, in the sense that they were built as commissioned warships, they were incorporated into the decoy organisation, with 'Q' numbers and false identities (shown in the table). Their main problems were that when viewed from bow or quarter their lines were much too fine for a mercantile hull, and if engaged by a U-boat their crews were too large to fake an 'abandon ship' routine.

Modernizations

1920s, Heather: + type 114 sonar

mid-1930s, Cornwallis: - 1 x 1 - 47/40; + 1 x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I/II/III/IV, 4 x 2 - 12.7/62

Naval service