French corvette Alysse

Last updated
Alysse
Aconit42 net.jpg
Flower-class corvette in 1942 paint
History
Naval Ensign of Free France.svgCivil and Naval Ensign of France.svgFrance
NameAlysse
Ordered12 December 1939
Laid down24 June 1940
Launched3 March 1941
Commissioned17 June 1941
Identification Pennant number: K100
FateTorpedoed and sunk on 9 February 1942
General characteristics
Class & type Flower-class corvette
Displacement950 tonnes
Length62.7 m (205 ft 9 in)
Beam10.9 m (35 ft 9 in)
Draught2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range
  • 3,450  nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
  • Fuel capacity: 230 tonnes
Complement70
Sensors &
processing systems
Type 271 surface radar
Armament

Alysse (formerly HMS Alyssum) was one of the nine Flower-class corvettes lent by the Royal Navy to the Free French Naval Forces.

Contents

Construction

Alysse was built by George Brown & Co.

War service

Originally built as HMS Alyssum by the British Royal Navy, she was loaned to the Free French Navy upon completion on 17 June 1941.

Convoys escorted by Alysse[ citation needed ]
YearMonthName of convoy
1941Julyconvoy England-United States
1941AugustSC 40
1941SeptemberSC 44
1941SeptemberON 19
1941OctoberSC 50
1941November
1941December
1942JanuarySC 62
1942JanuaryON 60

Shortly after midnight on 9 February 1942 while escorting convoy ON 60, Alysse was torpedoed by the German submarine U-654. [2] The torpedo struck Alysse on the port side in the forward part of the ship causing her to settle by the bow. The surviving crew were rescued by HMCS Hepatica and HMCS Moose Jaw; 36 crew members were lost. Hepatica then attempted to tow Alysse but after 30 minutes the tow parted. A further attempt was made to tow her to port later that day but after 18 hours Alysse foundered and sank at 6°34N/44°10W. [3]

Alysse just prior to sinking, 9 February 1942 FrenchCorvetteAlysse.jpg
Alysse just prior to sinking, 9 February 1942

Citations

  1. Alysse (J-1159) (+1942) Wreck site
  2. "FFL Alysse (K 100) (French Corvette)". uboat.net. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  3. "HMS Alyssum (K 100)". uboat.net. Retrieved 22 March 2018.

References