HMS Cowslip (K196)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Cowslip.

HMS Cowslip, underway, being towed in the Second World War

HMS Cowslip (K196) was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. ^{[1] [2]} The ship spent much of the war in convoy escort and anti-submarine duties during the Battle of the Atlantic. ^[3]

Construction

The ship was ordered 8 April 1940, laid down 16 January 1941, and built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast. ^{[1] [4]} She was launched 28 May 1941 ^[4] and commissioned 9 August 1941. ^[1]

Career

On 29 October 1942, Cowslip rescued 50 survivors from the refrigerated cargo ship Corinaldo. ^[5] The next day, Cowslip and the Norwegian cargo ship Alaska rescued 85 survivors from the troopship Président Doumer, which had been sunk by U-604. ^{[2] [6]}

On 30 September 1942, she rescued 50 survivors from the water from the sunken Empire Avocet. ^{[7] [8]}

Cowslip was sold in July 1948, and scrapped at Troon in April 1949. ^[1]

References

1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Cowslip (K 196)". uboat.net. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
2. Prag, Christian (2009). No Ordinary War. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84832-022-2.
3. Edwards, Bernard (2014). Donitz and the Wolf Packs. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. p. 116. ISBN   978-1-4738-2293-1.
4. McCluskie, Tom (2013). The Rise and Fall of Harland and Wolff. Brimscombe Port: The History Press. ISBN   978-0-7524-9241-4.^{[ page needed ]}
5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Corinaldo". uboat.net. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
6. Edwards, Bernard (2012). The Decoys. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. p. 165. ISBN   978-1-4738-8708-4.
7. Tennent, Alan J. (2001). British and Commonwealth Merchant Ship Losses to Axis Submarines, 1939–1945. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. p. 103. ISBN   978-0-7509-2760-4.
8. Malcolm, Ian M. (2013). Shipping Company Losses of the Second World War. The History Press. ISBN   978-0-7509-5371-9.